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A Prayer for the King

Of Solomon.

72 God, give the king your good judgment
    and the king’s son your goodness.
Help him judge your people fairly.
    Help him decide what is right for the poor.
Let there be peace on the mountains
    and goodness on the hills.
Help him be fair to the poor.
    Help him save the needy
    and punish those who hurt them.

Help him live as long as the sun shines.
    Help him rule as long as the moon glows.
    Let him be king from now on!
Let him be like rain on the grass,
    like showers that water the earth.
Let goodness be plentiful while he lives.
    Let peace continue as long as there is a moon.

Let his kingdom go from sea to sea,
    and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
Let the people of the desert bow down to him.
    And make his enemies lick the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish and the faraway lands
    bring him gifts.
Let the kings of Sheba and Seba
    bring their presents to him.
11 Let all kings bow down to him.
    Let all nations serve him.

12 He will help the poor when they cry for help.
    He will help the needy when no one else will help them.
13 He will be kind to the weak and poor.
    He will save their lives.
14 He will save them from cruel people who try to hurt them.
    Their lives are precious to him.

15 Long live the king!
    Let him receive gold from Sheba.
Let people always pray for him.
    Let them bless him all day long.
16 Let the fields grow plenty of grain.
    Let the hills be covered with crops.
Let the land be as fertile as Lebanon.
    Let the cities grow like the grass in a field.
17 Let the king be famous forever.
    Let him be remembered as long as the sun shines.
Let the nations be blessed because of him.
    And may they all bless him.

18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel.
Only he does such miracles.
19 Praise his glorious name forever.
    Let his glory fill the whole world.

Amen and amen.

20 This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.

Psalm 72

Of Solomon.

Endow the king with your justice,(A) O God,
    the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,(B)
    your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
    the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted(C) among the people
    and save the children of the needy;(D)
    may he crush the oppressor.(E)
May he endure[a](F) as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon, through all generations.(G)
May he be like rain(H) falling on a mown field,
    like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish(I)
    and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

May he rule from sea to sea
    and from the River[b](J) to the ends of the earth.(K)
May the desert tribes bow before him
    and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish(L) and of distant shores(M)
    bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba(N) and Seba
    present him gifts.(O)
11 May all kings bow down(P) to him
    and all nations serve(Q) him.

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

15 Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba(U) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.(V)
16 May grain(W) abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops(X) flourish like Lebanon(Y)
    and thrive[c] like the grass of the field.(Z)
17 May his name endure forever;(AA)
    may it continue as long as the sun.(AB)

Then all nations will be blessed through him,[d]
    and they will call him blessed.(AC)

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,(AD)
    who alone does marvelous deeds.(AE)
19 Praise be to his glorious name(AF) forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.(AG)
Amen and Amen.(AH)

20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.(AI)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
  2. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
  3. Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
  4. Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)