Praying in View of the Coming Kingdom

The objects of the king’s kindness are the poor, afflicted, and “helpless.” All of these people are victims of “oppression and violence.” The word oppression means “to tread underfoot” and describes the exploitation of powerless people by those who have power. The word violence reflects the insensitive indifference toward the lives of these helpless and hopeless people being abused. “Their lives” refers to their souls, the core of their identity as created by God. The stakes are high here. Even if these helpless people don’t lose their lives physically under this oppression, they’re still in danger of losing their self-worth as human beings as well as their will to live.

The primary feature of these verses is the response of this king. He is described here as a champion of justice on behalf of the oppressed. His compassionate response is shocking and puts him in a class by himself. The psalmist says that when the poor cry out, this ruler of righteousness springs into action. He acts out his compassion as he rescues them and saves their lives. Because this righteous ruler highly prizes them and considers their lives to be “precious,” he “redeems” them. He acts as their kinsman-redeemer, rescuing them, paying off their debts, vindicating them, and preserving their property and name.

In that day royalty just weren’t known for acting this way toward their subjects! “It is hard to imagine any ruler paying so much attention to those with the greatest needs” (Ross, Psalms, vol. 2, 542). This king is different, however, because he has “pity” on those he shepherds. This word is particularly descriptive and actually reflects the idea behind all the other responses described in these verses. While it means to be troubled about something or to look compassionately on someone, it goes a step further. To pity someone includes the idea of sparing them. Two-thirds of the times this word is used, the eye is its subject, whether the eye of God or of a human. To have pity involves action—doing something about the person’s plight when you see it. Ross says, “It is difficult to withhold compassion and pity when one is looking at the sufferer” (Ross, Psalms, vol. 2, 541). So this king has a sentiment of concern on steroids—he acts on his attitude and puts feet to his feelings! His “defense is not the result of some cold, legalistic administration of law but flows from a true sense of compassion that mirrors the compassion of God” (Wilson, Psalms, 989).

Four particular applications come to mind. First, thank God for his mercy and grace toward believers in Christ. Let’s not fail to see ourselves in this passage. We were the oppressed, needy, and poor because of our sin. We were weak and had no helper. But Paul said, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6; cf. Eph 2:1-10; Titus 3:5), and “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Gal 3:13). When we were helpless to do anything about our sin problem, our Redeemer protected and provided for his own. Our King assumed the responsibility to restore the oppressed. Because he considered our blood precious, he shed his own on our behalf that we might flourish in his righteous kingdom. May we never cease to praise and thank him for his mercy and compassion!

Second, pray regularly for our fellow Christians who are the victims of oppression and violence because of their faith. In the last year it’s estimated that as many as 215 million believers experienced high or extreme levels of persecution in the fifty countries where it’s most difficult to live as a follower of Christ. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are facing beatings, abductions, rape, torture, forced marriages, and death. If Psalm 72:12-14 accurately reflects the nature and demeanor of our King, then he stands ready to act accordingly in response to the prayers of his people. Let’s cry out to our heavenly helper on behalf of those in our family who have no helper. Pray for their boldness to speak for Christ (Eph 6:19-20), their rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace (2 Cor 12:9), their reliance on God’s power (2 Cor 1:7-9), their deliverance by God’s strong hand (Matt 26:39; Acts 12:1-17; 2 Cor 12:8), and their positive influence on their persecutors (Luke 6:27-31). As the Puritans said, let’s sue God for his help for them based on his compassionate nature and his just and righteous reign.

Third, appeal to Christ’s character on behalf of those in our society who are the victims of domestic and sexual abuse, prejudice and discrimination, and all other forms of social injustice. Thankfully, in the United States we currently are experiencing a heightened sensitivity to unfair practices toward segments of our population who’ve been the objects of all kinds of unfair practices. Believers in Christ should be leading this charge because it’s our Lord’s heartbeat. In his own hometown synagogue Jesus claimed Isaiah 61:1-2 as his marching orders:

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” (Luke 4:17-21; cf. Matt 25:31-46)

As Christians, we know that the ultimate answer to all injustice is the gospel. And we have a King who has a sensitive ear to the cries of the suffering, as well as to the cries of his children who advocate on their behalf. Let’s pray for our righteous and just Judge to deliver the oppressed.

Stemming from this responsibility of praying for victims is the obligation to pray for and work toward the election and administration of government leaders who will work for social justice. The prophet Micah is clear when he says, “Mankind, [God] has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8). Because Psalm 72 looks forward to the messianic kingdom, it passes judgment on the failure of Israel’s monarchy to meet the expectations of God for justice, equity, righteousness, mercy, and compassion. Such is true for every government before and after that time. Because God is the one who made us, he holds us all—believers and unbelievers alike—to his standard and leaves us without excuse (see Rom 1:32–2:1).

