So David reigned over all Israel and he administered justice and equity to all his people. What a great, simple, extremely significant verse to see a king described in this way. He administered justice and equity to all his people.
– 1 Chronicles 18:14
Don’t we all long for that in leaders over us, and so much depends on leadership, right? In our homes, in our families, and then in our communities, our cities and states and nations, in our churches. So much depends on leadership.
God, we pray for justice and equity for all people through leaders, through good, wise, just, merciful, kind leaders.
Examples of Leaders in the Bible
And to see this picture of David administering justice and equity, and then to see the way that benefited all the people in the kingdom at that time, and to realize the blessing of God that comes under just and equitable leadership for all people.
First Timothy, chapter two tells us to pray for leaders, for people in high positions. This should be a regular thing we pray for. And so let’s pause and do that right now, as we think about the different leaders around us, and particularly leaders in governments, in nations.
1 Chronicles 18:14 Calls Us to Pray for Our Leaders
God, we pray according to your word, according to First Chronicles, chapter 18, verse 14, according to your command for us to pray like this in First Timothy chapter two, we pray for leaders and all who are in high positions. That they would lead justly, that they would administer justice. That they would administer that which is right and good and just, according to your word, as a reflection of your character.
God, we pray for justice and equity for all people through leaders, through good, wise, just, merciful, kind leaders. God, we pray that for leaders all around us. We pray for all of us who are leaders in any capacity that you would help us to lead with good, wise, just, beneficial leadership in our homes, in our workplaces, in our churches, in whatever leadership capacity you entrust to us. God, help us to lead in ways that reflect your character.
1 Chronicles 18:14 Encourages Us to Pray for Our Nation’s Leaders
And then God, help us to be faithful to pray for leaders above us. We pray in my country for President Biden and Vice-President Harris, for governors in our states, for senators and congressmen and congresswomen.
God, we pray for judges that they would administer justice and equity. We pray that you would help all these leaders I just mentioned. And in other nations, I think about people who are part of this podcast from all kinds of different places around the world. So we pray for each other.
Pray for Leaders Across the World
God, we pray for leaders to administer justice well in South Korea, in England, in the United Kingdom, and for just leaders in Ethiopia, for just leaders in Kenya, and for just leaders throughout Latin America, for just leaders in the Dominican Republic, in Haiti. God, we pray for just equitable leadership in Haiti.
Oh God, we think about the struggles in a place like Haiti or a place like Somalia. God, we pray for just and equitable leadership in Somalia. As I think about persecuted brothers and sisters, who I’ve heard even just this week in different countries who are in prison for their faith. God, we pray for just and equitable leadership for all people in those places.
You Hear Our Prayers
God, thank you for the privilege you’ve given us in prayer to be a part of what you’re doing in all these different leaders’ lives as we intercede for them. So we intercede in faith that you hear our prayers and that you will answer.
God, we pray for leaders and all who are in high positions, that you would help them to lead justly and equitably in ways that are good for those they lead. We pray this according to your word in Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
