Psalms 72

1 [By Solomon.] God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.

A psalm written by Solomon. O God, enable [me, ] the king [whom you appointed in Israel], to rule justly. Show/Teach me how to judge matters fairly

2 He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

in order that I will judge your people fairly, that I will govern your oppressed people justly.

3 The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people. The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.

I desire that [all over the country—even] on the hills and mountains [DOU]— people will live peacefully and righteously.

4 He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces.

Help [me], your king, to defend the poor people and to rescue needy people and to defeat those who oppress them.

5 They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.

I desire that your people will revere you as long as the moon shines, [forever].

6 He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.

I desire that my rule will [be enjoyed by the people] [SIM] like [they enjoy] rain on growing crops, like [they enjoy] showers that fall on the land.

7 In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

I hope/desire that people will live righteously during the years that I rule, and that my people will live peacefully and prosperously as long as the moon shines.

8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the farthest parts of the earth.

I hope/desire that the kings [of Israel] will rule [the people] in all the area from one sea [in the east] to another [in the west], and from the [Euphrates] River to the most remote/distant places on earth.

9 Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust.

I hope/desire that those who live in the desert will bow down before them, and that their enemies will throw themselves on the ground [in submission] to them.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

I hope/desire that the kings of Spain and of the islands [in the Mediterranean Sea] will bring (tribute money/taxes) to the kings [of Israel], and that the kings of Sheba [to the south] and of Seba [to the southwest] will bring them gifts.

11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him.

I hope/desire that all the [other] kings [in the world] will bow before the kings [of Israel], and that [people of] all nations will serve them.

12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.

They will rescue poor people when they (cry out/plead) for help, and help those who are needy and those who have no one to help them.

13 He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy.

They will pity those who are weak and needy; he saves the people’s lives.

14 He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.

Our kings will rescue the people from being oppressed and from being treated cruelly, [because] (their lives/they) [MTY] are precious to our kings.

15 And he shall live, and the gold of Sheba shall be given to him. Men shall pray for him continually. He shall bless him all day long.

I hope/desire that our kings will live a long time! I hope/desire that they will be given gold from Sheba. I desire that people will always pray for our kings and praise them all the time, [every day].

16 There shall be abundance of grain throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.

I hope/desire that the fields will produce plenty of grain [everywhere, even] on the tops of the hills in the land where they rule, like the grain that grows [on the hills] in Lebanon. I hope/desire that the cities [in Israel] will be full of people like the fields are full of grass.

17 His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed.

I desire that the names of our kings will never be forgotten. I hope/desire that people will remember them as long as the sun shines. I hope/desire that people of all nations will ask (God to bless them/that they will be blessed by God) just like he has blessed the kings [of Israel].

18 Praise be to YHWH, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise Yahweh, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship]; he is the only one who does wonderful things.

19 Blessed be his glorious name forever. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen.

Praise him forever! I desire that (his glory will fill the whole world/people all over the world may see that he is very great) [MTY]! Amen! May it be so!

20 This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.

That is the end of this group of prayers/songs written by David, the son of Jesse.