Chapter 72

Last Psalm of Book 2.

Of Solomon.  Doesn't say just Solomon, as if he wrote it, but that it is about him.  The note in MSB says this is a Coronation Psalm, dedicated to the prosperity of Solomon at the beginning of his reign.  It says further that no NT writer ever applies any of this Psalm to Christ.  Yet, there do seem to be Messianic Reign references in it.  Thought of as a Psalm read or sung during a coronation ceremony gives it much more meaning.

1st stanza, The writer, likely David, prays that Solomon will rule justly, and mentions the poor and needy also getting justice.

2nd, Let Solomon endure forever, may he be a good king..

3rd, Let God have dominion over all the earth, such that all Kings bow down to him.

4th, God delivers the needy.  Somewhere here, it switched from Solomon praying, to Solomon glorifying God.

5th, Or...It is Solomon asking for himself?  This stanza says "Long may he live..." and get gold and riches and may his kingdom have abundance.

6th, Blessed be the Lord.  This verse:

19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! [Psa 72:19 ESV]  Interesting that this verse we sing in that hymn refers to God Himself in the song, yet in this Psalm from which it is taken, it is about Solomon. 

7th, Conclusion:  "The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.  Seems like that makes David the writer of this Psalm...and possibly the writer of all of Book 2?  The MSB note says that the psalms of Asaph immediately follow Psa 72, though there are a few psalms of David in that collection.  So perhaps this Psa 72 is the last one that David wrote...though not last in the compilation of all the Psalms.

2022 - This Psalm (72) gives us the standards we ought to look for in our leaders - political, government, civil leaders.  Can you think of when you last voted for someone because they met these criteria?  November is coming.  Make a scorecard, do some homework, and vote for whoever can get closest to this standard.  This  Psalm has objective criteria.  We do not have to guess. 

Possible FB quote, that will be repeated!

2024 - That last verse, 20, makes it pretty clear that this Psalm was written by David as a prayer to God for Solomon, as David nears the end of his own life.  We all have to leave, to turn it over to someone else.  They rule over all that we built.  We cannot keep anything.