Psalms 72

1 “By Solomon.” O God, give unto the king thy decisions, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

Of Solomon. Give the king, O God, your own spirit of justice your spirit of right to the son of the king,

2 He shall decide for thy people with righteousness, and for thy afflicted with justice.

that with right he may judge your people, and your downtrodden ones with justice.

3 The mountains shall bear peace for the people, and the hills [the same], through righteousness.

May the mountains bear weal for the people, and the hills yield fruits of justice.

4 He shall judge the afflicted of the people, he shall give help to the children of the needy; but he shall crush the oppressor.

The weak may he help to their rights, may he save the sons of the needy and crush the oppressor in pieces.

5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun shineth, and in the presence of the moon, throughout all generations.

May he live as long as the sun, while the moon shines – for ages and ages.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers which are dropping on the earth.

May he be like the rain on the meadow, like showers that water the earth.

7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace [shall be] till the moon shall be no more.

In his days may justice flourish, and welfare abound, till the moon be no more.

8 And he shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

May he reign from ocean to ocean, from the river to the ends of the earth.

9 Before him shall bend down those that dwell in the wilderness; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

May his foes bow down before him, his enemies lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tharshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer 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 Yea, there shall bow down before him all kings: all nations shall serve him.

May all kings fall prostrate before him, and all nations yield him their service.

12 For he will deliver the needy when he crieth; the afflicted also, who hath no helper.

For he saves the poor when he cries, the helpless and the downtrodden.

13 He will spare the poor and needy; and the souls of the needy will he assist.

He pities the weak and the poor, he saves the lives of the poor.

14 From wrong and violence will he deliver their soul; and precious shall their blood be in his eyes.

He redeems them from wrong and from violence, for dear is their blood in his sight.

15 And he shall live; and he will give him of the gold of Sheba: and he will pray in his behalf continually; all the time will he bless him.

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 There shall be an abundance of corn in the land; upon the top of the mountains its fruit shall shake like [the trees of] Lebanon; and [men] shall blossom out of the city like herbs of the earth.

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 His name will endure for ever; in the presence of the sun his name shall flourish: and men shall bless themselves with him: all nations shall call him happy.

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

Blest be the Lord God, Israel’s God, who alone does wonders;

19 And blessed he his glorious name for ever; and with his glory may the whole earth be filled: Amen, and Amen.

And blest be forever his glorious name. Let all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

20 Here are ended the prayers of David the son of Jesse.

Here end the prayers of David, son of Jesse.