For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one. 11 The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: "one of your own descendants I will place on your throne-- 12 if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever." 13 For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: 14 "This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it-- 15 I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food. 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy. 17 "Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. 18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent."

This Psalm seems to be written by Solomon, the son of David that followed him as king of Isreal. Solomon had built the great temple in the city of Jerusalem and this was a part of his prayer as he dedicated this physical building to the glory and service of God. He was aware that God had repeatedly promised David that his descendants would continue to reign upon his throne. God had promised to bless them and the people of Isreal with an abundance that had never been seen by any nation. However, this was all conditional upon them following the precepts of God. While Solomon began his reign with a determination like his father, a man after God’s own heart, to serve God and be faithful to him, in later years he lost that zeal and followed after other gods also. God had blessed him with a great kingdom and thus tremendous personal power. He had given him wisdom beyond any who ever lived and wealth that exceeded our most vivid imagination, even today. It was not that Solomon did not know God’s decree that he alone was to be served as God. Solomon was a man like us and in his weakness he was influenced by others to add gods to his life and religion. Today, we know and claim to serve God alone but too often we allow the gods of philosophy or the gods of materialism or the gods of pleasure or the gods of greed, or the gods of ego or the gods of family to influence us to not serve God “with a whole heart as did his father David.”

O God, I want to make a new commitment to you today to put you first in my life. I do not want to allow anything or anyone to be a god that would rival you in my allegiance or in my heart. Please forgive me and renew my zeal to be more like you, to trust you and to live for you. Make me begin this new determination by spending more time in your word and talking to you in prayer. As I know more, strengthen me to live it. I pray in Jesus name.

May God bless each of us as we commit our lives to him today.