In his commentary on the Psalms, Dr. John Brug calls Psalm 72 “one of the most important messianic psalms.” In the Jewish Targum (an Aramaic paraphrase of the Old Testament), this psalm labels the king who is described as “King Messiah.”
Psalm 72
Of Solomon.1 Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
None of Israel’s kings fulfilled the request of this psalm. Neither David nor Solomon quite lived up to the ideal, although David’s faith was a model for the heart of a king, and Solomon’s wisdom and glory was famous throughout the world. And if it’s easy for us to say that Saul was not the perfect king, then it will be even easier to say that none of the men who followed Solomon lived up to the ideal, either. Only one man could be praised and hailed as the one who judged his people in righteousness. Only Jesus Christ, great David’s greater son, fulfills this psalm.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
5 May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. (NIV)
Great kings throughout history are usually called “great” when they conquer a lot of land and show how ruthless they are. In terms of expanding Israel, Herod the Great did even more than Solomon—bigger territory, bigger temple, bigger everything—but he was also a vicious killer who murdered the baby boys of Bethlehem and even slew his own brothers when he felt threatened.
But Jesus? Jesus laid down his life to defend his people, and when Solomon prays “may be crush the oppressor” we see a yearning for the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15: “He (Eve’s descendant) will crush your (Satan’s) head.”
God’s justice, bringing “the fruit of righteousness” (verse 3), is a sword that cuts two ways. It brings God’s forgiveness to believers because God’s punishment for sin—which we all deserve—was carried out on Christ in our place. The punishment for sin did take place, on the cross. Jesus was punished for us all. So God in his righteousness gave us his righteousness by standing in our place when the punishment for unrighteousness came. But God’s justice also brings that same punishment on everyone who rejects Christ. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Anyone who turns away from Jesus brings all their sins back on their heads.
But God’s righteousness is eternal. In verse 5 Solomon pictures God’s righteousness enduring as long as the sun and moon, but in verse 7, he extends that to beyond the end of the world, when “the moon is no more.” God righteousness and mercy endure forever, and our forgiveness stands in eternity, so that we, too will stand in eternity.
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. His wife, Kathryn, attended Chapel from 1987-1990 while studying Secondary Education (Theater and Math) at UW-Madison. Kathryn’s father, John Meyer, was also the first man to serve as a Vicar at Chapel.
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