Psalm 72

This article is about Psalm 72 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 72 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 73.

Psalm 72
"Give the king thy judgments, O God"
1860 fresco by Carl Gottfried Pfannschmidt showing David with a quotation from Psalm 72:11, Marienkirche, Barth, Western Pomerania
Other name	Psalmus 71 "Deus iudicium tuum regi da"
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 72
← Psalm 71 Psalm 73 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 72 is the 72nd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 71. In Latin, it is known as "Deus iudicium tuum regi da". Traditionally seen as being written by King Solomon, its heading may be translated 'to or for Solomon'.

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לִשְׁלֹמֹ֨ה ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ תֵּ֑ן וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ לְבֶן־מֶֽלֶךְ׃‎	[A Psalm] of Solomon. Give the king Thy judgments, O God, and Thy righteousness unto the king's son;
2	יָדִ֣ין עַמְּךָ֣ בְצֶ֑דֶק וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃‎	That he may judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with justice.
3	יִשְׂא֤וּ הָרִ֓ים שָׁ֘ל֥וֹם לָעָ֑ם וּ֝גְבָע֗וֹת בִּצְדָקָֽה׃‎	Let the mountains bear peace to the people, and the hills, through righteousness.
4	יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט ׀ עֲֽנִיֵּי־עָ֗ם י֭וֹשִׁיעַ לִבְנֵ֣י אֶבְי֑וֹן וִ֖ידַכֵּ֣א עוֹשֵֽׁק׃‎	May he judge the poor of the people, and save the children of the needy, And crush the oppressor.
5	יִירָא֥וּךָ עִם־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵ֥י יָ֝רֵ֗חַ דּ֣וֹר דּוֹרִֽים׃‎	They shall fear Thee while the sun endureth, and so long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6	יֵ֭רֵד כְּמָטָ֣ר עַל־גֵּ֑ז כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים זַרְזִ֥יף אָֽרֶץ׃‎	May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.
7	יִֽפְרַח־בְּיָמָ֥יו צַדִּ֑יק וְרֹ֥ב שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַד־בְּלִ֥י יָרֵֽחַ׃‎	In his days let the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, till the moon be no more.
8	וְ֭יֵרְדְּ מִיָּ֣ם עַד־יָ֑ם וּ֝מִנָּהָ֗ר עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃‎	May he have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River unto the ends of the earth.
9	לְ֭פָנָיו יִכְרְע֣וּ צִיִּ֑ים וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו עָפָ֥ר יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃‎	Let them that dwell in the wilderness bow before him; and his enemies lick the dust.
10	מַלְכֵ֬י תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ וְ֭אִיִּים מִנְחָ֣ה יָשִׁ֑יבוּ מַלְכֵ֥י שְׁבָ֥א וּ֝סְבָ֗א אֶשְׁכָּ֥ר יַקְרִֽיבוּ׃‎	The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11	וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ כׇל־מְלָכִ֑ים כׇּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יַעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃‎	Yea, all kings shall prostrate themselves before him; All nations shall serve him.
12	כִּֽי־יַ֭צִּיל אֶבְי֣וֹן מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וְ֝עָנִ֗י וְֽאֵין־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ׃‎	For he will deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13	יָ֭חֹס עַל־דַּ֣ל וְאֶבְי֑וֹן וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹת אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃‎	He will have pity on the poor and needy, And the souls of the needy he will save.
14	מִתּ֣וֹךְ וּ֭מֵחָמָס יִגְאַ֣ל נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְיֵיקַ֖ר דָּמָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃‎	He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence, And precious will their blood be in his sight.
15	וִיחִ֗י וְיִתֶּן־לוֹ֮ מִזְּהַ֢ב שְׁ֫בָ֥א וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲד֣וֹ תָמִ֑יד כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם יְבָרְכֶֽנְהוּ׃‎	That they may live, and that he may give them of the gold of Sheba, That they may pray for him continually, Yea, bless him all the day.
16	יְהִ֤י פִסַּת־בַּ֨ר ׀ בָּאָרֶץ֮ בְּרֹ֢אשׁ הָ֫רִ֥ים יִרְעַ֣שׁ כַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן פִּרְי֑וֹ וְיָצִ֥יצוּ מֵ֝עִ֗יר כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָֽרֶץ׃‎	May he be as a rich cornfield in the land upon the top of the mountains; May his fruit rustle like Lebanon; And may they blossom out of the city like grass of the earth.
17	יְהִ֤י שְׁמ֨וֹ ׀ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם לִפְנֵי־שֶׁמֶשׁ֮ (ינין) [יִנּ֢וֹן] שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֑וֹ כׇּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃‎	May his name endure for ever; May his name be continued as long as the sun; May men also bless themselves by him; May all nations call him happy.
18	בָּר֤וּךְ ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֹשֵׂ֖ה נִפְלָא֣וֹת לְבַדּֽוֹ׃‎	Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things;
19	וּבָר֤וּךְ ׀ שֵׁ֥ם כְּבוֹד֗וֹ לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם וְיִמָּלֵ֣א כְ֭בוֹדוֹ אֶת־כֹּ֥ל הָאָ֗רֶץ אָ֘מֵ֥ן ׀ וְאָמֵֽן׃‎	And blessed be His glorious name for ever; And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.
20	כָּלּ֥וּ תְפִלּ֑וֹת דָּ֝וִ֗ד בֶּן־יִשָֽׁי׃‎	The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

King James Version

1. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15. 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.
16. There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Heading

Lutheran theologian John Brug writes "The heading of Psalm 72 is 'Of Solomon'. This may also be translated 'to or for Solomon'. For this reason some commentators regard this as a Psalm written by David to express his hope for Solomon." Joseph Benson calls it "a psalm for Solomon" and associates it with the anointing of Solomon as king while David was still living, as recorded in 1 Kings 1:39–43.

Analysis

Some commentators see David's prayers as fulfilled in some sense in the reign of Solomon: a temple will be built and there will be great peace and prosperity; yet the language is larger than Solomon. "The whole earth is filled with his glory" (verse 19) is like the angel speaking from Isaiah 6. Matthew Henry sees this fulfillment in some ways in the reign of Solomon but even more in a greater than Solomon to come: "the psalm belongs to Solomon in part, but to Christ more fully and clearly".

Uses

Judaism

• Verses 18–19 are the third and fourth verses of Baruch Hashem L'Olam in Pesukei Dezimra and Baruch Hashem L'Olam during Maariv.

New Testament

In the New Testament, verse 18 is quoted in Luke 1:68.

Christianity

The hymn "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun" is a lyrical adaptation of Psalm 72 written by Isaac Watts.

Lutherans use this Psalm to celebrate Epiphany every year and Pentecost 14 of the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship's year C. In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the 14th day of the month.

Canadian National Motto

The national motto of Canada, A Mari Usque Ad Mare, comes from Psalm 72:8:

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

— Psalm 72:8, KJV

Musical settings

"Reges Tharsis", set to music as a motet by a large number of composers, uses words beginning at verse 10. Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 72 in a metred version in German, "Gott, gib dem König auserkorn", SWV 169, as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 72: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 72: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Psalm 72 in Hebrew and English, Mechon-mamre
• Text of Psalm 72 according to the 1928 Psalter
• O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the king’s son (text and footnotes) United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 72 – The King and the King of Kings (text and detailed commentary) enduringword.com
• Psalm 72:1 (introduction and text) Bible study tools
• Psalm 72 / Refrain: The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice. Church of England
• Psalm 72 Bible gateway
• Charles H. Spurgeon: Psalm 72 (commentary) spurgeon.org
• Hymns for Psalm 72 hymnary.org