Psalm 72:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!

NIV: Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.

NASB: So may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him; And they are to pray for him continually; They are to bless him all day long.

CSB: 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.

NLT: Long live the king! May the gold of Sheba be given to him. May the people always pray for him and bless him all day long.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised.

Psalm 72:15–17 continues to blend requests for Solomon's rule with a prophetic look to the end times. There, the Messiah—Jesus Christ—will rule the world in person. This segment asks for blessings over Solomon's reign: a long-lasting rule bringing prosperity to the entire nation. And, eventually, to the world. What comes next (Psalms 72:18–20) is probably a marker for the end of Book Two of the psalms.

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.

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.

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.

Accessed 11/21/2024 11:22:03 AM