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

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)