4 May he be a judge of the poor among the people, may he give salvation to the children of those who are in need; by him let the violent be crushed.
5 May his life go on as long as the sun and moon, through all generations.
6 May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the upright do well, living in peace as long as there is a moon in heaven.
8 Let his kingdom be from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 Let those who are against him go down before him; and let his haters be low in the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands come back with offerings; let the kings of Sheba and Seba give of their stores.
11 Yes, let all kings go down before him; let all nations be his servants.
12 For he will be a saviour to the poor in answer to his cry; and to him who is in need, without a helper.
13 He will have pity on the poor, and be the saviour of those who are in need.
14 He will keep their souls free from evil designs and violent attacks; and their blood will be of value in his eyes.
15 May he have long life, and may gold from Sheba be given to him: may prayers be made for him at all times; may blessings be on him every day.
16 May there be wide-stretching fields of grain in the land, shaking on the top of the mountains, full of fruit like Lebanon: may its stems be unnumbered like the grass of the earth.
17 May his name go on for ever, as long as the sun: may men be blessing themselves by him; may all nations be blessing his name.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, the only doer of wonders.
19 Praise to the glory of his noble name for ever; let all the earth be full of his glory. So be it, So be it.
20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended. <A Psalm. Of Asaph.>
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 72
Commentary on Psalms 72 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 72
The foregoing psalm was penned by David when he was old, and, it should seem, so was this too; for Solomon was now standing fair for the crown; that was his prayer for himself, this for his son and successor, and with these two the prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended, as we find in the close of this psalm. If we have but God's presence with us while we live, and good hopes concerning those that shall come after us that they shall be praising God on earth when we are praising him in heaven, it is enough. This is entitled "a psalm for Solomon:' it is probable that David dictated it, or, rather, that it was by the blessed Spirit dictated to him, when, a little before he died, by divine direction he settled the succession, and gave orders to proclaim Solomon king, 1 Ki. 1:30, etc. But, though Solomon's name is here made use of, Christ's kingdom is here prophesied of under the type and figure of Solomon's. David knew what the divine oracle was, That "of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne,' Acts 2:30. To him he here bears witness, and with the prospect of the glories of his kingdom he comforted himself in his dying moments when he foresaw that his house would not be so with God, not so great not so good, as he wished. David, in spirit,
In singing this psalm we must have an eye to Christ, praising him as a King, and pleasing ourselves with our happiness as his subjects.
A psalm for Solomon.
Psa 72:1
This verse is a prayer for the king, even the king's son.
Psa 72:2-17
This is a prophecy of the prosperity and perpetuity of the kingdom of Christ under the shadow of the reign of Solomon. It comes in,
Let us observe the many great and precious promises here made, which were to have their full accomplishment only in the kingdom of Christ; and yet some of them were in part fulfilled in Solomon's reign.
Psa 72:18-20
Such an illustrious prophecy as is in the foregoing verses of the Messiah and his kingdom may fitly be concluded, as it is here, with hearty prayers and praises.