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By Solomon.

72 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.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute.
    The kings of Sheba and Seba shall 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, who has no helper.
13 He will have pity on the poor and needy.
    He will save the souls of the needy.
14 He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence.
    Their blood will be precious in his sight.
15 They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba.
    Men shall pray for him continually.
    They shall bless him all day long.
16 Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land.
    Its fruit sways like Lebanon.
    Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.
17 His name endures forever.
    His name continues as long as the sun.
Men shall be blessed by him.
    All nations will call him blessed.

18 Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel,
    who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever!
    Let the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and amen.

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

Psalm 72

A Prayer for the King

Of Solomon.(A)

God, give your justice to the king
and your righteousness to the king’s son.(B)
He will judge your people with righteousness
and your afflicted ones with justice.(C)
May the mountains bring well-being[a] to the people
and the hills, righteousness.(D)
May he vindicate the afflicted among the people,
help the poor,
and crush the oppressor.(E)

May they fear you[b] while the sun endures
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.(F)
May the king be like rain that falls on the cut grass,
like spring showers that water the earth.(G)
May the righteous[c] flourish in his days
and well-being abound
until the moon is no more.(H)

May he rule from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth.(I)
May desert tribes kneel before him
and his enemies lick the dust.(J)
10 May the kings of Tarshish
and the coasts and islands bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.(K)
11 Let all kings bow in homage to him,
all nations serve him.(L)

12 For he will rescue the poor who cry out
and the afflicted who have no helper.(M)
13 He will have pity on the poor and helpless
and save the lives of the poor.(N)
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are[d] precious[e] in his sight.(O)

15 May he live long!
May gold from Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be offered for him continually,
and may he be blessed all day long.(P)
16 May there be plenty of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains.
May its crops be like Lebanon.
May people flourish in the cities
like the grass of the field.(Q)
17 May his name endure forever;
as long as the sun shines,
may his fame increase.
May all nations be blessed by him
and call him blessed.(R)

18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonders.(S)
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
the whole earth is filled with his glory.(T)
Amen and amen.
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded.(U)

Footnotes

  1. 72:3 Or peace, also in v. 7
  2. 72:5 LXX reads May he continue
  3. 72:7 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Jer read May righteousness
  4. 72:14 Lit their blood is
  5. 72:14 Or valuable