Psalms Chapter 72

“Give the King thy judgments, O God, etc.] A prayer of David, or of the church he represents, to God the Father concerning Christ; for he is “the King” meant; which is the sense of the old Jewish synagogue: the Targum is, “give the constitutions of thy judgments to the King Messiah;” and so their Midrash f975 interprets it. He is “the King”, by way of eminence, as in (<194501>Psalm 45:1); not only the King of the world in right of creation and preservation, in conjunction; with his Father, having an equal right with him; but of saints, of the church and people of God, by the designation and constitution of his…”

“Of Asaph--(see Introduction). God is good to His people. For although the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, tempted the Psalmist to misgivings of God's government, yet the sudden and fearful ruin of the ungodly, seen in the light of God's revelation, reassures his heart; and, chiding himself for his folly, he is led to confide renewedly in God, and celebrate His goodness and love. (Psa. 73:1-28) The abrupt announcement of the theme indicates that it is the conclusion of a perplexing mental conflict, which is then detailed (compare Jer 12:1-4). Truly--or, "Surely it is so." clean…”

“Give the king - Supposing the psalm to have been composed by David in view of the inauguration of his son and successor, this is a prayer that God would bestow on him the qualifications which would tend to secure a just, a protracted, and a peaceful reign. Though it is to be admitted that the psalm was designed to refer ultimately to the Messiah, and to be descriptive of “his” reign, yet there is no impropriety in supposing that the psalmist believed the reign of Solomon would be, in some proper sense emblematic of that reign, and that it was his desire the reign of the one “might,” as far as possible, resemble…”

“Judgments - He saith judgments in the plural number, because though the office of judging and ruling was but one, yet there were divers parts and branches, of it; in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God would have him to do. Psalms 72:2”

“Ps 72 This royal psalm closes Book Two, with 72:18-20 functioning as an epilogue to all of Book Two. The psalmist reflects on the prospects of David’s royal line and on Zion (see Pss 46, 48). He prays that Israel’s kings will be good and prosperous, extending the Lord’s blessing on his people throughout the whole earth. The surpassing righteousness and dominion sought in this prayer foreshadow the coming of Jesus, the Son of David. 72:1-7 The blessings of justice create a balance in nature, resulting in harmony, prosperity, and fertility. 72:1 love of justice . . . righteousness: Kings in the ancient Near East…”

“for: or, of, Psa 127:1 \*title Give: Kg1 1:39-53; Ch1 22:12, Ch1 22:13, Ch1 29:19; Ch2 1:10; Isa 11:2; Joh 3:34; Heb 1:8, Heb 1:9 the king's: Kg1 1:47, Kg1 1:48, Kg1 2:1-4; Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6 Psalms 72:2”

“The name of God, occurring only once, is Elohim; and this is sufficient to stamp the Psalm as an Elohimic Psalm. מלך (cf. Psa 21:2) and בּן־מלך are only used without the article according to a poetical usage of the language. The petition itself, and even the position of the words, show that the king's son is present, and that he is king; God is implored to bestow upon him His משׁפּטים, i.e., the rights or legal powers belonging to Him, the God of Israel, and צדקה, i.e., the official gift in order that he may exercise those rights in accordance with divine righteousness. After the supplicatory teen the futures…”