All Hail the King! (Psalm 72)
Of Solomon.
1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
5 May they fear you while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!
7 In his days may the righteous flourish,
and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth!
9 May desert tribes bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust!
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts!
11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!
12 For he delivers the needy when he calls,
the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live;
may gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made for him continually,
and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
like the grass of the field!
17 May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him,
all nations call him blessed!
18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.—Psalm 72 (ESV)
After all the laments of failed kings who poorly shepherded the nation, this royal psalm at the end of Book 2 paints a picture of the only perfect King who can truly satisfy the longings and deepest desires of His people.
No other human ruler can do what Christ--fully human, yet also God the Son--can do. My prayer is that your hearts may be encouraged and that you will turn to Him alone when life here on earth is hard to bear.
Studying Psalm 72
Read the psalm (included in its entirety above) several times. As you do, take note of several things:
Observations
Note the superscription on this psalm. Recall the reign of Solomon. What do you remember about it?
Circle the pronouns you see. Who do you think they are referring to?
Consider the parallel structure in verse 1: “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!” What are the parts that line up?
Describe the characteristics of this righteous king and the impact of his reign on his people and their land.
Make a list of the images, similes, and comparisons you see in this psalm.
Describe the different responses of people to this king.
Interpretation
Understanding the text
What is the genre? What do you remember about this type of psalm? How might it impact how you understand it?
What does this psalm sound like—a prophecy or a prayer? (Try reading this psalm in the NKJV version alongside the ESV. What do you notice?)
Understanding its place in Scripture
The royal psalms can be read
1) historically, referring to the actual kings of Israel and Judah of the time and the people of their time;
2) nationalistically, referring to God as King and His people as the nation of Israel; or
3) Messianically, referring to Christ as King and His people as the church.
How might each of these lenses give a different dimension to the psalm as you read?
A little commentary
Of Solomon=can be “of” or “for” Solomon. Also points to the greater Son of David, “someone greater than Solomon.” (Matt. 12:42)
Pronouns: One commentator explains that “you/your” refer to God. He/him, on the other hand, refers to the human king. As you read through the psalm with this in mind, how does this impact how you understand how we pray?
“prosperity” (v. 3): shalom
“…the sun…the moon” (v. 5): some of the first things God created, representing longevity, endurance. How might this comparison help you understand this verse?
“rain…showers” (v. 6): fulfills, satisfying the longing of creation, refreshment. These, along with the sun in verse 5 are conditions for thriving crops.
“sea to sea… the River to the ends of the earth” (v. 8): may suggest the land that is bracketed by these bodies of water. By Solomon’s time, David has secured dominion over the kingdom God promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:8. This could refer to the Red Sea to the Sea of Philistines or it might refer to the seas of water God separated on the second day of creation to create the heavens above and the world below.
“Tarshish” (v. 10): a port the city where Jonah runs to catch a boat to escape God’s call to Nineveh
“abundance of grain…on the tops of the mountains” (v. 16): grain doesn’t usually grow at such a high elevation, but in this king’s reign it will even grow here. This hyperbolic language suggests there is abundance everywhere, even where it is most difficult to grow.
“fruit” (v. 16): another symbol of blessing—not just in literal fruit trees, but in terms of people; perhaps also a throwback to Psalm 1 and its fruitful tree.
Application
In Scripture, God’s picture of a king is a far cry from being a wealthy figurehead with little power. How has your understanding of kingship from a cultural standpoint impacted or diluted your understanding of what God’s definition of a king is like? How has this impacted your faith and trust in Him as your King? In what ways can this psalm help you grow in that faith and trust in all the areas of your life, especially those that you resist letting him rule over?
Reflection: Christ Alone is King
As an American citizen, I have a very weak understanding of the idea of kingdom. Yet, because the Bible either directly or indirectly talks about the idea of God as King and Christ as our coming King of Kings, it is wise for us to understand what it means to be under the rule of one.
Now, to be accurate, when the Bible refers to God as Israel’s king, it is not referring to a monarchy but a theocracy. This means that God is the true King of the nation. Any human king is but his representative.
In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, it is clear that God is not against them having human kings, but He must choose this individual. He is not to be a foreigner, greedy, or polygamous; he is to be firmly rooted in the law and govern by it in humility and righteousness, faithfully shepherding and guiding the nation in his stead.
In 2 Samuel 7, after David—God’s chosen king—ascends to the throne, we learn a little more about God’s intent in the kingdom. While David desires to build a physical house for God, God does him one better: He promises that He will actually build his house—that is, a dynasty or line—for him. One promised from the seed of Abraham will come: he will be the king from David’s line will reign in a line that will not end.
So the theme of king is a very important one in the time of the psalms. In those days, they were always wondering: Is this The One?
Unfortunately, even with this amazing promise, the line of kings following David were a mixed bag. Most of them fell far short of being righteous. They were idolatrous. The fact that Josiah found the law of God in a forgotten place (2 Kings 22:8) clearly suggests they not only didn’t copy the law, they didn’t even read it!