This accountability includes our politicians and other government leaders. They are responsible for executing God’s expectations for social justice whether they acknowledge him or not. Wilson is right:

While we may need to modify our strident, religiously oriented rhetoric in order to gain a hearing from secular politicians and leaders, we need not sacrifice God’s standards of justice, equity, compassion, and truth to the modern “god” of pragmatism. God calls us, Psalm 72 calls us, not only to pray for the well-being of our leaders but for their wisdom to see that all justice is ultimately God’s justice and that righteousness is not measured by what works but by the character of God, who empowers leaders and who will ultimately set all things right. (Wilson, Psalms, 995)

While Christians don’t believe righteousness can be legislated, we do have the responsibility of fostering—through prayer and involvement—the election and action of government leaders who reflect God’s character and standards.

Ask for His Concentric Blessing

Psalm 72:15-17

A third way to pray for the coming kingdom is to ask God to use his king as an impetus for blessing the whole world. The psalmist next summarizes his desire for the enduring, prosperous, and comprehensive reign of this king. In keeping with all of Psalm 72, the universal accolades desired here certainly reflect the wisdom, affluence, and sway that characterized Solomon’s reign, all of which were illustrated by the visit of the admiring queen of Sheba (Wilson, Psalms, 990; see 1 Kgs 9–10). The psalmist specifically asks that God’s blessing on the king be effectual in ever-widening concentric circles of influence. Like the ripples created by a stone thrown into a calm pond, he prays for these blessings to start with the king himself and then extend to the nation and ultimately to the entire world.

The widespread blessing of the king begins with God’s favor. The psalmist prays that the king will have long life. Who wouldn’t want a righteous king who loved his people and led them well to live a long time? So the psalmist asks that the king be given tribute to fund an extended reign. While the riches of Sheba are specifically mentioned based on Solomon’s experience, all kinds of homage are desired. The psalmist also requests that people constantly intercede for the king and bless him. The people should cry out to God on behalf of this king and express praise and thanksgiving for his leadership.

The psalmist anticipates that God’s favor on the king’s life will be extended to the people he shepherds. He prays that God’s blessing would cause both the land and the people to flourish under his reign. Regarding the land, he wants the fertile fruit of the land to be visible to all and to be of a quality equal to the best known to mankind. Regarding the people, the psalmist asks that they multiply and flourish in the same way as the fruit of the land.

The psalmist foresees the favor of God on the king ultimately affecting everybody on the planet. As the population and produce of the kingdom swell, the king’s reputation certainly will expand in like manner. As his reputation expands, the psalmist desires that the beneficiaries of the blessing will naturally become the ones who bless. Ross explains: “The blessing that people derive from this king would be so great that they consider it the highest blessing they can have, and so they praise and honor him for the bliss that he imparts” (Ross, Psalms, vol. 2, 544).

As we think about praying for the widespread blessing of the king, we need to consider it from three standpoints. From a civil standpoint, we as citizens are the beneficiaries of the concentric circles of God’s common and uncommon grace on our nation’s leaders. Paul says,

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. (Rom 13:1-4)

That’s why he also charges that “petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim 2:1-3). As believers in Christ, we must assault the throne of God on behalf of our political leaders because we know God’s favor on them reverberates outward into our lives.

From a missional standpoint, disciples of Christ must pray for the advancement of the gospel to the farthest corners of the earth. The prayer that people be blessed in the king and that all nations bless him is arguably an allusion to God’s promise to Abraham that all nations will be blessed through his seed (Gen 12:3). That promise is to be fulfilled through the Davidic covenant. So as we make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:18-20), the blessing people receive from the gospel of King Jesus will not only be the greatest blessing they ever receive, but it will compel them to worship him for the blissful happiness they experience. He is worthy of that worship, so let’s pray to that end.

Finally, from an eschatological standpoint, Christ’s disciples should pray for his eternal kingdom to come. Notice the qualifiers “forever” and “as long as the sun.” Again, the psalmist obviously is tipping his hat—whether knowingly or unknowingly—to a kingdom that extends far beyond that of the current king. This kingdom is an eternal kingdom. In the heavenly reign of our Lord, the kingdom will have no end because King Jesus will reign forever and ever (Rom 11:36; Eph 3:21; 1 Pet 4:11; 5:11; Jude 25; Rev 1:6; 5:13). So let’s always be praying that his name endures and his fame continues as long as the sun, forever and ever! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Adore His Consecrated God

Psalm 72:18-19

Psalm 72 is a prayer for the king to reign with righteousness and justice, which is a worthy expectation because of his godly nature. So the psalmist is compelled to turn his attention to the God who has established him (v. 19). Many scholars believe verses 18-19 were added to Psalm 72 as the closing doxology of this whole section of the Psalter. Psalm 72 is the final psalm in Book II (see v. 20) and concludes in a similar way as Books I, III, and IV. The combined praise of Psalms 146–150 form the conclusion of Book V and of the whole Psalter. But while the high praise of verses 18-19 certainly serve to conclude Psalms 42–72, they also add vivid color to the worldwide vision that has just unfolded in 72:1-17 (Kidner, Psalms 1–72, 277). These words of worship provide a fitting response to the message of this particular royal psalm and prompt the reader to a fourth prayer response for the coming kingdom. Christ followers should continue to adore the one true God who has raised up this king and who is to be consecrated above all.

