Solomon: Israel’s Wisest King (34): Solomon’s Heathen Women (I Kings 11:1-4) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. Who?
II. Why?
Psalm singing: 111:1-6; 29:5-11; 45:10-15; 1:1-6 (see below for the words to the Psalms)
Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 7:1-15
Philip Ryken on Solomon’s marriages: “Our own sins may seem equally small and even easier to justify. ‘Maybe I didn’t need to buy that,’ we might say, ‘but it really wasn’t all that expensive.’ ‘These pictures do not show enough skin to count as pornography.’ ‘I know I’m getting emotionally attached, but it’s appropriate to have a good working relationship with my co-worker.’ ‘I don’t care if he’s not a Christian; he’s a nice person and besides, maybe I’ll get a chance to share the gospel.’ Before we know it, we get pulled into self-indulgent spending, or a habit of sexual sin, or an adulterous affair, or a match that was never made in heaven. Long before most people ever fall into disgrace, they sow the seeds of their own destruction by making lots of little spiritual compromises” (King Solomon: The Temptations of Money, Sex, and Power, p. 181).

Psalm 111:1-6
1 PRAISE ye the Lord : with my whole heart
I will God’s praise declare,
Where the assemblies of the just
and congregations are.
2 The whole works of the Lord our God
are great above all measure,
Sought out they are of ev’ry one
that doth therein take pleasure.
3 His work most honourable is,
most glorious and pure,
And his untainted righteousness
for ever doth endure.
4 His works most wonderful he hath
made to be thought upon:
The Lord is gracious, and he is
full of compassion.
5 He giveth meat unto all those
that truly do him fear;
And evermore his covenant
be in his mind will bear.
6 He did the power of his works
unto his people show,
When he the heathen’s heritage
upon them did bestow.

Psalm 29:5-11
5 The voice of the Eternal doth
asunder cedars tear;
Yea, God the Lord doth cedars break
that Lebanon doth bear.
6 He makes them like a calf to skip,
ev’n that great Lebanon,
And, like to a young unicorn,
the mountain Sirion.
7 God’s voice divides the flames of fire;
8 The desert it doth shake:
The Lord doth make the wilderness
of Kadesh all to quake.
9 God’s voice doth make the hinds to calve,
it makes the forest bare:
And in his temple ev’ryone
his glory doth declare.
10 The Lord sits on the floods; the Lord
sits King, and ever shall.
11 The Lord will give his people strength,
and with peace bless them all.

Psalm 45:10-15
10 0 daughter, hearken and regard,
and do thine ear incline;
Likewise forget thy father’s house
and people that are thine.
11 Then of the King desir’d shall be
thy beauty veh’mently:
Because he is thy Lord, do thou
him worship rev’rently.
12 The daughter there of Tyre shall be
with gifts and offerings great:
Those of the people that are rich
thy favour shall entreat.
13 Behold, the daughter of the King
all glorious is within;
And with embroideries of gold
her garments wrought have been.
14 She shall be brought unto the King
in robes with needle wrought;
Her fellow-virgins following
shall unto thee be brought.
15 They shall be brought with gladness great,
and mirth on ev’ry side,
Into the palace of the King,
and there they shall abide.

Psalm 1:1-6
1 THAT man hath perfect blessedness
who walketh not astray
In counsel of ungodly men,
nor stands in sinners’ way,
Nor sitteth in the scorner’s chair:
2 But placeth his delight
Upon God’s law, and meditates
on his law day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree that grows
near planted by a river,
Which in his season yields his fruit,
and his leaf fadeth never :
And all he doth shall prosper well.
4 The wicked are not so ;
But like they are unto the chaff,
which wind drives to and fro.
5 In judgment therefore shall not stand
such as ungodly are ;
Nor in th’ assembly of the just
shall wicked men appear.
6 For why? the way of godly men
unto the Lord is known :
Whereas the way of wicked men
shall quite be overthrown.