Sunday and Monday studies are posted together on Mondays.

Day 152. Reading 2 Chronicles 1 and Psalm 72.

Day 153.  Reading Song of Solomon 1 – 8.

This chapter repeats much of what we read in 1 Kings 3-4. 

King Solomon and “all” Israel went to Gibeon, where the old Tabernacle that Moses built still stood.  David had brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem to dwell in a tent he made for it.  But the bronze altar was still at Gibeon, and at this time, King Solomon offered 1,000 burnt offerings on it. 

That night, God appeared to him, saying, “Ask what I shall give you.”

After some thought, Solomon said, “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, for who can govern this people of Yours, which is so great?”

God was pleased. “Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you.  I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor such as none of the kings had who were before you or shall be after you.”

And the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone.”

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Psalm 72. 

A psalm of Solomon.

• “Give the king Your justice, O God, and Your righteousness to the royal son!  May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your poor with justice.
• “May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!”
• “In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound till the moon be no more.
• “Long may he live; may the gold of Sheba be given to him!  May prayer be made for him continually and blessings invoked for him all the day.

And then,

• “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be His glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory!  Amen and Amen!

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Day 153 – Song of Solomon 1-8.

Also titled the Song of Songs, meaning that this song is the best among Solomon’s 1,005 musical works.  It is a true-life love song.  Solomon appears as “the beloved.”  The woman is called “the Shulamite Maiden.”  She is probably Solomon’s first wife (Ecclesiastes 9:9) before he sinned by adding 699 other wives and 300 concubines. (1 Kings 11:3).  Solomon’s Song exalts the purity of marital affection and romance. 

Some strained interpretations use the allegory of God and Israel or Christ and the Church, but that’s misleading.  It’s a story of Solomon and the love of his youth.  It’s very picturesque and names several places that existed at the time.

Read it and “say or sing” portions of it to your own true love!  And praise God that He put this in His Word.