Praise Devotionals- 15

And the king bowed in worship on his bed and said, `Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.” (1 Kings 1:48)

David here praises the Lord when Solomon, his son from Bathsheba is enthroned as King of Israel. David was old and one of his other son’s Adonijah desired to be the next king. So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David's special guard did not join Adonijah. Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah who were royal officials, but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.

Then Nathan the prophet asked Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king without our lord David's knowing it? Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go in to King David and say to him, `My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: "Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?' While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and confirm what you have said."(1 Kings 1:11-14)

So Bathsheba went to see the aged king and reminded him of his oath to her and while she was speaking, Nathan, the prophet gave his confirmation of the same. The king then took an oath: "As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, I will surely carry out today what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place." King David called Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada and said to them: "Take your lord's servants with you and set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, `Long live King Solomon!' Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah."

Adonijah feared for his life when this happened and he caught hold of the horns of the altar to escape death. Solomon had him brought done from the altar and sent him home.

Everything was done as David desired and he was happy and praised the Lord for setting Solomon on the throne.
The Bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)
How very true.