Psalm 72

International Standard Version

Solomonic

A Prayer for the King

72 God, endow the king with ability to render^[a] your justice,
    and the king’s son to render your right decisions.
²May he rule your people with right decisions
    and your oppressed ones with justice.
³May the mountains bring prosperity to the people
    and the hills bring righteousness.
⁴May he defend the afflicted of the people
    and deliver the children of the poor,
        but crush the oppressor.

⁵May they fear you as long as the sun and moon shine^[b]—
from generation to generation.
⁶May he be like the rain that descends on mown grass,
like showers sprinkling on the ground.

⁷The righteous will flourish at the proper time
    and peace will prevail until the moon is no more.
⁸May he rule from sea to sea,
    from the Euphrates River^[c] to the ends of the earth.
⁹    May the nomads bow down before him,
    and his enemies lick the dust.
¹⁰May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring gifts,
    and may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute.
¹¹May all kings bow down to him,
    and all nations serve him.

¹²For he will deliver the needy when they cry out for help,
    and the poor when there is no deliverer.
¹³He will have compassion on the poor and the needy,
    and he will save the lives of the needy.
¹⁴He will redeem them^[d] from oppression and violence,
    since their lives are^[e] precious in his sight.

Prayer for the King

¹⁵May he live long and be given gold from Sheba,
    and may prayer be offered for him continuously,
        and may he be blessed every day.
¹⁶May grain be abundant in the land
    all the way^[f] to the mountain tops;
may its fruits flourish
    like the forests of Lebanon,
and may the cities sprout
    like the grass of the earth.

Praising the God of Israel

¹⁷May his fame^[g] be eternal—
    as long as the sun—
may his name endure,
    and may they be blessed through him,
        and may all nations call him blessed.
¹⁸Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
    who alone does awesome deeds.
¹⁹And blessed be his glorious name forever,
    and may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
        Amen and amen!

²⁰This ends the prayers of Jesse’s son David.

Footnotes

Psalm 72:1 The Heb. lacks to render
Psalm 72:5 The Heb. lacks shine
Psalm 72:8 The Heb. lacks Euphrates
Psalm 72:14 Lit. redeem their souls
Psalm 72:14 Lit. their blood is
Psalm 72:16 The Heb. lacks all the way
Psalm 72:17 Lit. name

International Standard Version (ISV)