Psalms 72
1 A psalm of Solomon. God, please give the king fairness, and give the king's son the ability to do what's right.
Of Solomon. Give the king, O God, your own spirit of justice your spirit of right to the son of the king,
2 May he rightly judge your people, and may he be fair to the poor.
that with right he may judge your people, and your downtrodden ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring goodness.
May the mountains bear weal for the people, and the hills yield fruits of justice.
4 May he defend the poor and save their children, may he crush those who oppress them.
The weak may he help to their rights, may he save the sons of the needy and crush the oppressor in pieces.
5 May they respect him as long as the sun and the moon shine above, for all generations.
May he live as long as the sun, while the moon shines – for ages and ages.
6 May his reign be like rain falling on new grass, like showers that water the earth.
May he be like the rain on the meadow, like showers that water the earth.
7 May those who live right prosper under his rule; may there be great prosperity until the moon is no more.
In his days may justice flourish, and welfare abound, till the moon be no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth.
May he reign from ocean to ocean, from the river to the ends of the earth.
9 Desert tribes will kneel before him; and his enemies will bite the dust.
May his foes bow down before him, his enemies lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and the islands will bring him tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him with gifts.
May tribute be rendered by kings of the isles and of Tarshish; may gifts be brought by the kings of Sheba and Seba.
11 Every king will bow down to him; every nation will serve him.
May all kings fall prostrate before him, and all nations yield him their service.
12 He will help the poor when they cry out to him, and help those who are suffering that have no one to support them.
For he saves the poor when he cries, the helpless and the downtrodden.
13 He has pity on the poor and needy—he saves their lives!
He pities the weak and the poor, he saves the lives of the poor.
14 He rescues them from violence and oppression, for their lives mean so much to him.
He redeems them from wrong and from violence, for dear is their blood in his sight.
15 May he live long! May the gold from Sheba be given to him. May people always pray for him and bless him all day long.
Long may he live; and may gold of Sheba be given him; prayer, too, be made for him ceaselessly, all the day long may men bless him.
16 May there be plenty of grain in the land, even growing on mountain-tops. May the fruit on the trees sway like the trees of Lebanon. May the people in the city flourish like grass in a field.
May the land have abundance of corn, to the tops of the hills may it wave. May the fruit thereof flourish like Lebanon, may men spring from the city like grass of the earth.
17 May his fame live forever, may it last as long as the sun. May all nations be blessed through him, and may they praise him.
May his name be blessed forever, may his fame endure as the sun. May all nations envy his blessedness, all tribes of the earth call him happy.
18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who is the only one who can do such fantastic things!
Blest be the Lord God, Israel’s God, who alone does wonders;
19 Praise his wonderful nature forever! May the whole world be full of his glory! Amen and amen!
And blest be forever his glorious name. Let all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
20 (This is the end of the psalms of David, son of Jesse.)
Here end the prayers of David, son of Jesse.
