September 2
THE KING.—Psalm lxxii
Bible Studies for Every Day in the Year1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteous ness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba; prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall be be praised.
16 There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon, and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun, and men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed & the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed & his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory, Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
"This Psalm was penned by a king, it is dedicated to a king, and chiefly intended concerning Him who is 'King of kings.'"—Joseph Caryl.
The subject of it is, therefore, the Redeemer of the world. His reign is
(459)
described as righteous (vers. 1-4), perpetual (vers. 5-7), universal (vers. 8-11), benign (vers. 12-14), and prosperous (vers. 15-17); to which are added a doxology (vers. 18, 19). The reader is reminded of James Montgomery's hymn, beginning, "Hail to the Lord's Anointed;" it is a very beautiful versification of this Psalm.
"All nations shall serve Him." "Throughout all generations" shall the throne of the Redeemer stand. "Humanity shall not wear out the religion of the Incarnate God. No infidelity shall wither it away, nor superstition smother it; it shall rise immortal from what seemed its grave; as the true phoenix, it shall revive from its ashes! As long as there are men on earth Christ shall have a throne among them. Instead of the fathers shall be the children. Each generation shall have a regeneration in its midst, let Pope and Devil do what they may."—C. H. Spurgeon.
Closet Promise.—Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.—Isa. xxvi. 4.
God Eveth ever! Wherefore, soul, despair thou never! What though thou treadest with bleeding feet: A thorny path of grief and gloom, Thy God will choose the way most meet To lead thee heavenward, lead thee home.
For this life's long night of sadness He will give thee peace and gladness; Soul, forget not in thy pains God o'er all forever reigns.
—Zim.
