Children … “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise. Ephesians 6:1–2 NKJV
And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day” … The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 1 Kings 3:6, 10 NKJV
In his prayer to the Lord, who appeared to him at Gibeon in a dream, Solomon makes this lovely reference to his father David. These were not just words, for verse 10 tells us that the Lord was pleased with his prayer. Solomon honored his father David in his personal prayer as he spoke respectfully of him to God. He also honored him later in his public prayer at the dedication of the temple (1 Ki. 8; 2 Chr. 6). Solomon had respected David’s counsel in his request for wisdom and knowledge to judge God’s people, and just before his death, David had commended him for his wisdom. This commendation had not gone to Solomon’s head, inflating him. May the Lord help godly fathers so to encourage and bring up their children that they may both walk in God’s ways and also give heartfelt thanks to God for their fathers.
A truly wise man realizes how much he lacks wisdom, and will “ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (Jas. 1:5). Would to God that those to whom He entrusts authority in governments might learn this!
We go on to read that “God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding … he was wiser than all men … and his fame was in all the surrounding nations … and men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon” (1 Ki. 4:29–34).