The Eternal King
Opening Prayer
Almighty Lord, as I spend time in Your presence, I worship You as the King of kings.
Read PSALM 72
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
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.
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.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
11 May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What has King Jesus done in your life? What can you praise him for?At a superficial reading, this psalm by David looks forward to the reign of his son Solomon. However, while Solomon’s reign began with wisdom and integrity, it ended in failure and the division of the kingdom of Israel.
At a deeper level this psalm acclaims the true Davidic heir—the person of Jesus. The psalm gives us three insights about this king’s rule. First, it is eternal—it will last as long as the sun and the moon (5), and will bring life and hope, abundance and prosperity (6,7). Second, the rule of this eternal King will be universal. All powers on earth, however expressed, will come under his reign (11). However, this rule will not be autocratic but will seek to bring blessing to the nations (17b). Finally, this King will have particular concern for the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed and the rejected (17–19).
Although these promises are still to be fulfilled in their entirety, the promise of the new creation has been given in the power of God’s Spirit, and we are to live in the light of the coming reign of Jesus. “Praise be to his glorious name for ever” (19)!
Apply
How can you share the King’s concern for those around you? Are there needy, oppressed people whom you could assist?
Closing prayer
Lord, may I be willing to live every day in the light of Your eternal kingship, and serve Your kingdom faithfully.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.