Thought for the day – Psalm 72

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Psalm 72

1 Of Solomon.

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. 2 He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. 3 The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. 4 He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.

5 He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. 6 He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. 7 In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.

8 He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. 11 All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.

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

15 Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given to him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. 16 Let corn abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.

17 May his name endure for ever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. 18 Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvellous deeds. 19 Praise be to his glorious name for ever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. 20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.

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Psalm 72
The reign of the King’s Son

(Verses 1-4) The main application here is to King David and Solomon, his ‘royal son’. It pictures the rule of the eternal Son of God, Jesus, as Messiah. David’s line and Messiah’s rule are often linked. Righteous judgment, justice, and defence for the afflicted, help for the needy, and crushing the oppressor result. A righteous and prosperous world come from Messiah’s reign, as Israel prospered under Solomon.

(Verses 5-11) When Jesus reigns forever, He will cause the same blessings spiritually and physically, as Solomon gave Israel. It will be a time of refreshing, flourishing, prosperity, and world-wide submission to Him. His enemies will fail, nations will bring Him tribute and serve Him, kings will bow down to Him and bring Him gifts. You may have little to offer Jesus: but you can give Him your heart as His throne room.

(Verses 12-14) Jesus delivers now any who cry out to Him in prayer. He helps the afflicted and has pity on the weak and needy and saves them from death. He rescues them from violent oppression. Why? Because ‘precious is their blood in His sight.’ Jesus does that today for any sinner who turns from sin, thanks Jesus for having taken his sin and punishment on the cross, and who cries out to Him in prayer. Have you done that?

(Verses 15-16) Solomon lives a long life. The Lord Jesus lives forever! He is worthy of our most valuable gifts and prayers. He is to be blessed (thanked) ‘all day long.’ He makes the earth flourish and fruitful in the city and even on the mountain top.

(Verses 17-20) Consider these wonderful truths about our triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, in three Persons but just one God.

  • His name endures forever
  • He blesses all nations calling on Him
  • He reigns as LORD: He is in control
  • He does ‘marvellous deeds’
  • His glorious name is praised forever
  • His glory will fill the world