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A Prayer for the King[a]

72 Teach the king to judge with your righteousness, O God;
    share with him your own justice,
so that he will rule over your people with justice
    and govern the oppressed with righteousness.
May the land enjoy prosperity;
    may it experience righteousness.
May the king judge the poor fairly;
    may he help the needy
    and defeat their oppressors.
May your people worship you as long as the sun shines,
    as long as the moon gives light, for ages to come.

May the king be like rain on the fields,
    like showers falling on the land.
May righteousness flourish in his lifetime,
    and may prosperity last as long as the moon gives light.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:1 HEBREW TITLE: By Solomon.

72 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

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

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10 The kings of Spain and of the islands will offer him gifts;
    the kings of Sheba and Seba[a] will bring him offerings.
11 All kings will bow down before him;
    all nations will serve him.

12 He rescues the poor who call to him,
    and those who are needy and neglected.
13 He has pity on the weak and poor;
    he saves the lives of those in need.
14 He rescues them from oppression and violence;
    their lives are precious to him.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:10 Sheba was toward the south in Arabia and Seba was on the opposite side of the Red Sea.

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.

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