Psalms 72

Chapter context

What is happening in Psalms 72?

prayerpraiselamentkingship

Psalms 72 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book III. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. ² He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. ³ The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. ⁴ He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. ⁵ They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. ⁶ He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. ⁷ In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. ⁸ He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. ⁹ They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. ¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. ¹¹ Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. ¹² For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. ¹³ He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. ¹⁴ He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. ¹⁵ And 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. ¹⁶ There 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. ¹⁷ His 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. ¹⁸ Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. ¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. ²⁰ The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Study helps

Glossary

Euphrates Place v. 8: Biblical river. Modern identification: Euphrates River.
Bow Tribe v. 9: The bow was in use in early times both in war and in the chase ( Gen. 21:20 ; 27:3 ; 48:22 ). The tribe of Benjamin were famous for the use of the bow ( 1 Chr. 8:40 ; 12:2 ; 2 Chr. 14:8 ; 17:17 ); so also were the Elamites.
Sheba Place v. 10, 15: (1. ) One of the sons of Cush ( Gen. 10:7 ). (2. ) The name of a country and nation ( Isa. 43:3 ; 45:14 ) mentioned along with Egypt and Ethiopia, and therefore probably in north-eastern Africa. The ancient name of Meroe. Modern identification: Sheba.
Tarshish Place v. 10: A Sanscrit or Aryan word, meaning “the sea coast. ” (1. ) One of the “sons” of Javan ( Gen. 10:4 ; 1 Chr. 1:7 ). (2. ) The name of a place which first comes into notice in the days of Solomon. Modern identification: Huelva.
City People v. 16: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).
Lebanon Place v. 16: Biblical region. Modern identification: Jezzine.
David Person v. 20: Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
Jesse Person v. 20: Firm, or a gift, a son of Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth ( Ruth 4:17 , 22; Matt. 1:5 , 6; Luke 3:32 ). He was the father of eight sons, the youngest of whom was David ( 1 Sam. 17:12 ).