Give me your wisdom
1 God of our fathers and Lord of mercy, whose word has created everything and
2 who in Wis dom formed man to govern your creation,
3 to rule the world in holiness and justice, passing sentence with right judgment,
4 give me Wisdom that sits beside your throne and do not reject me from among your children.
5 For I am your servant, son of your handmaid, a weak and mortal man with little understanding of judgment and laws.
6 Even the most perfect among us counts for nothing, unless he has received Wisdom that comes from you.
7 You have chosen me as king for your people, as judge over your sons and daughters.
8 You have ordered me to build a temple on your holy mountain and an altar in the city where you live, in imitation of the holy Tent that was yours from the beginning.
9 With you is Wisdom that knows your works, that was present when you made the world and is aware of what is pleasing in your eyes and what is right according to your commandments.
10 Send her from the holy heavens, dispatch her from your holy throne to work beside me so that I may know what is pleasing to you.
11 For she knows and understands everything; she will direct my ac tions with prudence and protect me with her power.
12 Then my deeds will please you, and I shall judge your people in justice and be worthy of the throne of my father.
13 Indeed, who can know the in tentions of God? Who can discern the plan of the Lord?
14 For human reasoning is timid, our notions misleading;
15 a perishable body is a burden for the soul and our tent of clay weighs down the active mind.
16 We are barely able to know about the things of earth and it is a struggle to understand what is close to us; who then may hope to understand heavenly things?
17 Who has ever known your will un less you first gave him Wisdom and sent down your holy spirit to him?
18 In this way you directed the human race on the right path; they learned what pleases you and were saved by Wisdom.
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Comments Wisdom, Chapter 9
• 9.1 The necessary condition for acquiring wisdom consists in having a humble and simple heart. To those who cooperate with him, God grants uprightness, prudence and even the authority to lead God’s people. Abraham and Moses were called to do great things.
This prayer refers to the event related in 1Kings 3:6: the dream in which Solomon asked God for wisdom.