That is why Psalm 72 is so important. Because placement in Hebrew writing is so important, this last book of Book 2 serves as a punctuating message to Psalms 42-43, which opened this book. The people were in trouble, perhaps already even exiled, and this psalm tells them that though it may look bleak, God will still send His King.
Though it is uncertain whether this royal psalm was written by Solomon or for Solomon (as in a song for his coronation), it does contain messianic and prophetic elements that hint that God had His King in mind when this psalm was inspired. Certainly, no human king from Israel ever came close to being this kind of king. Even David, a man after God’s own heart, fell short.
So as we read this psalm today, we join our voices with our ancient predecessors in praying for this king. Whether a confident declaration or a longing for someone to make things right, we too can pray with hope that God would speed the day when His King will come:
A king who is righteous (v. 1), ruling and judging justly so that his people will experience true and complete shalom (v. 3) and complete justice (v. 4).
A king who encourages His people to fear God (v. 5)
A king who brings satisfaction and nurturing life that results in flourishing (vv. 6-7)
A king whose dominion is cosmic and universal, extending wherever there is land, over all peoples—even his enemies who rebel against him (vv. 8-11).
A king whose subjects everywhere serve him (v. 11) in love
A king who is compassionate (vv. 12-14), seeing their need and cares tenderly for them by lifting their yoke from their shoulders (Matt. 11:28-30), not making it heavier.
A king who sees their value and redeems their blood (v. 14) with His own
A king whose people praise Him in worship (vv. 15-20)
No king, not even Solomon, has been able to deliver this kind of unbroken, constant blessing and abundance. He ended his reign ingloriously, and from that point on, the monarchy was fractured. Despite the occasional bright spots in the southern kingdom of Judah that reminded them that God had not forgotten them completely, it was a sham of what it was meant to be. The OT saints who were faithful grieved at this and this psalm was their prayer that the Messiah might come.
As believers on this side of the cross, we know something the ancient saints longed for in faith. We know that this King has come.
He came the first time as a baby, in the line of David, to identify with His people. He began establishing His kingdom through both His proclamations of righteousness and His compassionate service. He ultimately gave His own blood to redeem His people.
On this side of history, we now await His coming again as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. On that day, He will complete what He has started.
He will establish His kingdom from sea to sea, in heaven above and on earth below. He will conquer all his enemies, eradicate evil and right every wrong. And He will make all things fruitful and flourishing as He establishes the new heaven on a new earth.
Jesus alone is the only one who can fulfill these promises. Only He who is both God and man can guarantee all these blessings. Only He is righteous and powerful and compassionate enough.
This psalm, therefore, is our prayer of longing. We join in today as we wait in hope for Him to come again. Through Him we are blessed, not because of what we do but because of what He has done.
He is alone the true King. And when God is King as well, then that kingdom will be blessed. We cannot help but praise and worship Him.
Counseling the Word
This psalm may a wonderful one to share with those who feel weak, needy, or oppressed. There is much to encourage them with in this psalm as they undergo their pain and suffering. We can share the hope that comes as we remember He will bring justice for them and make all wrongs right. Use this psalm to help them to anchor their hopes in Him.
On the other hand, this may also be a good one to share with those who feel resistance against submitting their lives to the King. But instead of beating them with a command, this psalm challenges our notions of what a true king might be. Use this psalm to exhort them to entrust their lives completely, in every area, to Him.
Praying the Word
Praise: This psalm gives us so many things to praise Him for—his righteousness, power, and compassion, for starters. What are other things this psalm highlights that are personally meaningful to you?
Thanksgiving: Thank Him for redeeming you with His own blood, for seeing your desperate need and satisfying it with Himself. Also consider the many ways He has filled your life with bounty, goodness, and satisfaction.
Confession: Take time to consider the areas of your life you have withheld from His rule and reign. Are there places in your heart that you still want to rule over yourself? Would you be willing to repent and invite His rule into your life in these areas?
Petitions: In this psalm, prophecy and prayer go together. What we anticipate is also what we can ask for. For example:
If you are oppressed for your faith, ask Him to redeem your life, which you know he deems as precious (v. 14)
Pray for your own areas of need. Though it is tempting to think of the needy as “other people,” the humble will know that this request for the needy will include themselves.
Pray for God to rule in your life—that he would be your king. Pray that you might learn to live as his subject, even as you are his child. Ask Him to help you to serve Him with loyalty and love, gladly bringing your own gifts of tribute to Him.
Intercession: If He is the righteous king, pray that He might place righteous men and women in positions of leadership, that a bit of His righteousness might impact our government.
Pray for those in need of His protection, that He might further fight for their good in the hands of their oppressors. Confidently express your trust in His power to make all wrongs right and remove all evil. Pray that these brothers and sisters will persevere in faith in their King, even as they live under the rule of evil ones.
Pray for His church, that we might all be ambassadors of this great and wonderful King, living faithfully together for Him.
