Psalm 72

Psalm 72 is the final psalm of Book II of the Psalms (Psalms 42–72). It follows Psalm 71, a prayer of old age. The superscription reads "A Psalm for Solomon," and the psalm is classified as a royal psalm (a psalm concerning the king) that invokes blessing on the king.

Structure

• Verses 1–4 The psalmist asks God to give His judgments and righteousness to the king and to the king's son, praying that the king will judge the poor with justice and break in pieces the oppressor.
• Verses 5–7 He prays that the people will fear God throughout all generations, as long as the sun and moon endure, and that the king will come down like rain upon the mown grass so that the righteous may flourish.
• Verses 8–11 He prays that the king will have dominion from sea to sea. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles, and the kings of Sheba and Seba, bring gifts, and all kings fall down before him.
• Verses 12–14 The king delivers the needy and the poor who have no helper, and their blood is precious in his sight.
• Verses 15–17 The gold of Sheba is given to him, and grain is abundant. The king's name endures as long as the sun, and all nations call him blessed.
• Verses 18–20 The psalm closes with a doxology praising the LORD, who does wondrous things, followed by "Amen, and Amen" and the colophon "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended."

Key Verses

• Psalm 72:1 "Give the king thy judgments, O God": the starting point of the whole psalm, establishing that the king's authority derives from God's righteousness.
• Psalm 72:12 "For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth": the king's reign is measured by his protection of the poor.
• Psalm 72:17 "And men shall be blessed in him": this verse is read in connection with the promise in Genesis 12 that the nations will be blessed.

People and Places

• Solomon: named in the superscription.
• David: named in the colophon of verse 20, together with his father, Jesse.
• Tarshish: a place known as a distant port in the western Mediterranean.
• Sheba and Seba: distant lands to the south; Sheba is thought to have been in southern Arabia.
• Lebanon: a northern mountain region renowned for its dense forests.

Points for Reflection

• The superscription can be read either as "a psalm by Solomon" or as "a psalm for Solomon." Taking it together with verse 20, some interpreters regard the psalm as a prayer offered by David on behalf of his son.
• Many interpreters regard verses 18–19 as the doxology that closes Book II. Verse 20 is understood as an editorial note marking the end of a collection of Davidic psalms; psalms of David nevertheless appear later in the Psalter.
• Some strands of Jewish tradition, as well as the Christian church, have read this king as the Messiah. Christian interpreters understand the psalm as a prophecy pointing to the kingdom of Christ.
• The gifts of verses 10–11 and 15 have been connected with the Magi of Matthew 2, contributing to the tradition that regards the Magi as "kings." Matthew, however, does not quote this psalm directly. The "Sheba" of verse 15 is also sometimes associated with the account of the Queen of Sheba.

In the Korean Church

• In churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary (a cross-denominational table of Sunday Scripture readings), the psalm is used as the psalm reading for Epiphany.
• Isaac Watts's hymn "Jesus Shall Reign" is based on this psalm. It appears in the Korean hymnal under the title "Haetbicheul Banneun Gotmada" ("Wherever the Sun Shines").