1 Kings 8:38

“What prayer and supplication soever, etc.] On account of any of the above things, or any other: be [made] by any man, or by all the people Israel; by a private man, for such an one might go to the temple and pray by himself; (see <421810>Luke 18:10,11) or by the public congregation: which shall know every man the plague of his own heart; be sensible of his sin as the cause of his distress, and own it, though ever so privately committed, which none knows but God and his own heart; and which may be only an heart sin, not actually committed; as all sin is originally in the heart, and springs from it, that is the source of all wickedness; it may respect the corruption of nature, indwelling sin,…”

“Know every man the plague of his own heart - i. e. perceive one’s sinfulness, or recognize one’s sufferings as divine chastisements, and sin as their cause. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The plague - His sin, which may be called the plague of his heart, in opposition to the other plagues here mentioned; so the sense is, who, by their afflictions are brought to a true and serious sense of their worse and inward plague of their sins, which are most fitly called the plague of the heart, because that is both the principal seat of sin, and the fountain from whence all actual sins flow. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 8:39”

“prayer: Ch2 20:5-13; Psa 50:15, Psa 91:15; Isa 37:4, Isa 37:15-21; Joe 2:17; Amo 7:1-6 the plague: Ch2 6:29; Job 7:11; Psa 32:3, Psa 32:4, Psa 42:6, Psa 42:9, Psa 42:11, Psa 73:21, Psa 73:22, Psa 142:3-5; Pro 14:10; Rom 7:24; Phi 4:6 spread forth: Kg1 8:22; Isa 1:15 3 Kings (1 Kings) 8:39”