1 Kings 3:6
And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
At Gibeon God appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and offered to give him whatever he would ask, and Solomon answered by acknowledging God's great mercy to David his father for walking before Him in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart, and by acknowledging that God had kept that kindness by giving David a son to sit on his throne in that day. He spoke as a young and inexperienced ruler helpless as a little child, desiring above every earthly good wisdom and understanding for God's work, with no selfish aspiration to exalt himself but choosing the heavenly gift that would bring glory to God. His confession of smallness and prayer for an understanding heart to judge God's people and discern between good and bad was given as a sample prayer to guide the desires of all God's servants aright, especially those bearing responsibilities, and in answer God gave him wisdom with riches and honor for right governing and work. His prosperity and influence were of God and would continue only as he steadfastly obeyed as David had done, for God dealt with David and Solomon just according to their faithfulness and never approved or sanctioned their sins. He obtained his wisdom through earnest prayer and dependence, but when he later trusted himself and turned to lust, self-sufficiency and idolatry he lost wisdom and firmness, separated from the source of his strength and became an effective agent of evil, showing how far early promise can be lost and the need for watchfulness and strength from God to the very last.
Setting and Acknowledgment
The verse is Solomon's answer when the Lord appeared to him in a dream by night at Gibeon and offered to give him whatever he would ask. The Lord sent His angel to instruct him in the night season, saying, Ask what shall be given. It was spoken at Gibeon as the opening of his consecration prayer and confession of his own smallness before his prayer for an understanding heart.
He acknowledges that God showed great mercy and kindness to David his father, his servant, because David walked before God in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with Him. That walk in truth, righteousness, and integrity of heart is given as the reason for the mercy shown to David. He further acknowledges that God kept that great kindness for David by giving David a son to sit on his throne as king in that day. That kept kindness included giving him a son to succeed him on the throne, fulfilled in Solomon's own reign as king at that time.
Humble Prayer Answered
Solomon spoke these words as a young and inexperienced ruler out of helplessness and desire for aid, feeling his need and longing above every earthly good for wisdom and understanding for the work given him to do, with longing for quickness of mind, largeness of heart, and tenderness of spirit. Remembering the great mercy shown to David his father and his own place upon David's throne, he realized that without divine aid he was as helpless as a little child to carry the responsibilities resting upon him. He knew he lacked discernment, and the sense of his great need led him to seek God for wisdom.
There was no selfish aspiration in his heart for knowledge that would exalt him above others. Calling himself the Lord's servant and pleased to sustain that relation to the King of kings, he desired to discharge faithfully the duties belonging to him and chose the gift that would cause his reign to bring glory to God, choosing the heavenly in place of the earthly. Petitions were not to come from hearts filled with selfish aspirations, but to choose gifts that bring glory to God. He was never so rich or so wise or so truly great as when he confessed his childlike helplessness and dependence.
The verse opens his confession of his own smallness and his prayer for an understanding heart to judge God's great people and to discern between good and bad. It is part of the prayer given in the night season as a sample prayer appropriate for all, high and low, rich and poor, to offer for an understanding heart and to guide the desires of servants aright. It is given especially for the guidance of those entrusted with responsibilities in the Lord's work who strive to serve with singleness of heart, as a most precious lesson of instruction. Every point of this prayer is to be carefully studied, because on it depended his receiving the rich blessings ready to be given.
In answer God gave him an understanding heart and promised him wisdom, and also riches and honor. He asked for wisdom rather than temporal riches or worldly honor. He became renowned for wisdom, knowledge, upright character, and skill in governing and carrying out important work, including building the temple. Such heavenly wisdom enables right use of God-given talents and means without forgetting their Giver.
Obedience and Warning
Solomon's prosperity and kingly influence came from God, and it would never have been taken from him if he had continued to obey all the commandments of the Lord as David did. As long as he steadfastly obeyed the commandments, God was with him just as God had been with David, in answer to his prayer at the dedication of the temple. At Gibeon, when wisdom, riches, and honor were promised to him, he was warned to remain humble and obedient. God dealt with David and Solomon strictly according to their faithfulness, which silences every claim that He sanctioned their sins. That dealing according to faithfulness does not mean that He approved their sins.
Solomon obtained his wisdom through earnest prayer and dependence on God. That wisdom excited the wonder and admiration of the world. When he later turned from God and went forward relying on himself he fell into temptation. The great abilities, remarkable gifts, and marvelous powers bestowed on him as the wisest of kings then only made him a more effective agent of evil and instrument of Satan, a more efficient agent of the adversary of souls.
In his youth he looked to God for guidance and trusted in Him, and God chose him and gave him wisdom and power that astonished the world, so that his power and wisdom were extolled throughout the land. That early virtue, if preserved, would have made his life remarkable until its close. Instead he surrendered this special grace to lustful passion; his love of women, uncontrolled in his manhood, was his sin and proved a snare to him when his wives led him into idolatry. He yielded his principles, placed himself in the current of evil, pursued power in self-sufficiency, turned from God, and separated himself from God the source of his strength. When he began to descend the declivity of life the wisdom God had given him was removed, he lost firmness of character and became more like the giddy youth wavering between right and wrong, though wisdom had once been more precious to him than the gold of Ophir. Lustful passions obtained the victory and he was deceived and ruined through women, showing how far early promise could be lost when he became self-sufficient and turned from God, and giving a lesson for watchfulness and a testimony of the need of strength from God to the very last.