What does Psalm 72:1 mean?
ESV: Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
NIV: Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
NASB: Give the king Your judgments, God, And Your righteousness to the king’s son.
CSB: Of Solomon. God, give your justice to the king and your righteousness to the king’s son.
NLT: Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son.
KJV: A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
NKJV: {A Psalm of Solomon.} Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 72:1–7 opens a prayer with multiple meanings. These may be words prayed by David, or by Solomon. What they ask is both a request for Solomon's rule and a prophetic view of the reign of the Messiah on earth. Righteousness is an especially clear theme. Other key ideas include justice, compassion, peace, and prosperity.
Chapter Summary:
The psalmist prays for a king to rule successfully, and that he would serve as the ideal leader of a successful, stable, prosperous nation. This appears to be a request made to God regarding the rule of Solomon. It also has prophetic meaning: the descriptions given here preview the rule of Messiah on earth. The final verses are a formal statement of praise which marks the end of "Book Two" of the psalms.
Chapter Context:
This is one of two psalms (Psalm 127:1) connected to Solomon. It might have been dedicated to him by his father, David (1 Kings 2:1–4). The final verse refers to David and a conclusion of his prayers. Yet, psalms are not numbered in chronological order, and the style of this psalm is much more like that of the book of Proverbs, most of which are attributed to Solomon. In either case, this psalm is both a prayer and a prophecy. It asks for God's blessings on a king's rule: praying he would be the ideal leader. This continues to depict a kingdom which blesses the entire world.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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