Psalms 72

1 Of Solomon. Give the king your authority, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son.

A psalm on Solomon.

2 May he be a judge of your people in righteousness, and make true decisions for the poor.

Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king’s son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.

3 May the mountains give peace to the people, and the hills righteousness.

Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.

4 May he be a judge of the poor among the people, may he give salvation to the children of those who are in need; by him let the violent be crushed.

He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.

5 May his life go on as long as the sun and moon, through all generations.

And he shall continue with the sun, and before the moon, throughout all generations.

6 May he come down like rain on the cut grass; like showers watering the earth.

He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.

7 In his days may the upright do well, living in peace as long as there is a moon in heaven.

In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken sway.

8 Let his kingdom be from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.

And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

9 Let those who are against him go down before him; and let his haters be low in the dust.

Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.

10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands come back with offerings; let the kings of Sheba and Seba give of their stores.

The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:

11 Yes, let all kings go down before him; let all nations be his servants.

And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.

12 For he will be a saviour to the poor in answer to his cry; and to him who is in need, without a helper.

For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.

13 He will have pity on the poor, and be the saviour of those who are in need.

He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.

14 He will keep their souls free from evil designs and violent attacks; and their blood will be of value in his eyes.

He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.

15 May he have long life, and may gold from Sheba be given to him: may prayers be made for him at all times; may blessings be on him every day.

And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.

16 May there be wide-stretching fields of grain in the land, shaking on the top of the mountains, full of fruit like Lebanon: may its stems be unnumbered like the grass of the earth.

And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.

17 May his name go on for ever, as long as the sun: may men be blessing themselves by him; may all nations be blessing his name.

Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.

18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, the only doer of wonders.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things.

19 Praise to the glory of his noble name for ever; let all the earth be full of his glory. So be it, So be it.

And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.

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

The praises of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.