Psalm 72:1 kjv
Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Psalm 72:1 nkjv
A Psalm of Solomon. Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king's Son.
Psalm 72:1 niv
Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
Psalm 72:1 esv
Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
Psalm 72:1 nlt
Give your love of justice to the king, O God,
and righteousness to the king's son.
Psalm 72 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 3:9 | Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people... | Solomon's request for wisdom to judge. |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | I will raise up your offspring...establish his kingdom... | Davidic Covenant, promise of an enduring righteous kingship. |
| Ps 89:14 | Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne... | God's own throne established on righteousness and justice. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born...and the government shall be upon his shoulder... | Prophecy of the Messianic King whose rule is established with justice. |
| Isa 11:2-5 | And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him...he shall judge with righteousness... | The future King, filled with divine wisdom and righteousness. |
| Jer 23:5-6 | Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch... | Prophecy of the Messiah as a righteous descendant of David. |
| Zech 9:9 | Rejoice greatly...Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation... | Prophecy of Christ's kingly entry, characterized by righteousness. |
| Deut 1:16-17 | And I charged your judges...hear the cases between your brothers and judge righteously... | Requirement for earthly judges to administer God's justice. |
| Ps 82:3-4 | Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. | Call for rulers to protect the vulnerable, embodying divine justice. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. | God's ultimate sovereignty over kings and their decisions. |
| Jn 5:22 | The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son... | Jesus Christ is granted ultimate judicial authority. |
| Acts 17:31 | He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed... | Christ appointed by God to judge the world righteously. |
| Rev 19:11 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges... | Christ's return as the ultimate righteous judge and king. |
| Ps 45:6 | Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom; | Messianic Psalm speaking of an eternal, righteous kingdom. |
| Ps 96:13 | He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. | God as the righteous judge of all the earth. |
| Heb 1:8-9 | Your throne, O God, is forever and ever... You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; | Quoting Psalm 45:6, applying it directly to Christ. |
| Isa 32:1-2 | Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. | Vision of future righteous rule, protecting and upholding justice. |
| Jer 33:15-17 | In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David... | Further prophecy of a Messianic King bringing justice and righteousness. |
| 2 Chr 9:8 | Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king... | Affirmation of God's pleasure in a righteous king's rule. |
| Dan 7:13-14 | one like a son of man came with the clouds of heaven...dominion, glory, and a kingdom... | Prophecy of the "Son of Man" receiving an everlasting, universal kingdom. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name... | Christ's exalted kingship, universally acknowledged. |
Psalm 72 verses
Psalm 72 1 Meaning
Psalm 72:1 is a heartfelt prayer to God, petitioning Him to bestow His divine wisdom, justice, and righteousness upon the reigning king and his heir. It is a plea for the ruler to govern according to God's standards of perfect justice and moral uprightness, reflecting His character in their administration. This establishes that the source of true kingship and righteous rule originates solely from God, not from human wisdom or power.
Psalm 72 1 Context
Psalm 72 is titled "Of Solomon" (Lishlomo in Hebrew), suggesting it was either written by him, for him, or about him. It is unique in the Psalter for its detailed portrayal of an ideal righteous king and his blessed reign. The psalm is a royal prayer, likely composed for a coronation or to bless the king. It immediately follows Psalm 71, a prayer for deliverance in old age, potentially providing a contrast by looking towards the establishment of future just rule. While the psalm paints a picture of what a godly human king like Solomon should be, its magnificent and universal scope often extends beyond any earthly monarch, pointing ultimately to the perfect and eternal reign of the Messiah. It anticipates the Davidic covenant's promises of an everlasting throne and righteous dominion.
Psalm 72 1 Word analysis
- "Give" (ten, תֵּן): This is an imperative verb, "give!" or "grant!". It is not a request for a king to find justice himself but a fervent prayer directed to God for Him to actively bestow these divine qualities. This highlights that true authority, wisdom, and righteousness in governance are a divine gift, not inherent human capabilities.
- "the king" (lamelech, לְמֶלֶךְ): This refers to the reigning monarch, likely Solomon himself in the immediate historical context. In ancient Israelite thought, the king was divinely appointed, representing God's rule on earth. The "king" here also acts as a type, foreshadowing the ultimate king—the Messiah—whose perfect rule alone will fully embody these divine attributes.
- "thy judgments" (mishpatekha, מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ): Derived from mishpat, meaning justice, right judgment, ordinances, or divine rulings. It encompasses legal decisions, but also the broader concept of righteous governance, administration of law, and adherence to divine standards. It's about discerning what is right according to God's standard and implementing it. This term signifies God's own perfect moral decrees and statutes that the king is being prayed to embody.
- "O God" (Elohim, אֱלֹהִים): The plural form of the divine name, denoting power, majesty, and transcendence. It emphasizes that the prayer is addressed to the Almighty Creator, the ultimate source of all true justice and authority. This reinforces the point that human kings rule under divine suzerainty and their ability to govern justly comes directly from God.
- "and thy righteousness" (v'tzidkatkha, וְצִדְקָתְךָ): From tzedakah, meaning righteousness, integrity, salvation, or ethical conduct. Often paired with mishpat, it refers to the moral character and right actions consistent with God's perfect standard. While mishpat focuses on just legal or governing acts, tzedakah points to the uprightness of character that produces such acts. It's God's moral perfection the king is asked to embody.
- "unto the king's son" (l'ven-melech, לְבֶן-מֶלֶךְ): "Son of the king" or "royal heir." In the immediate context, this refers to Solomon as David's son and successor. In parallel with "the king," it strongly suggests that the petition for justice and righteousness is not only for the current ruler but also for the continuation of that divine standard through his lineage. This continuity points directly to the eternal and righteous reign promised to David's seed, finding its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of David, who embodies divine justice and righteousness perfectly. This dual reference might also be a poetic parallelism referring to the same person.
Psalm 72 1 Bonus section
The close parallelism between "the king" and "the king's son" suggests that these phrases may refer to the same individual. In Hebrew poetic structure, repeating similar concepts with slightly varied wording is a common device (synonymous parallelism) to emphasize a single idea. Thus, the verse implores God to endow this specific king, Solomon, and by extension any true Davidic king, with His own justice and righteousness, establishing him as the embodiment of God's desired ruler. This understanding strengthens the messianic reading, as the Christ, the true King and the Son of God, perfectly encapsulates both roles.
Psalm 72 1 Commentary
Psalm 72:1 opens a profound prayer for ideal kingship. The verse underscores that effective and righteous governance is not achieved through human strength or cunning, but is a divine impartation. The prayer for "judgments" (mishpat) and "righteousness" (tzedakah) highlights two inseparable aspects of just rule: the capacity for equitable decision-making according to God's law, and the moral integrity to uphold divine standards consistently. By praying for both the "king" and the "king's son," the psalmist invokes a blessing for sustained righteous rule, anticipating the continuation of God’s benevolent administration through succeeding generations. This echoes the Davidic Covenant's promise of an enduring dynasty characterized by justice. Ultimately, this verse functions as a prophecy, painting a portrait of an ideal monarch that no human king perfectly embodied. It looks forward to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who perfectly possesses and exercises God's complete "judgments" and "righteousness," establishing an eternal kingdom founded on these divine attributes. The prayer is a timeless reminder that all human authority should derive its principles and power from God.