Psalms 72

By Solomon.

God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.

He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people. The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.

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

They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.

He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.

In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.

Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust.

The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him.

For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.

He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy.

He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.

He will live; and Sheba’s gold will be given to him. Men will pray for him continually. They will bless him all day long.

Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.

His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed.

Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.

Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.

This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter is a royal psalm, ascribing to the king the divine justice and righteous rule that reflect God’s own character. It envisions an ideal Davidic king whose reign brings peace, prosperity, deliverance for the poor, and universal homage, extending beyond Israel to all nations. While rooted in the historical hopes of Israel’s monarchy, the psalm points forward to a future, perfect king whose eternal and global dominion fulfills the promises made to David.

Flow.

The psalm opens with a prayer that God would grant His justice and righteousness to the king and his descendants, establishing the moral foundation of righteous rule (v. 1–2).
It portrays the king’s reign as a source of flourishing and equity, benefiting the poor and oppressed, sustained as enduringly as the sun and moon (v. 3–7).
The scope widens to depict a worldwide kingdom, where even distant kings and enemies submit, and all nations serve the king (v. 8–11).
The king is shown actively defending the vulnerable, and the psalm culminates in doxology, affirming the eternal fame of his name and God’s incomparable glory (v. 12–19).

Connections.
Following chapter 71, where the psalmist pleads for God’s deliverance and praises His faithfulness across a lifetime, Psalm 72 shifts from personal supplication to covenantal hope, offering a vision of divinely established rule that secures justice for all. It serves as a fitting conclusion to a section of the Psalter tied to David, as noted in the closing verse, and sets the stage for the doxological movements in later books of the Psalms. The universal blessing and eternal reign envisioned here prepare the reader for the growing emphasis on Zion, God’s kingship, and the gathering of the nations, themes which chapter 73 and the following sections explore in light of God’s presence and justice.

What it teaches.
The psalm reveals the ideal of God-ordained kingship, where the ruler administers divine justice and becomes an instrument of blessing for the poor and oppressed (WCF 23.1). It reflects the Davidic covenant, in which God promises an enduring line through which righteousness and peace will come (2 Sam. 7; cf. WCF 7.5). The king’s worldwide dominion and the homage of all nations anticipate the universal reign of Christ (HC LD 18, Q&A 48; LD 38, Q&A 120). The psalm also affirms that salvation for the vulnerable is central to God’s redemptive work (WCF 7.3), and the doxology exalts God as the source of all wonder, echoing the call for His glory to fill the earth (HC LD 10, Q&A 28).

Apply.
Trust in the king whose rule brings justice, peace, and life to the world, and pray for the full coming of his kingdom.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.