The psalmist praises God by acknowledging, attributing, asking, and agreeing. He first acknowledges that God “alone does wonders.” God does wonderful works in nature and in history, and in heaven and on earth, but the zenith of his work—according to this psalm—is raising up a king like no other king, one who rules with righteousness and justice. The God of the universe is to be adored for establishing a king and a kingdom characterized by his own nature of compassion and uprightness.

On the heels of this acknowledgment, the psalmist attributes to God the glory he deserves. He previously prayed for the king’s name to endure forever (v. 17). The foundation of such a request is the fact that the good reputation of the king will last because the glorious reputation of the God who set him on his throne will last.

Then the psalmist extols God by proclaiming, “The whole earth is filled with his glory.” He wants the praise for the majesty of God’s being to be known to all of mankind. This affirmation is a fitting end to the theme that’s been developed in Psalms 56–72, where there’s been an increasing emphasis on the universal rule of God. The nations acknowledge his authority and submit to it, and they join together in an expanding chorus of praise to his name. Phrases like the whole earth and the ends of the earth repeatedly announce the boundless nature of the worldwide dominion of God (Wilson, Psalms, 991). What an appropriate conclusion to this psalm and this whole book in the Psalter, and what an appropriate prayer for the people of God in every generation. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory!

Finally, the psalmist ends with a statement of reinforced, universal agreement: “Amen and amen.” It’s the only suitable way to respond to this glorious God who does wondrous works, whose glorious name deserves eternal worship, and whose glory must one day fill the whole earth. These closing words of this prayer foreshadow the believer’s longing for the ultimate arrival of the King of kings and for the grace we need to wait faithfully for him. John writes, “He who testifies about these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen” (Rev 22:20-21). When that time comes, the worthiness of this righteous and just God will rule the day!

Again, however, the psalmist’s attention in these final verses isn’t on the king but on the God who establishes him. Mysteriously, Paul suggests believers must live in a similar tension when it comes to our ultimate anticipation of the coming kingdom. While we long for the eternal reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are compelled to set our long-term sight on the glory of the God who ordained the rule of King Jesus. Unfolding the events at the end of the age and the coming of Christ, Paul writes,

For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death. For God has put everything under his feet. Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception. When everything is subject to Christ, then the Son himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Cor 15:25-28)

I’ve never claimed to be able to explain the mystery of the triune God, and I certainly can’t do it here. But by faith, as we pray for the eternal reign of Jesus Christ, let’s do it in an atmosphere of adoration for the God who inaugurated his reign, the one who ultimately will be “all in all.”

Conclusion

Psalm 72 closes with the only instructional postscript in the entire Psalter: “The prayers of David son of Jesse are concluded” (v. 20). While David is the dominant author in Books I and II, some of the psalms are anonymous (e.g., Pss 10; 33; 44; 66; 67) or attributed to other people (Asaph in Ps 50; Solomon in Ps 72; Sons of Korah in Pss 42; 44–49). A common denominator, however, is reflected in the term prayers, which indicates petition or entreaty on behalf of a sufferer. The pervasive presence of laments in this section of the Psalter makes this an appropriate description of its primary emphasis (Wilson, Psalms, 992).

However, while these recorded laments are ended, the longing is not. The immediate expectation of the psalmist and his fellow Israelites was that an earthly king would usher in a prosperous, golden age like Solomon’s that would be characterized by the content of Psalm 72. But that didn’t happen (see 1 Kgs 10–12). The nation of Israel never had a king that ruled like this. In fact, the entire world has never seen that kind of a truly righteous king or a righteous government. We so desperately need one! So the children of Israel continued to lament, and we continue to lament, longing for

a king and his country; for a leader and his enterprise; for the King and the consummation of his kingdom, into which “the kings of the earth shall bring their glory”, and “by (whose) light shall the nations walk” (Rev 21:24). (Kidner, Psalms 1–72, 257; emphasis in original)

This psalm gives us hope, however. It moves toward an eschatological restoration of God’s original creation through the work of the coming Messiah. The prophets told of his reign on earth, and the New Testament confirms their words in its testimony of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Right now, he sits enthroned at the right hand of God. But all things haven’t yet submitted to his rule (1 Cor 15:20-28). His righteousness doesn’t currently fill the earth. The entire creation is groaning, waiting for the day of his redemption (Rom 8:18-25). But make no mistake—he is coming. When he does, he will reign over a kingdom on earth. Righteousness and justice will win the day and flourish. The land will overflow with fruitfulness. And every tribe, nation, tongue, and government on earth will submit to him and be blessed through him (Ross, Psalms, vol. 2, 546). Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Long live the King, and may he give us a taste right now of what’s coming in the future!

Reflect and Discuss