1 A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Thy judgments, O God, and Thy righteousness unto the king's son; 2 That he may judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy poor with justice. 3 Let the mountains bear peace to the people, and the hills, through righteousness. 4 May he judge the poor of the people, and save the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor. 5 They shall fear Thee while the sun endureth, and so long as the moon, throughout all generations. 6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. 7 In his days let the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, till the moon be no more. 8 May he have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River unto the ends of the earth. 9 Let them that dwell in the wilderness bow before him; and his enemies lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall prostrate themselves before him; all nations shall serve him. 12 For he will deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13 He will have pity on the poor and needy, and the souls of the needy he will save. 14 He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence, and precious will their blood be in his sight; 15 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 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 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 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.
Psalm 72 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
Cross references (20)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Jeremiah 23:5–6; 2 Chronicles 1:10; 1 Chronicles 22:12–13; 1 Chronicles 29:19; Isaiah 11:2
- 2 Isaiah 32:1; Psalm 72:12–14; Isaiah 32:17; Psalm 45:6–7; Isaiah 9:7
- 3 Isaiah 52:7; 2 Corinthians 5:19–21; Daniel 9:24; Joel 3:18; Ezekiel 34:13–14
- 4 Isaiah 11:4; Ezekiel 34:15–16; Psalm 109:31; Zechariah 9:8–10; Proverbs 20:26
- 5 Psalm 89:36–37; Daniel 7:14; Psalm 72:17; Revelation 11:15; Isaiah 9:7
- 6 Hosea 6:3; Deuteronomy 32:2; 2 Samuel 23:4; Psalm 65:10; Hosea 14:5–7
- 7 Isaiah 2:4; Malachi 4:2; Psalm 92:12; Isaiah 60:22; Isaiah 54:11–17
- 8 Exodus 23:31; Zechariah 9:10; 1 Kings 4:21–24; Psalm 80:11; Psalm 89:25
- 9 Isaiah 49:23; Micah 7:17; Luke 19:27; Psalm 2:9; 1 Kings 9:18
- 10 Psalm 68:29; Isaiah 60:6; Isaiah 49:7; Psalm 45:12; 1 Kings 10:1
- 11 Psalm 86:9; Revelation 11:15; Isaiah 49:22–23; Revelation 17:14; Isaiah 54:5
- 12 Job 29:12; Revelation 3:17–18; Psalm 102:17; Hebrews 7:25; Ecclesiastes 4:1
- 13 Ezekiel 34:16; Matthew 5:3; Psalm 109:31; Job 5:15–16; James 2:5–6
- 14 Psalm 116:15; Revelation 19:2; Luke 1:68–75; 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; 2 Samuel 4:9
- 15 1 Kings 10:14; Isaiah 60:6; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 5:8–14; Jude 25
- 16 1 Kings 4:20; Revelation 7:9; Job 8:7; Job 5:25; Isaiah 29:17
- 17 Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Psalm 89:36; Genesis 12:3; Luke 1:48
- 18 Psalm 41:13; Psalm 106:48; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 86:10
- 19 Numbers 14:21; Matthew 6:10; Psalm 41:13; Habakkuk 2:14; Matthew 6:13
- 20 2 Samuel 23:1; Luke 24:51; Job 31:40; Jeremiah 51:64
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
In all the holy Scriptures the grace of God that delivereth us commendeth itself to us, in order that it may have us commended.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
For it is known within what bounds the kingdom of Solomon was enclosed; and yet in that psalm, not to speak of other things, we read, "He shall have dominion from sea even to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth," which we see fulfilled in Christ.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
And again when it is preaching the Gospel beforehand, and saying, "In his days shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away," it doth not set a limit to this fair part of creation.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And how is it also that they are not abashed at that which is written, From the womb before the morning-star have I begotten thee: also this, He shall endure with the sun, and before the moon, from generation to generation.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
For on this account that prophecy went before concerning Him: "He shall reign from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." But since, before He suffered and rose from the dead, the faith had not yet been defined to all, but was defined in the resurrection of Christ (for so the Apostle …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)