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Solomon

Psalm 72

A Psalm for Solomon.

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Scripture (KJV)

1Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.

2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

16There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

18Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

20The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Summary

Psalm 72 is a royal psalm, often read as Messianic, praying for the king to judge with righteousness and defend the poor. The king shall come down like rain on mown grass, and in his days the righteous shall flourish with abundance of peace. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth. Kings of Tarshish, Sheba, and Seba shall bring gifts, all kings shall fall down before him, and all nations shall serve him. He delivers the needy when he cries, spares the poor, and redeems their souls from deceit and violence. His name shall endure forever, and all nations shall call him blessed. The psalm closes with a doxology: "Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Verse 20 marks the end of the second book of the Psalter and the prayers of David son of Jesse.

The major themes are righteous kingship, justice for the poor, universal dominion, blessing, and doxology. Practically, the psalm teaches that God’s king defends the needy, and that true authority is exercised in righteousness and compassion. The great lesson is that the king’s name shall endure forever and all nations shall call him blessed.

Key Themes

A Prayer from Psalm 72

Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king’s son. Let him judge Your people with righteousness and Your poor with judgment. Let him come down like rain upon the mown grass. In his days let the righteous flourish with abundance of peace. Let him have dominion from sea to sea. Let all kings fall down before him and all nations serve him, for he delivers the needy when he cries. His name shall endure forever; all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things. Blessed be His glorious name forever; let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection Questions

  1. 1How does this psalm describe the ideal king?
  2. 2In what ways does this psalm point beyond Solomon to Christ?
  3. 3What does it mean that the king delivers the needy and spares the poor?
  4. 4How does the doxology at the end shape my response to God’s kingship?

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