Psalms 72King James Version
A psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. He shall deliver the needy when he crieth. In his days shall the righteous flourish. The ends of Book Two: And blessed be his glorious name for ever.
A prayer for the king that becomes a vision of cosmic justice. Give the king thy judgments, O God; let him judge the poor with righteousness. In his days shall the righteous flourish; he shall rule from sea to sea. Kings of Sheba shall offer gifts; all nations shall serve him. His name shall endure as long as the sun. The final couplet steps back: blessed be the LORD God of Israel who alone does wondrous things. Amen and Amen. The prayers of David are ended.
The ideal king is measured entirely by his treatment of the poor and oppressor, and the scope of his justice expands until it covers the whole earth and endures as long as the sun.
verse: "He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor." The king's legitimacy rests entirely on this standard.
Superscription: 'A Psalm for Solomon.' Book 2 closes with this royal psalm. Whether written by or for Solomon, it envisions a kingship that surpasses the historical Solomon. The Tarshish and Sheba tribute imagery draws on the actual tribute recorded in 1 Kings 10. The doxology (vv18-19) and colophon (v20) are editorial features marking the end of the second collection.
The king as the object of prayer; the poor and needy as the standard of his justice; the oppressor as his adversary; kings of Tarshish, Sheba, Seba as tributaries; Solomon named in the superscription.
Psalm 72 closes Book 2 with a messianic vision that pushes beyond any historical Davidic king toward universal and eternal kingship. The Magi's visit in Matthew 2 echoes the Sheba/Seba tribute (vv10-11). The colophon 'The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended' (v20) is a liturgical close to the Davidic collection within Book 2, even though Davidic psalms continue in Books 3-5.
For when you want to pray for a leader and you want to know what to ask for. This psalm sets the bar: the poor, the needy, the oppressor broken. That is the prayer.
1[A Psalm for Solomon.] Give 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.