Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom (1 Kings 3:3-9)
Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, May 31, 2026
Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom (1 Kings 3:3-9)
Prepared and preached by Pastor Steve Rhodes for and at Bethel Friends Church in Poland, OH on Sunday, May 31, 2026
Erich Weiss was a remarkable man. By the time of his death he was famous around the world. Never heard of him, huh?
Maybe this will help. He was born of Hungarian-Jewish parentage at Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1874. He became the highest-paid entertainer of his day. That still doesn’t help much, does it? This will.
When he finally got his act together, Weiss adopted a stage name: Harry Houdini . . . the master showman, a distinguished flyer, a mystifying magician, and—most of all—an unsurpassed escapologist.
On March 10, 1904, the London Daily Illustrated Mirror challenged Houdini to escape from a special pair of handcuffs they had prepared. Are you ready? There were six locks on each cuff and nine tumblers on each lock. Seven days later, 4,000 spectators gathered in the London Hippodrome to witness the outcome of the audacious challenge which Houdini had accepted.
At precisely 3:15 p.m., the manacled showman stepped into an empty cabinet which came up to his waist. Kneeling down, he was out of sight for a full twenty minutes. He stood up smiling as the crowd applauded, thinking he was free. But he was not. He asked for more light. They came on brighter as he knelt down out of sight. Fifteen minutes later he stood to his feet. Applause broke out—again, premature. He was still handcuffed. Said he just needed to flex his knees.
Down into the cabinet again went the magician. Twenty minutes passed slowly for the murmuring crowd before Houdini stood to his feet with a broad smile. Loud applause quickly stopped as the audience saw he was not yet free. Because the bright lights made the heat so intense, he leaped from the cabinet and twisted his manacled hands in front of him until he could reach a pocket knife in his vest. Opening the knife with his teeth, he held its handle in his mouth and bent forward to such a degree that the tail of his coat fell over his head. He grasped the coat, pulled it over his head, then proceeded to slash it to ribbons with the knife between his teeth. Throwing aside the strips of his heavy coat, he jumped back into the box as the audience roared its approval and cheered him on.
Down went Houdini, but this time for only ten minutes. With a dramatic flourish, he jumped from the box—wrists free—waving the bulky handcuffs over his head in triumph. Pandemonium exploded in London. Once again the showman had achieved the incredible—almost the impossible.
Afterwards, Houdini was interviewed. Everyone wanted to know why he had to interrupt the process of his escape as often as he did. With a twinkle in his eyes, the magician freely admitted that he really didn’t have to interrupt the process. He repeatedly explained that his ability to escape was based on knowledge.
“My brain is the key that sets me free!” he often declared. Then why did he keep standing up before he was loose? He confessed it was because he wanted the audience’s applause to keep up his enthusiasm![1]
There are many things we could discuss from that illustration. Of course, enthusiasm is important, but I want to talk about knowledge and wisdom.
Have we ever felt over our heads? Have we ever felt like we needed help?
We are in a year-long series on prayer.
Today, we look at Solomon’s prayer. Solomon had recently become king of Israel. He realized he needed help. The Lord appeared to him and told him to ask whatever he wished. Solomon asked for wisdom.
My theme today is:
Solomon prays for wisdom.
- What is the context?
- We are in the Old Testament of the Bible.
- King David had expanded Israel’s borders. He has died, and his son, Solomon, is now the king.
- At the beginning of this chapter, Solomon makes a marriage alliance with the Pharaoh of Egypt. This was not a wise act. Deut. 17:16 warns against a return to Egypt. Deut. 7:3 warns against marrying foreigners. This is explicitly tied to a warning that such marriages will lead the people to serve other gods (Deut. 7:4).[2]
- Then, 1 Kings 3:2 shares that the people were sacrificing at high places. This seems to be because a place of worship has not yet been established. Deut. 12 instructed them to have one place of worship.
- Solomon begins by tolerating worship of the Lord at these places and ends up being drawn into full-blown apostasy (1 Kings 11:7–8), as also later do Israel and Judah (e.g., 12:28–31; 2 Kings 21:3–9). [3]
- It is in this context that we see Solomon’s prayer.
- Introduction to Solomon’s prayer.
- 1 Kings 3:3 (ESV)
- 3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
- We see two good things: Solomon loved the Lord.
- He is walking in the statutes of his father, David. He is walking in the patterns and ordinances of his father, David. Those are good things.
- But he made offerings at these high places.
- It seems as though he is making the sacrifices to the Lord, but he should’ve led Israel sacrificing at the one central location in Jerusalem.
- [He] sinned when he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, pagan places of worship, instead of the one prescribed place, the tabernacle (cf. Dt 17:3–5).[4]
- 1 Kings 3:4–5 (ESV)
- 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”
- Though he should’ve been sacrificing at the one location (Deut. 17:3-5), the Lord graciously appears to him.
- Solomon offers a thousand burnt offerings, wow!
- It seems to me that he was truly interested in making a sacrifice to the Lord.
- I think Solomon will have his sins, and he does have them at this point, but he desires to serve the Lord.
