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
Glory and Universality of the Messiah’s Reign
A Psalm #Ps. 127:titleof Solomon.
1Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
2#(Is. 9:7; 11:2–5; 32:1)He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice.
3#Ps. 85:10The mountains will bring peace to the people,
And the little hills, by righteousness.
4#Is. 11:4He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.
5They shall fear You
#Ps. 72:7, 17; 89:36As long as the sun and moon endure,
Throughout all generations.
6#Deut. 32:2; 2 Sam. 23:4; Hos. 6:3He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
Like showers that water the earth.
7In His days the righteous shall flourish,
#Is. 2:4And abundance of peace,
Until the moon is no more.
8#Ex. 23:31; (Is. 9:6; Zech. 9:10)He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
9#Ps. 74:14; Is. 23:13Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him,
#Is. 49:23; Mic. 7:17And His enemies will lick the dust.
10#1 Kin. 10:2; 2 Chr. 9:21The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
Will bring presents;
The kings of Sheba and Seba
Will offer gifts.
11#Is. 49:23Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
All nations shall serve Him.
12For He #Job 29:12will deliver the needy when he cries,
The poor also, and him who has no helper.
13He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.
14He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
And #1 Sam. 26:21; (Ps. 116:15)precious shall be their blood in His sight.
15And He shall live;
And the gold of #Is. 60:6Sheba will be given to Him;
Prayer also will be made for Him continually,
And daily He shall be praised.
16There will be an abundance of grain in the earth,
On the top of the mountains;
Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon;
#1 Kin. 4:20And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17#(Ps. 89:36)His name shall endure forever;
His name shall continue as long as the sun.
And #(Gen. 12:3)men shall be blessed in Him;
#Luke 1:48All nations shall call Him blessed.
18#1 Chr. 29:10Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
#Ex. 15:11; Job 5:9Who only does wondrous things!
19And #(Neh. 9:5)blessed be His glorious name forever!
#Num. 14:21; Hab. 2:14And let 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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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.