Read Psalm 72

Peace With God

Many people declare that David was the penman of the Psalms without realizing that he was merely one of many authors. In fact, the shepherd king is only presumed to have written seventy-three of the one hundred fifty psalms! Moses was inspired to write Psalm 90, Asaph and his sons are credited with a dozen, the sons of Korah wrote eleven of the songs, Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman the Ezrahite are credited with one apiece. Fifty of the psalms are anonymous and there is no traditional author ascribed to them. There are two psalms ascribed to Solomon, the son of David: Psalm 72 and Psalm 127. There is some debate as to whether Psalm 72 was actually written by Solomon or is simply about Solomon.

In Psalm 72 is seen a yearning for justice and compassion. Compare the words and thoughts of this psalm with the Beatitudes preached by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.

Israel hoped for a peaceful reign under Solomon, and while it was rather peaceful in contrast to his father’s rule, it was not the peace that God promised His people. True peace came under the Son of David; those who are in Christ are the only ones who can experience the peace with God that He desires us to have. “In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more” (Psalm 72:7).

Solomon enjoyed the praise and honor of many nations as a wise king, but there were limits to his power. The psalmist declares, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, and His enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him” (Psalm 72:8-11). This is yet to be fulfilled, but it will be. Paul wrote that the day would come “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

Do you have peace with God? Have you humbly bowed before Him, confessing the name of Jesus, obeying His glorious gospel?

Read 1 Kings 3:16-28

The Demonstration of Wisdom

Solomon asked for wisdom from God, and the Scriptures state that God granted the king’s request. In addition to this clear affirmation of God’s answer, the Scriptures also provide a demonstration of Solomon’s wisdom in 1 Kings 3:16-28.

Two prostitutes lived together and gave birth to sons within three days of each other. One woman crushed her son during the night and in distress, she exchanged her roommate’s child with the corpse of her own baby. The mother of the living baby was not fooled by the switch, and the two women brought the case before Solomon to determine to whom the son truly belonged. As there were no other witnesses in the house, it was a she said/she said situation with no clear answer.

Solomon asked for a sword to be brought forth. He said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other” (1 Kings 3:25). Any straight-thinking individual would be horrified by such a suggestion.

The actual mother of the baby rightly protested against Solomon’s words. She “yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, ‘O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” (1 Kings 3:26). Even though she would be losing any legal claim to her child, she did not want him to suffer death.

But the one whose son was dead agreed with Solomon’s decision. Her reasoning was? “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him” (1 Kings 3:26). In essence, she said, “If I cannot have a child, then neither should you.”

Solomon clearly saw who the child’s mother was based on the reactions of these two women. “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother” (1 Kings 3:27). The report of Solomon’s wisdom spread throughout the kingdom, and the people “feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice” (1 Kings 3:28).

Let us not be rash in the decisions we make. Consider the consequences of our actions, and consult the word of God in which His wisdom is contained, and make choices based on His will.

Read 1 Kings 3:1-15

The Value of Wisdom

Solomon has a reputation for wisdom, despite his many shortcomings. When studying the inspired account of the third king’s life, it is remarkable that he has retained such a stellar reputation among Bible students. “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places” (1 Kings 3:3). To gloss over such a statement is to ignore the consequences of that word “except.” God has always demanded “man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13; cf. Mark 12:30; Romans 12:1-2).

Nevertheless, there were instances of brilliance in Solomon’s reign. One such instance is recorded in 1 Kings 3 when God appeared to the king and said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5). The king’s answer asked for nothing more than “an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9).

God, rich in mercy and desiring to bless His servants, granted Solomon’s prayer. Not only did God bless Solomon with wisdom, but He also granted Him great material wealth and political power, “so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days” (1 Kings 3:13). There was, however, a stipulation: “So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days” (1 Kings 3:14).

Is the same blessing not available to each of us today, along with the same condition? The inspired James wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).

Yes, wisdom is available to those who desire to serve God! Are you a Christian? Have you asked for wisdom? Don’t doubt that God can give you what you ask for—He can and He will!