The first specific instance of what we might call the form of prayer Solomon presented in the previous verses deals with a problem between neighbours. Before looking at the specific requests in this prayer, it may be well to ask the question of why the first example of the prayers to be brought before God is a situation involving individuals rather than the collective people of Israel. There are those who teach that God is not really interested in the individual but only the mass of mankind. If this were true, then it would seem that a situation that dealt with two individuals would not be given the place that it has in Solomon’s prayer.
The situation in the prayer that confronts us is a case of a man sinning against his neighbour. This might give us the thought that the one accusing his neighbour of sin was in the right and the one being accused was in the wrong. Are we being told that every accusation that a man makes against another man is to be assumed to be true? Probably not. The sin that the verse speaks about could be the sin involved in the accusation, but it could also be the sin of making a false accusation. If the assumption was to be that the accuser was always in the right and the accused always in the wrong, then this entire prayer would not be necessary. In that case, all that would be required is to pronounce a sentence against the accused and institute the provisions of the law.
The situation imagined is a situation of uncertainty. Presumably, there are no witnesses to attest to the truth or falsity of the accusation. Instead, application is to be made in prayer to the Lord whose eyes are on the whole earth and who has seen where the truth lies. It is for this reason that Solomon asks that the guilty be punished in that case and the innocent rewarded. This might mean that the accused will be vindicated by the Lord himself.
This portion of the prayer is a petition that in doubtful matters, the disputants are to come to the temple where prayer is to be offered that the justice of God might be made known. It is therefore first a reminder that God is omniscient and sees all things. It is in the second place a demonstration that God is just and that his justice may be depended upon.
Solomon does not mention in this part of the prayer by what means God will decide between guilt and innocence. Because the point is that prayer to him will provide the answer desired. We assume that since the temple is mentioned, where the priests minister, it is by the use of the Urim and Thummim that God will display his answer to the prayer.
It is noteworthy that in this portion of the prayer, even though a sin has been committed, there is no mention of forgiveness. Rather what is mentioned is judgment coming upon the sinner and vindication coming to the innocent.
31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house,