Psalm 72 - The Great King
Here we are at the end of Book 2 (of 5) in the Book of Psalms. Did you know there were divisions within all these poems & songs? As a little refresher, you might watch this good overview from the Bible Project on Psalms. They do a good job breaking down the divisions and setting out some of the main themes. Click the link below to watch it.
BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW OF THE PSALMS
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THE GREAT KING
In addition to this refresher, Psalm 72 is worth a look as well. It has topics of worthwhile prayer, worthy praise, prophetic truth & promise, and even more well-deserved worship for the Lord of glory … and all this wrapped up in a tidy ending for this section of Psalms.
The Psalm opens in verses 1-4 with the king’s prayer requests for himself and seemingly his son to have wisdom, righteousness, good judgment and strength as they rule caring for the people they have been entrusted to lead under God’s direction. These same requests can be made by each of us. How good it would be if we awoke each day with the open desire to be given these traits under His direction. I believe we, though not kings, with wisdom, righteousness, good judgment and strength under God’s direction could change the world of many lives around us.
This section could be (and I believe is) about a simple king, praying for guidance, but can also be speaking of a particular “Son” of the king who will have these traits. As we move on in the Psalm, starting here in verse 5, it becomes clear that we are not only speaking of a simple man or have transitioned into no longer speaking of a normal king. So many of these phrases cannot be connected to Solomon or any mortal man as king.
V. 5 “through all generations”
V. 7 “till the moon is no more”
V. 8 “May he also rule from sea to sea … to the ends of the earth”
V. 11 “let all kings bow down before him and all nations serve him”
V. 17 “may his name endure forever … increase as long as the sun shines”
Unless Israel had a Pinky-and-the-Brain plan to take over the world and keep it as long as the sun and the moon would shine, these verses are speaking of someone else. They are speaking of someone that could reign over the whole world; that could conquer any strong army; that could promise to support the needy; that has the ability to bring grain to the top of mountains and fruit big and abundantly like the cedars in Lebanon; and that can indeed “endure forever.”
This beautiful Psalm takes me from a simple prayer that is so healthy for my own life immediately into the glorious truth of the greatness of Christ’s still-future fulfillment of His coming reign. He is already King of Kings, but we will see it be so and will reign with Him!
What is our response to this?
18 Blessed be the Lord God,
the God of Israel,
Who alone works wonders.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever;
And may the whole earth
be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.
Psalm 72:18-19
BIBLE PROJECT OVERVIEW OF THE PSALMS
———————————————————————————
THE GREAT KING
In addition to this refresher, Psalm 72 is worth a look as well. It has topics of worthwhile prayer, worthy praise, prophetic truth & promise, and even more well-deserved worship for the Lord of glory … and all this wrapped up in a tidy ending for this section of Psalms.
The Psalm opens in verses 1-4 with the king’s prayer requests for himself and seemingly his son to have wisdom, righteousness, good judgment and strength as they rule caring for the people they have been entrusted to lead under God’s direction. These same requests can be made by each of us. How good it would be if we awoke each day with the open desire to be given these traits under His direction. I believe we, though not kings, with wisdom, righteousness, good judgment and strength under God’s direction could change the world of many lives around us.
This section could be (and I believe is) about a simple king, praying for guidance, but can also be speaking of a particular “Son” of the king who will have these traits. As we move on in the Psalm, starting here in verse 5, it becomes clear that we are not only speaking of a simple man or have transitioned into no longer speaking of a normal king. So many of these phrases cannot be connected to Solomon or any mortal man as king.
V. 5 “through all generations”
V. 7 “till the moon is no more”
V. 8 “May he also rule from sea to sea … to the ends of the earth”
V. 11 “let all kings bow down before him and all nations serve him”
V. 17 “may his name endure forever … increase as long as the sun shines”
Unless Israel had a Pinky-and-the-Brain plan to take over the world and keep it as long as the sun and the moon would shine, these verses are speaking of someone else. They are speaking of someone that could reign over the whole world; that could conquer any strong army; that could promise to support the needy; that has the ability to bring grain to the top of mountains and fruit big and abundantly like the cedars in Lebanon; and that can indeed “endure forever.”
This beautiful Psalm takes me from a simple prayer that is so healthy for my own life immediately into the glorious truth of the greatness of Christ’s still-future fulfillment of His coming reign. He is already King of Kings, but we will see it be so and will reign with Him!
What is our response to this?
18 Blessed be the Lord God,
the God of Israel,
Who alone works wonders.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever;
And may the whole earth
be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.
Psalm 72:18-19
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