and to witness, amidst the idolatrous nations around them, to the living
and true God. The heart of God was set upon them. His love was freely
poured out upon them, and He had bound them to Himself, closely as a man
bound around him his valued girdle. They were the descendants of
faithful Abraham, of Isaac, and Jacob. They had become great, and mighty,
and powerful, spreading themselves out like the cedars of Lebanon, and
flourishing like the stately palms. All the surrounding nations looked
upon them as the favoured of Heaven, and feared them.

And he was called to rule them--he, so young and so inexperienced! It
was his mission to rule them with justice, to train them in the paths of
righteousness, and to bring them still nearer to Him who had chosen
them.

And how should he accomplish it? How small and insignificant he felt,
and how utterly worthless! How he seemed to dwindle into nothing beside
the great work that he was called to do! And yet how anxious he was to
do it well! How he longed to be like his father David, a true shepherd
to his people! How his heart yearned over his subjects; and how greatly
he desired to govern them aright, and to be the channel through which
the blessings of the great King of Heaven might be poured down upon
them!

Yes, that was the one thing he desired--worthily to perform the great
work which had been given him to do. And young and inexperienced as he
was, he could not do it of himself, and he must ask for the needful
wisdom.

A shade of regret for a moment darkened the face of the sleeper as he
thought of his own inefficiency. But it soon passed away. There was
wisdom for the asking; and his bright red lips moved in humble prayer.

"O Lord," he murmured in deep reverence, "Thou hast showed great mercy
unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. And Thy
servant is in the midst of Thy people, which thou hast chosen--a great
people that cannot be counted for multitude. I am but a little child. I
know not how to go out, or to come in. Give me now wisdom and knowledge,
for who can judge this Thy people that is so great?"

How pleasing to God were the deep humility expressed in this prayer, the
discernment of the great work that he was called to do; the earnest
desire to be fitted to do it nobly and well, and the utter forgetfulness
of all earthly glory and fame!

There was no word of reproach, no saying that as the son of David he
ought to be well qualified for