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.

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
  2. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates

Psalm 72[a]

A Prayer for the King

Of Solomon.

I

O God, give your judgment to the king;
    your justice to the king’s son;[b](A)
That he may govern your people with justice,
    your oppressed with right judgment,(B)
That the mountains may yield their bounty for the people,
    and the hills great abundance,(C)
That he may defend the oppressed among the people,
    save the children of the poor and crush the oppressor.

II

May they fear you with the sun,
    and before the moon, through all generations.(D)
May he be like rain coming down upon the fields,
    like showers watering the earth,(E)
That abundance may flourish in his days,
    great bounty, till the moon be no more.

III

[c]May he rule from sea to sea,
    from the river to the ends of the earth.(F)
May his foes kneel before him,
    his enemies lick the dust.(G)
10 May the kings of Tarshish and the islands[d] bring tribute,
    the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.(H)
11 May all kings bow before him,
    all nations serve him.(I)
12 For he rescues the poor when they cry out,
    the oppressed who have no one to help.
13 He shows pity to the needy and the poor(J)
    and saves the lives of the poor.

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 72 A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts.
  2. 72:2 The king…the king’s son: the crown prince is the king’s son; the prayer envisages the dynasty.
  3. 72:8 From sea to sea…the ends of the earth: the boundaries of the civilized world known at the time: from the Mediterranean Sea (the western sea) to the Persian Gulf (the eastern sea), and from the Euphrates (the river) to the islands and lands of southwestern Europe, “the ends of the earth.” The words may also have a mythic nuance—the earth surrounded by cosmic waters, hence everywhere.
  4. 72:10 Tarshish and the islands: the far west (Ps 48:6); Arabia and Seba: the far south (1 Kgs 10:1).

Psalm 72

A psalm of Solomon.

Give your love of justice to the king, O God,
    and righteousness to the king’s son.
Help him judge your people in the right way;
    let the poor always be treated fairly.
May the mountains yield prosperity for all,
    and may the hills be fruitful.
Help him to defend the poor,
    to rescue the children of the needy,
    and to crush their oppressors.
May they fear you[a] as long as the sun shines,
    as long as the moon remains in the sky.
    Yes, forever!

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass,
    like the showers that water the earth.
May all the godly flourish during his reign.
    May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.
May he reign from sea to sea,
    and from the Euphrates River[b] to the ends of the earth.
Desert nomads will bow before him;
    his enemies will fall before him in the dust.
10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands
    will bring him tribute.
The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba
    will bring him gifts.
11 All kings will bow before him,
    and all nations will serve him.

12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him;
    he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy,
    and he will rescue them.

Read full chapter

Notas al pie

  1. 72:5 Greek version reads May they endure.
  2. 72:8 Hebrew the river.