- The Lord appears to him.
- The Lord says, “Ask what I shall give you.”
- And then what happened?
- Solomon begins with gratitude.
- 1 Kings 3:6 (ESV)
- 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, 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 this day.
- Solomon prays.
- Solomon requests of the Lord.
- But first, he gives credit to the Lord for everything he has.
- The Lord showed love to David.
- Notice the modifiers. The Lord showed “great” and “steadfast” love.
- This is the Hebrew word “Hesed.” It has the idea of loyal love.
- Faithful love (Hb chesed) almost always refers to covenant faithfulness. David was faithful in his obedience to God; God was, in turn, faithful in giving and keeping his covenant promises to David. Covenant faithfulness is a key concept in OT theology.[5]
- Solomon calls David the Lord’s servant. He shared that David walked before the Lord in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart. This passage is swimming in words describing David’s commitment to the Lord. When we make a commitment to the Lord, when we desire to walk in His ways, there are blessings. I am not saying we will become millionaires, but we will experience blessings by following the Lord’s way. This is because the Lord’s way is the best way.
- Are we servants of the Lord?
- Do we give credit to the Lord for everything we have?
- Do we thank the Lord for everything?
- Do we begin our prayer with thanks?
- The Lord told Solomon, “Ask what you wish?” but first Solomon thanked the Lord.
- When we are walking in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward the Lord, we will experience the Lord’s pleasure and presence.
- Let’s take a moment to do a gut check. How is our walk?
- Do we begin our prayer acknowledging thanks to the Lord?
- Solomon says that the Lord kept for David this steadfast love and gave him a son to sit on the throne. That would be Solomon.
- Solomon is saying that the Lord put him on the throne.
- He says he is on the throne because of the Lord.
- What great humility!
- This humility continues.
- Solomon acknowledges he needs the Lord.
- 1 Kings 3:7-8: And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.
- Solomon is saying that he needs help.
- Yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. This expression (Hb. na’ar means “immature person”) reflected Solomon’s youth and his virtual inexperience, not his chronological age. Since he reigned 40 years (970–930 BC) and did not die at a remarkable old age, he probably became king between the ages of 20 and 30 (cf. 1Kg 11:42–43). He felt overwhelmed by all that was placed on his shoulders in administering this kingdom.[6]
- When we pray, do we honestly acknowledge that we need help?
- Solomon requests wisdom.
- 1 Kings 3:9 (ESV)
- 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
- This sermon has been about Solomon’s prayer, but most of this prayer is thanks, gratitude, and humility.
- Now, we see the request:
- He calls himself a servant.
- He asks for an understanding mind.
- We all need that, correct?
- He wants this to govern God’s people.
- He needs to be able to discern between good and evil.
- Who is able to govern this Your great people?
- I think the answer is- no one is able to govern God’s great people.
- But God can govern the people.
- If we read on, we see that God was pleased by his request, and so God gives him riches and wisdom. God was pleased that he did not ask for long life or riches but asked for wisdom, so God gave him honor and wealth as well as wisdom.
Close:
We need understanding, don’t we? We need wisdom.
Swindoll writes:
I came across a rather remarkable letter purportedly written over one hundred and fifty years ago by Martin Van Buren to President Andrew Jackson. The contents? A strong, critical warning that the “evil” new railroads would disrupt business, boost unemployment, and weaken our nation’s defense. Historians may debate the authenticity of this little epistle, but see if the underlying tone doesn’t sound vaguely familiar.
January 31, 1829
To President Jackson:
The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as “railroads.” The federal government must preserve the canals for the following reasons:
One. If canal boats are supplanted by “railroads,” serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, drivers, hostlers, repairmen and lock tenders will be left without means of livelihood, not to mention the numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for horses.
Two. Boat builders would suffer and towline, whip and harness makers would be left destitute.
Three. Canal boats are absolutely essential to the defense of the United States. In the event of the expected trouble with England, the Erie Canal would be the only means by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging modern war.
As you may well know, Mr. President, “railroad” carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of fifteen miles per hour by “engines” which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening our women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.
Martin Van Buren
Governor of New York[7]
That is an example of a President who needed wisdom. Everyone has their idea of what is right and what is wrong.
We do have God’s wisdom in our Bibles.
Let’s make it a point to seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding.
How?
Pray, pray, pray, and then spend time in His Word and with His people.
Pray
[1] Excerpt taken from Come before Winter and Share My Hope by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1985, 1988, 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
April 17, 2026 Insight for Living devotional online. Accessed 04.20.2026
https://insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/houdinis-secret-part-one
[2] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 597.
[3] Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 597.
[4] Harry E. Shields, “1 Kings,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 488.
[5] Andrew C. Bowling, “1 Kings,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 508.
[6] Harry E. Shields, “1 Kings,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 488.
[7] Excerpt taken from Come before Winter and Share My Hope by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1985, 1988, 1994 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
April 16, 2026 Insight for Living devotional online. Accessed 04.20.2026
https://insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/the-problem-with-progress-part-two