“Ahithophel was the king’s counselor and Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend.”
– 1 Chronicles 27:33
I read this verse, 1 Chronicles 27:33 and I think about the effect that both of these men had on David as king and on the kingdom of Israel. Ahithophel as a counselor, Hushai as a friend. I think about Ahithophel’s counsel that was seen as the word of God, seen as so important, yet how Hushai prevailed when both he and Ahithophel were counseling Absalom during Absalom’s rebellion, which ended up saving David’s life.
God, we pray for good friends and counselors in each of our lives who point us to you.
I read this verse, and I think about how important counselors and friends are in each of our lives. That they would speak good counsel, and they would point us to obedience to God’s word.
And I also think about my own life and the role God has given me as a friend and counselor in others’ lives. I want to give good, godly counsel. I want to point people to obedience to God’s word and God’s will.
God, we pray for good friends and counselors in each of our lives who point us to you. God, we pray for discernment, for discretion, for understanding, for wisdom when we make decisions. When we hear counsel, to know that which is from your Spirit and to know that which is not.
1 Chronicles 27:33 Reminds Us to Seek Counsel from Good Places
God, we pray that you would help us to surround ourselves with wise, good counselors. That you would provide wise, good friends in this way for all of us. So God, we pray that you would help us to be wise, good counselors in others’ lives, to be wise, good friends to others that point them to you.
God, we realize the importance of our words, and we pray that you would help us to encourage others, to counsel others by the leadership of your Spirit, and that in all of this, you would keep us attuned to your word. Your word is our wisdom. Your Spirit is our counselor. So we pray more than anything as we make decisions, that you would help us to seek you, to inquire of you. And yes, oh God, that you might use others in that process as good, wise counselors and friends. But God, that our hearts and our minds would be attuned to you.
Prayer To Hear and Give Good Counsel
I think about people who are making decisions right now, some making big decisions in their lives. God, we pray that you would help them to hear from you and that you would surround them with good, wise counselors that would be a reflection of your voice, of your Spirit, and your word.
God, we are so thankful that we don’t have to make decisions on our own, that you surround us with good, wise counselors. And ultimately that you have put the Spirit of wisdom, our counselor, the Holy Spirit inside of us. All glory be to your name for the way you lead our lives. Please help us to be an instrument in your hand of your leadership in others’ lives through good and wise counsel. Please help us to listen to good, wise, godly counsel given to us.
In Jesus’ name we pray according to 1 Chronicles 27:33. 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.
