1 Kings 3:8, commentary and pictures

Solomon spoke these words to God in a dream in the night at Gibeon at the beginning of his reign after succeeding David his father, calling himself God's servant made king in his father's place and standing in the midst of God's chosen people, a vast multitude that cannot be numbered. Confessing himself but a little child who does not know how to go out or come in, he set his own smallness and helplessness against the greatness and importance of the people as the weight of his responsibility, and on that ground asked for an understanding heart to judge them and discern between good and bad. His words show humility, lowliness, and dependence on God, and God gave the prayer as a pattern to guide the desires of His servants, to be studied point by point and offered continually, especially by those entrusted with responsibilities in His work who cannot perform their duties acceptably without wisdom from on high. God commended the unselfish request and granted wisdom that astonished the world, adding riches, honor, and length of days on condition of obedience, yet when Solomon later turned from the Source of his strength to follow his own heart into lust and idolatry, his great gifts became a more effective means for evil, giving a lesson of watchfulness to the very last.

Gibeon Prayer Setting

The words were spoken by Solomon in a dream in the night at Gibeon at the beginning of his reign after succeeding David his father, when God conversed with him and said to ask what should be given him. At that time the hearts of the people were turned toward him as they had been toward David and they obeyed him in all things. He was instructed by an angel in that night season, and he answered after desiring wisdom and understanding above every earthly good for the work God had given him to do.

He called himself God's servant made king instead of David his father, pleased to hold that relation to the King of kings. He first blessed God for great mercy shown to David according as he had walked before God in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart. He acknowledged God's keeping of great kindness by giving David a son to sit on his throne.

He confessed that he was but a little child who did not know how to go out or come in. As a young and inexperienced ruler he comprehended the magnitude of the duties of the kingly office, yet without divine aid he was as helpless as a little child to do the work entrusted to him. Though rich in talents and ability, he realized his lack of discernment and his need of divine aid, impressed by the Holy Spirit with the solemnity of his responsibilities.

He placed himself in the midst of God's chosen people, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Their great number forms the setting for his plea, and their size and importance make clear the weight of his responsibility as king set among them to serve and govern them rightly. He set his own smallness against their greatness as the reason for his sense of the greatness of the charge laid upon him and his own inability to rule it.

On that ground he asked for an understanding heart to judge God's people and to discern between good and bad, for who is able to judge so great a people. His longing was with no selfish aspiration to exalt himself above others, but for quickness of mind, largeness of heart, tenderness of spirit, and discernment to discharge his duties faithfully and bring glory to God.

Humility, Wisdom, and Warning

The words set Solomon's own smallness against the greatness of the people as the reason he needed divine help to serve faithfully. He called himself a little child who did not know how to go out or come in, and a servant placed in the midst of God's chosen people, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. That lowliness showed his humility and his sense of heavy responsibility for so great a people, and their size and importance made clear the weight of his office and his dependence on God to judge them rightly. His awareness of the multitude entrusted to his care and of his inability to judge them by himself led directly into his request for an understanding heart to judge God's people and discern between good and bad.

God gave this prayer as a sample prayer to guide aright the desires of His servants, suitable for all, high and low, rich and poor. It is to be carefully studied point by point and offered continually, for on those points depended the receiving of the rich blessings God was ready to give. It is especially valuable to those entrusted with responsibilities in the Lord's work today, who are to pray it continually, especially in days of exaltation and glory. They must beware of lifting up their hearts unto vanity, and put away self-exaltation, haughtiness, oppression, and vain speech, for only such humble prayers offered in faith and humility will the Lord hear and answer. No one can perform his duties and carry his responsibilities acceptably without wisdom from on high, which God promises with His blessing to those who strive to serve Him with singleness of heart.

God commended that fervent prayer for preparation for service and chose for Solomon, granting an understanding heart and wisdom that astonished the world and excited wonder and admiration. Because he did not ask for temporal riches or worldly honor, riches, honor, and length of days were added, on condition he walk in God's ways and keep His statutes and commandments. His prosperity and kingly influence from God would continue only as he kept all the Lord's commandments, and heavenly wisdom enables right use of God-given talents and means without forgetting the Giver. That wisdom was then more precious to him than the gold of Ophir, and in his early reign he held a sacred trust as king over Israel.

Solomon obtained that wisdom through earnest prayer and dependence on God. When he later turned from the Source of his strength, relied on himself, and failed to keep the contract by following his own heart, he was left to his own impulses and fell prey to temptation. He surrendered to lustful passion and love of women, lost firmness of character, yielded principle, separated himself from God, and was led by his wives into idolatry. His great abilities and marvelous powers as the wisest of kings then became a more effective means for Satan to work, giving a lesson of watchfulness and a testimony of the need of strength from God to the very last.