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.

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

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.

The Reign of the Righteous King.

A Psalm of Solomon.

72 Give the king (A)Your judgments, God,
And (B)Your righteousness to the king’s son.
[a]May [b]he (C)judge Your people with righteousness
And [c](D)Your afflicted with justice.
[d]May the mountains bring [e](E)peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.
[f]May he (F)vindicate the [g]afflicted of the people,
Save the children of the needy,
And crush the oppressor.

[h]May they fear You (G)while the sun shines,
And [i]as long as the moon shines, throughout all generations.
[j]May he come down (H)like rain upon the mown grass,
Like (I)showers that water the earth.
[k]May the (J)righteous flourish in his days,
As well as an (K)abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

May he also rule (L)from sea to sea,
And from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
[l]May (M)the nomads of the desert (N)bow before him,
And his enemies (O)lick the dust.
10 [m]May the kings of (P)Tarshish and of the [n](Q)islands bring gifts;
May the kings of (R)Sheba and (S)Seba (T)offer tributes.
11 [o]And may all (U)kings bow down before him,
All (V)nations serve him.

12 For he will (W)save the needy when he cries for help,
The [p]afflicted also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will have (X)compassion on the poor and needy,
And he will save the [q]lives of the needy.
14 He will [r](Y)rescue their [s]life from oppression and violence,
And their blood will be (Z)precious in his sight;
15 So may he live, and may the (AA)gold of Sheba be given to him;
And [t]they are to pray for him continually;
[u]They are to bless him all day long.

16 May there be abundance of grain on the earth on top of the mountains;
Its fruit will wave like the cedars of (AB)Lebanon;
And may those from the city flourish like the (AC)vegetation of the earth.
17 May his (AD)name endure forever;
May his name produce descendants [v](AE)as long as the sun shines;
And may people (AF)wish blessings on themselves by him;
(AG)May all nations call him blessed.

18 (AH)Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who alone (AI)works wonders.
19 And blessed be His (AJ)glorious name forever;
And may the whole (AK)earth be filled with His glory.
(AL)Amen and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:2 Or He will judge
  2. Psalm 72:2 Many of the pronouns in this Psalm may be rendered He since the typical reference is to the Messiah
  3. Psalm 72:2 Or Your humble
  4. Psalm 72:3 Or The mountains will bring
  5. Psalm 72:3 Or prosperity
  6. Psalm 72:4 Or He will vindicate
  7. Psalm 72:4 Or humble
  8. Psalm 72:5 Or They will fear
  9. Psalm 72:5 Lit before the moon
  10. Psalm 72:6 Or He will come down
  11. Psalm 72:7 Or The righteous will flourish
  12. Psalm 72:9 Or The nomads...will bow
  13. Psalm 72:10 Or The kings...will bring
  14. Psalm 72:10 Or coastlands
  15. Psalm 72:11 Or All kings will bow down
  16. Psalm 72:12 Or humble
  17. Psalm 72:13 Lit souls
  18. Psalm 72:14 Lit redeem
  19. Psalm 72:14 Lit soul
  20. Psalm 72:15 Lit he is to
  21. Psalm 72:15 Lit He is to
  22. Psalm 72:17 Lit before the sun

The reign of the righteous king.

A Psalm of Solomon.

72 Give the king thy judgments, O God,
And thy righteousness unto the king’s son.
[a]He will judge thy people with righteousness,
And thy poor with justice.
The mountains shall bring peace to the people,
And the hills, in righteousness.
He will judge the poor of the people,
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.
They shall fear thee while the sun endureth,
And [b]so long as the moon, throughout all generations.
He will 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, till the moon be no more.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River unto the ends of the earth.
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 render tribute:
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 will deliver the needy when he crieth,
And the poor, [c]that hath no helper.
13 He will have pity on the [d]poor and needy,
And the souls of the needy he will save.
14 He will redeem their soul from [e]oppression and violence;
And precious will their blood be in his sight:
15 And [f]they shall live; and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba:
And men shall pray for him continually;
They shall bless him all the day long.
16 There shall be [g]abundance of grain in the [h]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 [i]be continued [j]as long as the sun:
And men shall [k]be blessed in him;
All nations shall call him happy.

18 Blessed be Jehovah 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.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 72:2 Or, Let him (and so throughout the Psalm)
  2. Psalm 72:5 Hebrew before the moon.
  3. Psalm 72:12 Or, and him that hath
  4. Psalm 72:13 Or, weak
  5. Psalm 72:14 Or, fraud
  6. Psalm 72:15 Or, he
  7. Psalm 72:16 Or, a handful
  8. Psalm 72:16 Or, land
  9. Psalm 72:17 Or, have issue
  10. Psalm 72:17 Hebrew before the sun.
  11. Psalm 72:17 Or, bless themselves