Day 152 (2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72) - Year 7
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Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for The Bible Recap. Today we start the book of 2 Chronicles, and just like we talked about with 1 Chronicles, this account will usually have less detail and sometimes different detail than the stories we're reading in the accounts of 1 and 2 Kings. Those books are the docuseries, and Chronicles is kind of like the news report.

Chronicles almost certainly started out as one book that had to be divided in half because of its length. It wouldn't fit easily onto one scroll. Today, the News Report is recounting Solomon making sacrifices before God. Then God asks him what he wants and he makes a request for wisdom. We saw this in the docuseries yesterday, except with a few additional details.

Today, I noticed that God praised Solomon for not asking for the lives of his enemies. This felt like a bit of a callback to his father David, who asked for his enemies' lives on his deathbed. And at the end of 2 Chronicles 1, we see it emphasized again that despite his newly granted wisdom, he starts hoarding wealth and horses against God's commands in Deuteronomy 17.

Then we moved over to Psalm 72. First of all, is this Psalm by Solomon like it says at the start or by David like it says at the end? That's super confusing, right? So here's the case for each option. If it's by Solomon, then the first line that says, of Solomon, is telling us the author's name. And the last line that says, the prayers of David, the son of Jesse are ended, is prophesying David's death.

But if it's written by David, then the first line that says, of Solomon, is telling us it's about Solomon, not by him. And the last line that says, the prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended, is giving us David's final sign-off before he dies. No one really knows, and absolutely zero about my faith hinges on it, so I'm not sweating it too much. Here's what we do know about this psalm. It's about the blessing on the king, and probably Solomon specifically, regardless who wrote it.

God has big plans for this king. This is a prayer for a righteous king, but it's not praise for the king. It's asking God to grant all these good things to the king. A heart for righteousness, a hand for justice, an eye to see the poor and needy. Scripture attributes all these things to God and asks God to give them to the king. These positions of the heart and mind are granted by God. The psalmist, who was likely a king himself at some point, also knows how much the king needs prayer.

In verse 15, the psalmist is asking for round-the-clock prayers for the king. Do you see how humble this viewpoint is? If he had exalted the king to God-sized status, this king wouldn't need prayer. He would be elevated above the position of human neediness. But because the psalmist realizes all good things are given from Yahweh's hand, he knows the king needs God's help and asks the people to intercede on his behalf. He ends with a blessing on God himself and says that God alone does wondrous things.

There are so many things we need, and there's no one we can take those needs to except for God. So many people are afraid to ask God for things, afraid they're bothering Him. But God says to pray without ceasing. He wants us to keep talking to Him, to keep asking for things, in part because it helps us recognize that He's the source of all things, and it also helps us to realize how desperately needy we are. And that ties right into my God shot for today.

Even when people aren't asking him for anything, do you see how much God wants to display his heart of generosity? Solomon wasn't even asking him for anything, and God shows up and says, "'Psst, hey Solomon, you want anything?' Then, on top of that, God decides to triple the blessing, not just giving Solomon what he asked for, but giving him things he didn't ask for too."

God is marked by this kind of abundant generosity. He owns everything, and He loves to bless His kids. He seeks out opportunities to bless them, even when they don't ask for it. His heart is so kind, I can't get over it. He's where the joy is.

Tomorrow, we read the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs. As usual, we've included a link in the show notes for a short video overview. If you've got seven minutes to spare, it's worth your time to check it out.

I love helping people read, understand, and love the Bible. And I really love helping people experience the Bible. That's what we do with our partner ministry, Israel Lux, where we host luxury tours of the Holy Land. Imagine stepping into the water where Jesus was baptized, walking where Jesus walked, and standing on the hill where Jesus preached. And the food's not so bad either.

These trips really make the Bible come alive in a whole new way. You can find lots of details, including dates for our future trips, and you can fill out an interest form if you go to Israelux.com or click the link in the show notes.