Psalms 72:1 «[A Psalm] for Solomon. » Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. _A Psalm for Solomon_] Whom his father David had crowned while yet alive; and now, at point of death, leaveth him this last bequeath as a _basilicon doron,_ a direction in point of g... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. Ver. 2. _He shall judge thy people with righteousness_] _sc._ If thou please to remember thy promise to me, and to answer this my prayer of faith founded thereupon. _ And thy poor_] Or, thine afflicted. The people (the poor... [ Continue Reading ]
The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. Ver. 3. _The mountains shall bring peace_] _i.e_. They shall not be so pestered and infested by thieves and robbers, who usually haunt and hide themselves in hills and hollow places. _ By righteousness_] By righ... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. Ver. 4. _He shall judge the poor of the people_] Indeed all, indifferently, without respect of persons; but a poor man's tale shall be heard, and his cause judged, as well as a r... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. Ver. 5. _They shall fear thee_] Who hast blessed them with so good a king; such as maketh it his main care to set up God, wherever he hath to do. _ As long as the sun and moon endureth_] The Lacedemonians publicly... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers [that] water the earth. Ver. 6. _He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass_] That is, he shall be very dear to us, and much delighted in. See Job 29:23, _See Trapp on "_ Job 29:23 _"_ As showers that water the earth] This is chief... [ Continue Reading ]
In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. Ver. 7. _In his days shall the righteous flourish_] As watered gardens, Jeremiah 31:12, or as the willows by the water courses, Isaiah 44:4, παντα καλως εσται . _ And abundance of peace_] The work of righ... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Ver. 8. _He shall have dominion also from sea to sea_] Solomon shall, from the Mediterranean, in the west, to the Persian Sea, or Indian Ocean, in the east. _ And from the river unto the ends of the earth_]... [ Continue Reading ]
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. Ver. 9. _They that dwell in the wilderness_] Wild, barbarous, rude people; such as were the ancient Britons our progenitors, till Christ, the Sun of righteousness, shone upon them, till they were brought to... [ Continue Reading ]
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Ver. 10. _The kings of Tarshish, and of the isles_] _i.e._ All the kings of the earth, which being encompassed with the ocean, is therefore by the old geographers called a great island. Judae... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. Ver. 11. _Yea, all kings, &c._] Of Christ this is and shall be verified without a hyperbole. Constantine, Valentinian, and Theodosius, three emperors, called themselves Christ's vassals, as Socrates reporteth; Canutus set his c... [ Continue Reading ]
For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and [him] that hath no helper. Ver. 12. _For he shall deliver the needy_] See on Psalms 72:4. If the people complained of Solomon's government, and cried out to his son Rehoboam, _Alleva iugum,_ Ease our yoke laid upon us by thy father,... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. Ver. 13. _He shall spare the poor and needy_] Hereby David showeth his son and all his successors, _Qualis debeat esse rex bonus,_ what manner of man a king ought to be. Regiment without righteousness turneth into tyranny; it... [ Continue Reading ]
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. Ver. 14. _He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence_] Those two noted engines of all mischief to the poor, viz. privy deceit (usury, the Septuagint and Vulgate render it) and open violence... [ Continue Reading ]
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 he be praised. Ver. 15. _And he shall live_] The king shall, according to the poor man's prayer when relieved; or the poor shall, and the king shall give him gold brou... [ Continue Reading ]
There shall be an 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. Ver. 16. _There shall be an handful of corn, &c._] _i.e._ The barren mountains shall yield grain abundantly, and b... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 17. _His name shall endure for ever_] _i.e._ His kingdom, for it shall not be _nomen inane._ Other kingdoms have their times and their turns, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [be] the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. Ver. 18. _Blessed be the Lord God_] _Sunt verba componentis; _ these are the words of the psalmist, say the Rabbis, blessing God, who had given _Leiagneph choach,_ strength to him fainting to finish the second book of the... [ Continue Reading ]
And blessed [be] his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled [with] his glory; Amen, and Amen. Ver. 19. _And blessed be his glorious name_] Blessed and blessed; so unsatisfiable and unweariable are the saints in blessing God for a Christ; and surely God expecteth that with one min... [ Continue Reading ]
The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. Ver. 20. _The prayers of David are ended_] That is, this was his last prayer (in time, though not in order), and is therefore well to be considered. Or, so end the prayers that were both written and set in order by David; the rest seem to have been g... [ Continue Reading ]