1 Kings 3:11

An understanding heart is what Solomon asked of God (see 1 Kings 3:9-11), and it means, as the margin gives it, a hearing heart — a heart to hear or discern judgment... A heart that by faith loves to hear and bow to the excellent things that come out of the mouth of divine wisdom, without reasoning.

He did not regard the people as his people, his to govern, his to serve God in, but God's people entrusted to him. This gives seriousness; and, further, it exercises conscience. So he asked for wisdom, for surely he needed it. Had it been his own people, he might have had wisdom enough; but being God's people, he needed wisdom from God.

Solomon did not request wisdom out of vanity or for personal advantage. He realized what a tremendous responsibility the Lord had entrusted to him, young and inexperienced as he was. He wanted wisdom so as to be able to rule God's great people well. May we too seek wisdom from above to function well in our daily tasks, family needs, and in the responsibilities God entrusts to us among His people!

He asked then for an understanding heart to administer justice to the people, to discern between good and evil. 2 Chronicles tells us that his request also included "wisdom and knowledge." God was pleased with Solomon's request. It pleased Him above all that Solomon did not ask for totally selfish things, such as long life, riches or the destruction of his enemies. He asked for wisdom to discern justice, showing a desire to see the people of Israel prosper.

Solomon asked for wisdom, and "it pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this." We never please Him in what we ask or do, unless we set aside the claims of our own nature.

He might have asked for long life or riches, or the life of his enemies; instead he asked for an understanding heart so that he might rule the people of God well. Our blessed Lord once said: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." On this principle the Lord dealt with Solomon... "I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days." This seemed to make Israel's blessing secure, but God went on to say, "If you will walk in My ways, keeping My statutes." That "if" to Solomon was as fatal as the "if" to Israel, for weak human nature can never be trusted, and Solomon's failure was truly catastrophic.

But Solomon would have been wiser to ask much more than this. For instance, Deuteronomy 17:14-20 shows that a king faces a special temptation: to take many wives and horses, and to pile up riches. If he had known Scripture well, he might have known this. If he had prayed for God to keep him from these evils, his history might have been very different.