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, And from the River to the ends of the earth. Psalm 72:7, 8
Honoring the Messianic King
This strong messianic psalm looks forward to the day Messiah will rule over the earth. Like the prophets, this psalm emphasizes his endless, universal rule, portrays a time of justice for the oppressed and needy, and prosperity for all. Solomon’s prayer to be endowed with wisdom (72:1) prefigures the rule of Messiah, who will judge righteously and rule “from sea to sea.” His commitment to rescue the needy wins him an enduring name and brings God unending praise.
Psalm 72, a royal psalm, is one of the two psalms (see also Ps. 127) ascribed to Solomon, the son of David. King Solomon might have arranged David’s psalms in something like their present order, then appended his psalm to the group. This psalm is intensely messianic, speacking in ideal terms of the coming of the great King. On the basis of the ideals of ancient Middle Eastern royalty, the psalm calls for a good king to govern Israel under God’s blessing. Ultimately this King is the Savior Jesus.
72:5-7 Fear You is an expression of wonder, awe, reverence, worship and obedience. He shall come down: The great King is pictured as the gentle rains of God’s blessing on the earth. His reign will lead to true peace, the state of things as they really ought to be.
5 They shall fear You As long as the sun and moon endure, Throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth. 7 In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more.
72:8-10 The promises of God to Abraham included a promise that his descendants would have dominion over the land of Canaan. These verses expand the geographical dimensions to include the entire earth. The River refers to the Euphrates – a distant, significant waterway that many Israelites hoped would become the extent of their kingdom. The glorious coming King will have the river as a near border; His territory will extend to the ends of the earth. No one will escape the power of His reign, not even those in the wilderness. Lick the dust: The King’s enemies will have their faces to the ground in forced submission to His majesty. Tarshish and Sheba were the most distant places known to the Israelites; they suggest distances beyond Solomon’s imagination. As Solomon had received gifts from the queen of Sheba (1 Kin. 10:1-10), so he predicted that the coming King would receive gifts from rulers all over the earth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, And His enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts.
72:12-14. For The little word directs our look back at the prediction, “All kings will bow down to him (v. 111). What makes the rule of this king so special? Simply that he is dedicated to save the needy and rescue the oppressed. He has God’s own compassion and the power to act on others’ behalf. These verses forever change our notion of “rule.” The central issue of rule is not the power to use others, but the willingness to serve them. 72:13, 14 This section emphasizes the work of the King on behalf of the poor and needy. Precious shall be their blood: The blood shed by the needy points to the blood the savior shed on the cross (see Heb. 12:24). No wonder Jesus finds the shed blood of others to be precious.
12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper. 13 He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy. 14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight.
72:15-17 The promise of life in the words He shall live is a messianic theme, for the coming Savior is the only One who grants true life (John 11:25).
15 And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised. 16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 11:25 (to Martha)
72:18, 19 These magnificent words of benediction mark the conclusion of the psalm, as well as the conclusion of Book II of the Psalms. The repetition of the word blessed, the focus on the name, and the double Amen all indicate that this psalm was used in the worship of God in His temple.
18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.
72:20 The prayers of David: The superscription of Ps. 72 attributes the psalm to Solomon. It is possible that Solomon wrote this poem in honor of his father David at the end of an early edition of the psalms so far collected. Other psalms were added later to this original collection.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
** The Day of the Lord will come. He had come after many prophesies were given in OT. So, His second coming will also happen to fulfill the many prophesies given in both OT and NT. He will keep His promise. He has a good track record for it.
The Reign of the Righteous King
72 1 A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king’s Son. 2 He will judge Your people with righteousness, And Your poor with justice. 3 The mountains will bring peace to the people, And the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear You As long as the sun and moon endure, Throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth. 7 In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, And His enemies will lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts. 11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him. 12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper. 13 He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy. 14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight. 15 And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised. 16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue 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 does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
