Psalms 72
72
A Prayer for the King
1Of Solomon.
I
2O God, give your judgment to the king;
your justice to the king’s son;#The king…the king’s son: the crown prince is the king’s son; the prayer envisages the dynasty. #Ps 99:4; Jer 23:5.
That he may govern your people with justice,
your oppressed with right judgment,#Prv 31:8–9.
3That the mountains may yield their bounty for the people,
and the hills great abundance,#Is 52:7; 55:12.
4That he may defend the oppressed among the people,
save the children of the poor and crush the oppressor.
II
5May they fear you with the sun,
and before the moon, through all generations.#Ps 89:37–38; Jer 31:35.
6May he be like rain coming down upon the fields,
like showers watering the earth,#Dt 32:2; Is 45:8; Hos 6:3.
7That abundance may flourish in his days,
great bounty, till the moon be no more.
III
8#From sea to sea…the ends of the earth: the boundaries of the civilized world known at the time: from the Mediterranean Sea (the western sea) to the Persian Gulf (the eastern sea), and from the Euphrates (the river) to the islands and lands of southwestern Europe, “the ends of the earth.” The words may also have a mythic nuance—the earth surrounded by cosmic waters, hence everywhere.May he rule from sea to sea,
from the river to the ends of the earth.#Dt 11:24; Zec 9:10.
9May his foes kneel before him,
his enemies lick the dust.#Is 49:23; Mi 7:17.
10May the kings of Tarshish and the islands#Tarshish and the islands: the far west (Ps 48:6); Arabia and Seba: the far south (1 Kgs 10:1). bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.#Ps 68:30; Is 60:5–6; 1 Kgs 10:1ff.
11May all kings bow before him,
all nations serve him.#Ps 47:8.
12For he rescues the poor when they cry out,
the oppressed who have no one to help.
13He shows pity to the needy and the poor#Prv 31:9.
and saves the lives of the poor.
14From extortion and violence he redeems them,
for precious is their blood#Their blood: cf. Ps 116:15. in his sight.
IV
15Long may he live, receiving gold from Sheba,
prayed for without cease, blessed day by day.
16#The translation of the difficult Hebrew is tentative.May wheat abound in the land,
flourish even on the mountain heights.
May his fruit be like that of Lebanon,
and flourish in the city like the grasses of the land.#Is 27:6; Hos 14:6–8; Am 9:13.
17May his name be forever;
as long as the sun, may his name endure.#Ps 21:7.
May the tribes of the earth give blessings with his name;#May the tribes of the earth give blessings with his name: an echo of the promise to the ancestors (Gn 12:3; 26:4; 28:14), suggesting that the monarchy in Israel fulfilled the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
may all the nations regard him as favored.#Gn 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; Zec 8:13.
18#A doxology marking the end of Book II of the Psalter.Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonderful deeds.#Ps 41:14; 89:53; 106:48; 136:4.
19Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may he fill all the earth with his glory.#Ps 57:5; Nm 14:21.
Amen and amen.
20The end of the psalms of David, son of Jesse.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Psalms 72
72
A Psalm of Solomon.
1Give the king Your judgments, O God,
and Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2#Ps 63:1; 84:2 May he judge Your people with righteousness,
and Your poor with justice.
3#Ps 79:10; 80:5 May the mountains bring well-being to the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
4#Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8 May he judge the poor of the people,
may he save the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor.
5#Ps 42:11; 43:5 May they fear You as long as the sun endures,
and the moon, throughout all generations.
6#2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8–9 May he descend like rain on the mown grass,
as showers dripping on the earth.
7#Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3 In his days may the righteous flourish,
and abundance of peace until the moon is no more.
8#Job 35:10; Ps 63:6 May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9#Ps 38:6; 18:2 May those who dwell in the wilderness bow before him,
and his enemies lick the dust.
10#Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
bring presents;
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer a gift.
11#Ps 42:5; 43:5 May all kings bow down before him;
may all nations serve him.
12Indeed, may he deliver the needy when he cries;
the poor also, and him who has no helper.
13May he have compassion on the poor and needy,
and save the lives of the needy.
14May he redeem their life from deceit and violence;
and may their blood be precious in his sight.
15May he live long,
and may one give him the gold of Sheba;
and pray for him continually;
and all day long may he be blessed.
16May there be abundance of grain in the earth
on the top of the mountains;
may its fruit shake like Lebanon;
and may those from the city flourish like grass of the earth.
17May his name endure forever;
may his name increase as long as the sun.
May men be blessed in him;
may all nations call him blessed!
18Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
19Blessed be His glorious name forever;
and may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen, and Amen.
20The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
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