June 6

June 6

Solomon & the Throne -- Adonijah's rebellion, David's death, & a psalm of prayer for the King.

Today's Readings:

Reading 1: 1 Kings 1

Reading 2: 1 Kings 2

Reading 3: Psalm 72

Today we reach the end of the life of David, the man after God's own heart. Notably, the account of his life is so honest and transparent, recording the ups and downs, highs and lows of this fascinating man.

And to the end, there is conflict among his family resulting from his unwise (although culturally accepted) decision to have many wives. David would have greatly reduced the battles for succession and the sibling rivalries if he had followed God's plan (in Genesis 2:24) of one man and one woman for life being the definition of marriage.

Despite the factions and the fighting, David's will is done in the end, and Solomon becomes king. So the son of the woman with whom David committed adultery before murdering her husband and making her a widow becomes king as God promised.

And Psalm 72 was likely written by Solomon after hearing his father pray shortly before his death. In his book "The Treasury of David," the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon says of this Psalm: "It is the Prayer of David, but the Psalm of Solomon."

So we conclude our readings for today with Solomon's Psalm paying tribute to his father David's prayer and asking God to bless them both. What do you see most clearly in the Psalm?

Have a great day!

Mark.