Psalms 72

1 A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness to the king’s son.

Of Solomon. Give the king, O God, your own spirit of justice your spirit of right to the son of the king,

2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

that with right he may judge your people, and your downtrodden ones with justice.

3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

May the mountains bear weal for the people, and the hills yield fruits of justice.

4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

The weak may he help to their rights, may he save the sons of the needy and crush the oppressor in pieces.

5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

May he live as long as the sun, while the moon shines – for ages and ages.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

May he be like the rain on the meadow, like showers that water the earth.

7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

In his days may justice flourish, and welfare abound, till the moon be no more.

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

May he reign from ocean to ocean, from the river to the ends of the earth.

9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

May his foes bow down before him, his enemies lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

May tribute be rendered by kings of the isles and of Tarshish; may gifts be brought by the kings of Sheba and Seba.

11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

May all kings fall prostrate before him, and all nations yield him their service.

12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

For he saves the poor when he cries, the helpless and the downtrodden.

13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

He pities the weak and the poor, he saves the lives of the poor.

14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall be their blood in his sight.

He redeems them from wrong and from violence, for dear is their blood 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.

Long may he live; and may gold of Sheba be given him; prayer, too, be made for him ceaselessly, all the day long may men bless him.

16 There shall be an handful of grain in the earth upon the top of the mountains; its fruit shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

May the land have abundance of corn, to the tops of the hills may it wave. May the fruit thereof flourish like Lebanon, may men spring from the city 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.

May his name be blessed forever, may his fame endure as the sun. May all nations envy his blessedness, all tribes of the earth call him happy.

18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

Blest be the Lord God, Israel’s God, who alone does wonders;

19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

And blest be forever his glorious name. Let all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Here end the prayers of David, son of Jesse.