72 1 He prayeth for the prosperous estate of the kingdom of Solomon, who was the figure of Christ, 4 under whom shall be righteousness, peace, and felicity. 10 Unto whom all Kings and nations shall do homage, 17 Whose name and power shall endure forever, and in whom all nations shall be blessed.

A Psalm [a]of Solomon.

Give thy [b]judgments to the King, O God, and thy righteousness to the King’s [c]son.

Then shall he judge thy people in righteousness, and thy poor with equity.

The [d]mountains, and the hills shall bring peace to the people by justice.

He shall [e]judge the poor of the people: he shall save the children of the needy, and shall subdue the oppressor.

They shall [f]fear thee as long as the sun and moon endureth, from generation to generation.

He shall come [g]down like the rain upon the mown grass, and as the showers that water the earth.

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

His dominion shall be also from [h]sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the land.

They that dwell in the wilderness, shall kneel before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust.

10 The kings of [i]Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings [j]of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts.

11 Yea, all kings shall worship him: all nations shall serve him.

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

13 He shall be merciful to the poor and needy, and shall preserve the souls of the poor.

14 He shall redeem their souls from deceit and violence, and [k]dear shall their blood be in his sight.

15 Yea, he shall live, and unto him shall they give of the [l]gold of Sheba: they shall also pray for him continually, and daily bless him.

16 An handful of corn shall be sown in the earth, even in the top of the mountains, and the [m]fruit thereof shalt shake like the trees of Lebanon: and the children shall flourish out of the city like the grass of the earth.

17 His name shall be forever: his name shall endure as long as the Sun: all nations shall bless [n]him, and be blessed in him.

18 Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel which only doeth [o]wondrous things.

19 And blessed be his glorious Name forever: and let all the earth be filled with his glory. So be it, even so be it.

[20] Here end the [p]prayers of David the son of Jesse.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:1 Composed by David as touching the reign of his son Solomon.
  2. Psalm 72:1 Endue the king with the Spirit of wisdom and justice, that he reign not as do the worldly tyrants.
  3. Psalm 72:1 To wit, to his posterity.
  4. Psalm 72:3 When justice reigneth, even the places most barren shall be enriched with thy blessings.
  5. Psalm 72:4 He showeth wherefore the sword is committed to Kings: to wit, to defend the innocent, and suppress the wicked.
  6. Psalm 72:5 The people shall embrace thy true religion, when thou givest a King that ruleth according to thy word.
  7. Psalm 72:6 As this is true in all godly kings, so it is chiefly verified in Christ, who with his heavenly dew, maketh his Church ever to flourish.
  8. Psalm 72:8 That is, from the red sea to the sea called Syriacum, and from Euphrates forward, meaning, that Christ’s Kingdom should be large and universal.
  9. Psalm 72:10 Of Cilicia, and of all other countries, beyond the sea, which he meaneth by the isles.
  10. Psalm 72:10 That is, of Arabia that rich country, whereof Sheba was a part bordering upon Ethiopia.
  11. Psalm 72:14 Though tyrants pass not to shed blood, yet this godly king shall preserve his subjects from all kind of wrong.
  12. Psalm 72:15 God will both prosper his life, and also make the people most willing to obey him.
  13. Psalm 72:16 Under such a king shall be most great plenty, both of fruit and also of the increase of mankind.
  14. Psalm 72:17 They shall pray to God for his continuance, and know that God doth prosper them for his sake.
  15. Psalm 72:18 He confesseth that except God miraculously preserve his people, that neither the king nor the kingdom can continue.
  16. Psalm 72:20 Concerning his son Solomon.

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

Endow the king with your justice,(A) O God,
    the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,(B)
    your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
    the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted(C) among the people
    and save the children of the needy;(D)
    may he crush the oppressor.(E)
May he endure[a](F) as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon, through all generations.(G)
May he be like rain(H) falling on a mown field,
    like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish(I)
    and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

May he rule from sea to sea
    and from the River[b](J) to the ends of the earth.(K)
May the desert tribes bow before him
    and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(L) and of distant shores(M)
    bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(N) and Seba
    present him gifts.(O)
11 May all kings bow down(P) to him
    and all nations serve(Q) him.

12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(R) on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(S) them from oppression and violence,
    for precious(T) is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba(U) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.(V)
16 May grain(W) abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(X) flourish like Lebanon(Y)
    and thrive[c] like the grass of the field.(Z)
17 May his name endure forever;(AA)
    may it continue as long as the sun.(AB)

Then all nations will be blessed through him,[d]
    and they will call him blessed.(AC)

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(AD)
    who alone does marvelous deeds.(AE)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(AF) forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(AG)
Amen and Amen.(AH)

20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(AI)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
  2. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
  3. Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
  4. Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)