The Prayers of Solomon: Lessons on Leadership and Discernment (1 Kings 3.6-9)
“You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you, and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”
Background
Following Adonijah’s death, Solomon dealt with some other issues that his father had requested of him. Because of their roles in Adonijah’s uprising, he banished the priest Abiathar, had Joab executed, and confined Shimei to Jerusalem for life. While some might question Solomon’s irrevocable actions, his shrewd and pragmatic rule is a contrast to David’s inability to take harsh actions against some of his people, regardless of their treason.
The writer then tells us about some of Solomon’s actions in the wider political realm. He made an alliance with Egypt and married the daughter of the Pharaoh to seal the treaty. While this was a common practice (to ensure fidelity to the treaty), it violated the Mosaic law, for she was a non-Israelite.1 This is the first instance of this kind of action, and it might seem innocuous—perhaps God allowed an exception because it furthered His purposes for the safety and prosperity of Israel.
However, Solomon did not require his wives to practice the Jewish faith. They brought their own idols and continued their religious practices. This eventually leads to serious problems. Again, we see great promise turned to suffering because God’s followers let power and cultural practices influence them.
At this point in the narrative, though, everything is good for Israel and her king. The writer tells us that Solomon loved God, followed his commands (though we know he just broke one), and often sacrificed and worshiped at holy places in the land. It is at one of these occasions that Solomon offers the prayer above. At Gibeon, God came to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he would like to have. Solomon begins the prayer by recalling what God did for David (because David was faithful and always sought God). While not stated directly, that part of the prayer is a thanksgiving.
Meaning
Most of the prayers we have studied have been of one type, but a few combine different types of prayers into one. Many of those typically begin with a thanksgiving or praise, like this one. This thanksgiving also functions to set up Solomon’s petition—what God did for David is why Solomon asks for what he does.
The second part of the prayer is also a prelude to the petition. It is an implied confession: Solomon says that he is young and he does not know much. Yet here he is, the king of a nation. This nation is not just any people, but God’s people, and Solomon is to lead them. Perhaps we are surprised at Solomon’s insecurity after the many instances of his strong leadership, but he suspects that leadership is not just a matter of shrewd and decisive decisions.
Now we arrive at the petition itself and the answer to God’s question. Solomon asks for an “understanding mind.” The Hebrew phrase here (lēḇ šōmēaʿ) has the sense of being able to judge and dispense proper justice, which makes sense because the King was the final court of appeal for any decision—an ancient version of a Supreme Court.2 He also asks for the ability to discern between “good and evil,” another important characteristic for someone who is responsible for bringing justice to a community. God is so pleased with Solomon’s request that he not only grants it but says he will also give him riches and honor because his mind and heart are in the right place. He also promises him a long life, if Solomon will merely keep along this path. Will Solomon do that? We shall see.
Immediately following the prayer and God’s response, the writer gives us an example of the wisdom that Solomon has been given: he decides to hear the case of two prostitutes (despite their social standing) in a dispute over which is the true mother of a baby. His wisdom is shown in that he understands that a true mother would rather suffer loss herself than have her child die—a false mother would not go to such lengths, since she has nothing to lose. This story shows that God answered Solomon’s prayer for wisdom.
Application
This prayer teaches us two things that we can apply to our own prayers. The first comes from the structure of the prayer. We can use this model of thanksgiving-confession-petition. Rather than simply asking God for what we need, we can begin by thanking Him for what he has already given us, then confessing our need and inability. If you can connect the thanksgiving and the confession as the grounds for the petition, all the better. This is a rich way to expand our prayers beyond simple petitions. It allows us to connect with God on several levels in prayer.
Second, we can turn to this prayer when we pray for our political leaders, administrators, and judges, as we are called to do (1 Tim. 2:2). We can ask that God endows them with a mind that can understand what justice means and how to carry it out, and to request that they be able to discern between good and evil (which seems simple, but often is not in a complex and diverse society). Whether the leaders are believers or not makes no difference, for God is concerned about the entire world, including those who do not follow Him.
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