Psalm 72
Of Solomon.
1Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
3May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
5May he endure72:5 Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River72:8 That is, the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.
9May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
11May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
12For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city like the grass of the field.
17May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
and they will call him blessed.
18Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Psalm 72
A psalm of Solomon.
1God, give the king the ability to judge fairly.
He is your royal son. Help him to do what is right.
2May he rule your people in the right way.
May he be fair to those among your people who are hurting.
3May the mountains and the hills produce rich crops,
because the people will do what is right.
4May the king stand up for those who are hurting.
May he save the children of those who are in need.
May he crush those who treat others badly.
5May the king rule as long as the sun shines
and the moon gives its light.
May he rule for all time to come.
6May he be like rain falling on the fields.
May he be like showers watering the earth.
7May godly people do well as long as he rules.
May they have more than they need as long as the moon lasts.
8May the king rule from sea to sea.
May his kingdom reach from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
9May the desert tribes bow down to him.
May his enemies lick the dust.
10May the kings of Tarshish and of places far away
bring him gifts.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
give him presents.
11May all kings bow down to him.
May all nations serve him.
12The king will save needy people who cry out to him.
He will save those who are hurting and have no one else to help.
13He will take pity on those who are weak and in need.
He will save them from death.
14He will save them from people who treat others badly.
He will save them from people who do mean things to them.
Their lives are very special to him.
15May the king live a long time!
May gold from Sheba be given to him.
May people always pray for him.
May they ask the Lord to bless him all day long.
16May there be plenty of grain everywhere in the land.
May it sway in the wind on the tops of the hills.
May the crops grow well, like those in Lebanon.
May they grow like the grass of the field.
17May the king’s name be remembered forever.
May his fame last as long as the sun shines.
Then all nations will be blessed because of him.
They will call him blessed.
18Give praise to the Lord God, the God of Israel.
Only he can do wonderful things.
19Give praise to his glorious name forever.
May his glory fill the whole earth.
Amen and Amen.
20The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, end here.
