Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Psalms 72

World English Bible

WEB

1By Solomon. God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son. 2He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. 3The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people. The hills bring the fruit of righteousness. 4He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces. 5They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. 6He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. 7In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. 8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. 9Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust. 10The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. 12For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper. 13He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy. 14He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight. 15He will live; and Sheba’s gold will be given to him. Men will pray for him continually. They will bless him all day long. 16Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field. 17His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed. 18Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. 19Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen. 20This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Psalms 72 is a royal psalm attributed to #Solomon, expressing a prayer for the king's reign and the ideal qualities of a righteous ruler. The psalm opens with a plea for God to grant the king justice and righteousness, emphasizing the importance of these virtues in leadership. The psalmist envisions a king who will defend the afflicted, deliver the needy, and crush the oppressor, reflecting the heart of God for justice and mercy as seen throughout the #OldTestament (Psalm 82:3-4). This desire for a just ruler aligns with the prophetic expectations of a coming Messiah who would establish a kingdom of peace and righteousness (Isaiah 9:6-7).

The psalm continues to describe the blessings that will flow from the king's just reign, including prosperity for the land and peace for the people. It paints a picture of a world transformed under the king's leadership, where mountains and hills bring forth peace and the people flourish. The imagery of the king's reign extending from sea to sea and the nations serving him highlights the universal scope of God's kingdom (Psalm 72:8-11). The psalm concludes with a doxology, praising God for His wondrous works and affirming that the prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are fulfilled. This psalm not only serves as a prayer for Solomon but also foreshadows the ultimate reign of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, who embodies the justice and righteousness that this psalm longs for.

In summary, Psalm 72 is a profound reflection on the qualities of a godly ruler and the blessings that accompany a reign marked by justice and mercy, pointing us toward the hope we have in Christ's eternal kingdom. #Psalms #Justice #Righteousness #Messiah

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. 2 Samuel 23:3-4v12 Samuel 23:3-4 describes the ideal ruler as just and God-fearing, which is echoed in Psalm 72:1-7, a prayer for the king to rule with righteousness and justice.
  2. 2 Chronicles 2:12v102 Chronicles 2:12 mentions Hiram's acknowledgment of Solomon's wisdom and the blessing of the Lord, which is reminiscent of Psalm 72:10 where kings bring gifts to Solomon, recognizing his God-given wisdom and authority.
  3. Job 9:10v18Job 9:10 speaks of God performing wonders that cannot be fathomed, which is echoed in Psalm 72:18, praising God for His wondrous deeds.
  4. Zechariah 9:10v8Zechariah 9:10 speaks of the dominion of the king from sea to sea, echoing the promise of a universal reign found in Psalm 72:8, highlighting the extent of the Messiah's peaceful rule.
  5. Matthew 2:11v10The visit of the Magi in Matthew 2:11, who bring gifts and worship Jesus, echoes the homage and gifts brought to the king in Psalm 72:10-11.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights