December 31st, 2011
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Who’s the King?

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Opening Prayer

My Lord God and Savior, as the New Year approaches, may I enter it in greater love, trust and obedience to You.

Read PSALM 72:1-20

[1] Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. [2] He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. [3] The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. [4] He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor. [5] He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. [6] He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. [7] In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more. [8] He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. [9] The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust. [10] The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. [11] All kings will bow down to him and all nations will 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] Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field. [17] May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. 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.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Hail to the Lord’s anointed, … / He comes to break oppression, / to set the captive free; / to take away transgression, / and rule in equity” (James Montgomery, 1771-1854).

Think Further

This psalm takes the form of a prayer in which the writer asks for God’s help to rule well. We see characteristics of what should be hoped for in a prosperous rule.

Royal righteousness (1-4). Blessings over the king can only happen through the will and gift of God, so prayer is made that God will give to his anointed one the ability to do the right thing in the right way. A godly ruler will aim to ensure that those in most need receive adequate protection and help (4). Such a kingdom will experience blessing and prosperity (3). An enduring and global kingdom (5-11). Nearness to God will result in a fruitful life. Since he acts on behalf of God, “his kingdom [will] stretch from shore to shore” (Isaac Watts). Other national leaders will pay tribute to him, and his enemies will own his authority over them (9,10). Compassionate rule and universal blessing (12-20). He’ll have time for his poorest subjects, those whose needs require special care (12-14). On this basis, he will receive the prayers of his people (15). Nations will acknowledge him as favored by God (17).

What a leader this would make! While an earthly, Davidic ruler is in mind, we can also see this psalm as pointing us forward to a vision of Christ, the royal Son. Through the Messianic kingship of Jesus, there will be a glorious and just rule throughout the earth (Zech. 9:9-13). In him, the helpless find healing and salvation, and in fulfillment of royal righteousness, he will bring healing to all creation. This is a magnificent prayer for a leader and their country, but also for the King and his kingdom, as his reign spreads over all the earth.

Apply

If the Church lived more fully under the authority of its King, what would it be like, according to this psalm? Would your church change? If so, how?

Closing prayer

Mighty God, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven! That’s my prayer for the year ahead. May it be so.

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