Psalm 72:4

4 May the king judge the poor fairly; may he help the needy and defeat their oppressors.

Psalm 72:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 72:4

He shall judge the poor of the people
Of the people of God, whether among Jews or Gentiles; (See Gill on Psalms 72:2);

he shall save the children of the needy;
whose parents being needy, they are so too, in a spiritual sense, and in distressed circumstances. Such Christ saves from their sins; from the curses and condemnation of the law: from, wrath to come, and out of the hands of all their enemies;

and shall break in pieces the oppressor;
the tyrant Satan, the god of this world; that has usurped a power over it; who works in the children of disobedience, and leads captive the people of God in their unregenerate state: the "calumniator", as some render the word; the accuser of the brethren: "the defrauder" ^F17, as others: who beguiled our first parents, and deceives mankind. Now it was foretold of Christ that he should break his head; and he was manifested in the flesh to destroy his works; and him himself; and he has broke him and all his schemes in pieces, and spoiled all his principalities and powers: The Syriac Version reads, "tyrants" or "oppressors", in the plural number; and it may include the Jews, who were the persecutors and oppressors of the first Christians; and Rome, Pagan and Papal; antichrist, and all the antichristian states, which have been, or will be, broken to pieces by Christ; who will rule them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces as a potter's vessel, ( Revelation 2:27 ) ( 12:5 ) ( 19:15 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (qvwe) "calumniatorem", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Vatablus, Musculus; "fraudatorem", Muis, Cocceius.

Psalm 72:4 In-Context

2 so that he will rule over your people with justice and govern the oppressed with righteousness.

3 May the land enjoy prosperity; may it experience righteousness.

4 May the king judge the poor fairly; may he help the needy and defeat their oppressors.

5 May your people worship you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon gives light, for ages to come.

6 May the king be like rain on the fields, like showers falling on the land.