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Psalm 72-74
New International Version
Psalm 72-74
New International Version
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1 Endow the king with your justice,(A) O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,(B)
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted(C) among the people
and save the children of the needy;(D)
may he crush the oppressor.(E)
5 May he endure[a](F) as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.(G)
6 May he be like rain(H) falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish(I)
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River[b](J) to the ends of the earth.(K)
9 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)
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)
BOOK III
Psalms 73–89
Psalm 73
A psalm of Asaph.
1 Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.(AJ)
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;(AK)
I had nearly lost my foothold.(AL)
3 For I envied(AM) the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(AN)
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.[e]
5 They are free(AO) from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride(AP) is their necklace;(AQ)
they clothe themselves with violence.(AR)
7 From their callous hearts(AS) comes iniquity[f];
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;(AT)
with arrogance(AU) they threaten oppression.(AV)
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.[g]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
13 Surely in vain(AY) I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.(AZ)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,(BA)
and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand(BB) all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary(BC) of God;
then I understood their final destiny.(BD)
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;(BE)
you cast them down to ruin.(BF)
19 How suddenly(BG) are they destroyed,
completely swept away(BH) by terrors!
20 They are like a dream(BI) when one awakes;(BJ)
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.(BK)
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless(BL) and ignorant;
I was a brute beast(BM) before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.(BN)
24 You guide(BO) me with your counsel,(BP)
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(BQ)
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(BR)
26 My flesh and my heart(BS) may fail,(BT)
but God is the strength(BU) of my heart
and my portion(BV) forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;(BW)
you destroy all who are unfaithful(BX) to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.(BY)
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;(BZ)
I will tell of all your deeds.(CA)
Psalm 74
A maskil[h] of Asaph.
1 O God, why have you rejected(CB) us forever?(CC)
Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?(CD)
2 Remember the nation you purchased(CE) long ago,(CF)
the people of your inheritance,(CG) whom you redeemed(CH)—
Mount Zion,(CI) where you dwelt.(CJ)
3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,(CK)
all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.
4 Your foes roared(CL) in the place where you met with us;
they set up their standards(CM) as signs.
5 They behaved like men wielding axes
to cut through a thicket of trees.(CN)
6 They smashed all the carved(CO) paneling
with their axes and hatchets.
7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
they defiled(CP) the dwelling place(CQ) of your Name.(CR)
8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush(CS) them completely!”
They burned(CT) every place where God was worshiped in the land.
9 We are given no signs from God;(CU)
no prophets(CV) are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.
10 How long(CW) will the enemy mock(CX) you, God?
Will the foe revile(CY) your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?(CZ)
Take it from the folds of your garment(DA) and destroy them!
13 It was you who split open the sea(DD) by your power;
you broke the heads of the monster(DE) in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan(DF)
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.(DG)
15 It was you who opened up springs(DH) and streams;
you dried up(DI) the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.(DJ)
17 It was you who set all the boundaries(DK) of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.(DL)
18 Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord,
how foolish people(DM) have reviled your name.
19 Do not hand over the life of your dove(DN) to wild beasts;
do not forget the lives of your afflicted(DO) people forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant,(DP)
because haunts of violence fill the dark places(DQ) of the land.
21 Do not let the oppressed(DR) retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy(DS) praise your name.
22 Rise up,(DT) O God, and defend your cause;
remember how fools(DU) mock you all day long.
23 Do not ignore the clamor(DV) of your adversaries,(DW)
the uproar(DX) of your enemies,(DY) which rises continually.
Footnotes
- Psalm 72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
- Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates
- Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
- Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
- Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
- Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
- Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
- Psalm 74:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 72-74
King James Version
Psalm 72-74
King James Version
72 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued 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 doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
73 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
74 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?
2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.
4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.
5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.
7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.
8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.
9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.
12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.
16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.
19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.
20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.
21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.
22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.
Psalm 72-74
New King James Version
Psalm 72-74
New King James Version
Glory and Universality of the Messiah’s Reign
A Psalm (A)of Solomon.
72 Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
2 (B)He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice.
3 (C)The mountains will bring peace to the people,
And the little hills, by righteousness.
4 (D)He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will [a]break in pieces the oppressor.
5 [b]They shall fear You
(E)As long as the sun and moon endure,
Throughout all generations.
6 (F)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,
(G)And abundance of peace,
Until the moon is no more.
8 (H)He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 (I)Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him,
(J)And His enemies will lick the dust.
10 (K)The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
Will bring presents;
The kings of Sheba and Seba
Will offer gifts.
11 (L)Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
All nations shall serve Him.
12 For He (M)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 (N)precious shall be their blood in His sight.
15 And He shall live;
And the gold of (O)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;
(P)And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 (Q)His name shall endure forever;
His name shall continue as long as the sun.
And (R)men shall be blessed in Him;
(S)All nations shall call Him blessed.
18 (T)Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
(U)Who only does wondrous things!
19 And (V)blessed be His glorious name forever!
(W)And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
BOOK THREE
Psalms 73–89
The Tragedy of the Wicked, and the Blessedness of Trust in God
A Psalm of (X)Asaph.
73 Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly (Y)slipped.
3 (Z)For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the (AA)wicked.
4 For there are no [c]pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 (AB)They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them (AC)like a garment.
7 (AD)Their [d]eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
8 (AE)They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They (AF)speak [e]loftily.
9 They set their mouth (AG)against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here,
(AH)And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
11 And they say, (AI)“How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.
13 Surely I have [f]cleansed my heart in (AJ)vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was [g]too painful for me—
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their (AK)end.
18 Surely (AL)You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was [h]vexed in my mind.
22 (AM)I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 (AN)You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 (AO)Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 (AP)My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the [i]strength of my heart and my (AQ)portion forever.
27 For indeed, (AR)those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who [j]desert You for harlotry.
28 But it is good for me to (AS)draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God,
That I may (AT)declare all Your works.
A Plea for Relief from Oppressors
A [k]Contemplation of Asaph.
74 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4 (AU)Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
(AV)They set up their banners for signs.
5 They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
8 (AW)They said in their hearts,
“Let us [l]destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs;
(AX)There is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will the adversary [m]reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
11 (AY)Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
12 For (AZ)God is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 (BA)You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the [n]sea serpents in the waters.
14 You broke the heads of [o]Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 (BB)You broke open the fountain and the flood;
(BC)You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is (BD)Yours;
(BE)You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have (BF)set all the borders of the earth;
(BG)You have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20 (BH)Have respect to the covenant;
For the [p]dark places of the earth are full of the [q]haunts of [r]cruelty.
21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man [s]reproaches You daily.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.
Footnotes
- Psalm 72:4 crush
- Psalm 72:5 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. They shall continue
- Psalm 73:4 pains
- Psalm 73:7 Tg. face bulges; LXX, Syr., Vg. iniquity bulges
- Psalm 73:8 Proudly
- Psalm 73:13 kept my heart pure in vain
- Psalm 73:16 troublesome in my eyes
- Psalm 73:21 Lit. pierced in my kidneys
- Psalm 73:26 Lit. rock
- Psalm 73:27 Are unfaithful to You
- Psalm 74:1 Heb. Maschil
- Psalm 74:8 oppress
- Psalm 74:10 revile
- Psalm 74:13 sea monsters
- Psalm 74:14 A large sea creature of unknown identity
- Psalm 74:20 hiding places
- Psalm 74:20 homes
- Psalm 74:20 violence
- Psalm 74:22 reviles or taunts
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.