Solomon Becomes King

‭Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was taking care of him. Bathsheba knelt and bowed down in front of the king. “What do you want?” the king asked. “Sir,” she answered, “You took an oath to the Lord your God. You said that my son Solomon will be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne. But now, you see, Adonijah has become king, and you don’t ⌞even⌟ know anything about it, Your Majesty. He has sacrificed many fattened calves, bulls, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army ⌞to his feast⌟. But he hasn’t invited your servant Solomon. All Israel is looking to you, Your Majesty, to tell them who should succeed you on your throne. Otherwise, my son Solomon and I will be treated like criminals when you lie down in death with your ancestors.” While she was still talking to the king, the prophet Nathan arrived. The servants told the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” When he came to the king, he bowed down in front of him.  Nathan said, “Your Majesty, you must have said that Adonijah will be king after you and that he will sit on your throne, because today he went and sacrificed many bulls, fattened calves, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the army’s commanders, and the priest Abiathar ⌞to his feast⌟. They are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ But he didn’t invite me or the priest Zadok or Benaiah, who is Jehoiada’s son, or your servant Solomon. Did you allow this to happen without telling me who would sit on your throne next?” Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba in here.” So she stood in front of him, and he swore an oath. He said, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord who has saved my life from all trouble lives, I will do today exactly what I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel. Your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.” Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face touching the ground in front of the king. “May Your Majesty, King David, live forever!” she said. King David said, “Summon the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, son of Jehoiada.” So they came to the king, and he said, “Take my officials with you. Put my son Solomon on my mule, and take him to Gihon. Have the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king of Israel there. Then blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Follow him ⌞back⌟ here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will be king in place of me. I have appointed him to be the leader of Israel and Judah.” “So be it!” Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, answered the king. “The Lord your God says so too. As the Lord has been with you, so may he be with Solomon. May Solomon be an even greater king than you, King David.”  Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah (son of Jehoiada), the Cherethites, and the Pelethites put Solomon on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.  The priest Zadok took the container of olive oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” All the people followed him, blew flutes, and celebrated so loudly that their voices shook the ground.

1 Kings 1:15-40 GW‬

Prayer of Repentance

A Psalm of David when the prophet Nathan went to him after he had gone in Bathsheba. 

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by  Your  generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. Psalms 51:1‭-‬19 NKJV