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Psalm 72

A psalm of Solomon.

Give your love of justice to the king, O God,
    and righteousness to the king’s son.
Help him judge your people in the right way;
    let the poor always be treated fairly.
May the mountains yield prosperity for all,
    and may the hills be fruitful.
Help him to defend the poor,
    to rescue the children of the needy,
    and to crush their oppressors.
May they fear you[a] as long as the sun shines,
    as long as the moon remains in the sky.
    Yes, forever!

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass,
    like the showers that water the earth.
May all the godly flourish during his reign.
    May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.
May he reign from sea to sea,
    and from the Euphrates River[b] to the ends of the earth.
Desert nomads will bow before him;
    his enemies will fall before him in the dust.
10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands
    will bring him tribute.
The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba
    will bring him gifts.
11 All kings will bow before him,
    and all nations will serve him.

12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him;
    he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy,
    and he will rescue them.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
    for their lives are precious to him.

15 Long live the king!
    May the gold of Sheba be given to him.
May the people always pray for him
    and bless him all day long.
16 May there be abundant grain throughout the land,
    flourishing even on the hilltops.
May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon,
    and may the people thrive like grass in a field.
17 May the king’s name endure forever;
    may it continue as long as the sun shines.
May all nations be blessed through him
    and bring him praise.

18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel,
    who alone does such wonderful things.
19 Praise his glorious name forever!
    Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and amen!

20 (This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)

Footnotes

  1. 72:5 Greek version reads May they endure.
  2. 72:8 Hebrew the river.

13 A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline;[a]
    a mocker refuses to listen to correction.

Wise words will win you a good meal,
    but treacherous people have an appetite for violence.

Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
    opening your mouth can ruin everything.

Lazy people want much but get little,
    but those who work hard will prosper.

The godly hate lies;
    the wicked cause shame and disgrace.

Godliness guards the path of the blameless,
    but the evil are misled by sin.

Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
    others who are rich pretend to be poor.

The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
    but the poor won’t even get threatened.

The life of the godly is full of light and joy,
    but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

10 Pride leads to conflict;
    those who take advice are wise.

11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears;
    wealth from hard work grows over time.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

13 People who despise advice are asking for trouble;
    those who respect a command will succeed.

14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain;
    those who accept it avoid the snares of death.

15 A person with good sense is respected;
    a treacherous person is headed for destruction.[b]

16 Wise people think before they act;
    fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness.

17 An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble,
    but a reliable messenger brings healing.

18 If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace;
    if you accept correction, you will be honored.

19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true,
    but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

21 Trouble chases sinners,
    while blessings reward the righteous.

22 Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren,
    but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.

23 A poor person’s farm may produce much food,
    but injustice sweeps it all away.

24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.
    Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.

25 The godly eat to their hearts’ content,
    but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.

Footnotes

  1. 13:1 Hebrew A wise son accepts his father’s discipline.
  2. 13:15 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads the way of the treacherous is lasting.

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