Psalms 72:11

11 And all kings shall worship him; all folks shall serve him (all nations shall serve him).

Psalms 72:11 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 72:11

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him
Or worship him; not with a civil, but religious worship; for such worship is due to Christ, he being God equal with the Father, and so to be equally honoured; the Creator of all things, the Redeemer of his people, Head and Lord of the church, and whom the angels adore; every part of worship is to be given him; internal, which lies in the exercise of faith, hope, love, fear and external, which consists of prayer to him, praise of him, preaching in his name, and the administration of ordinances; and this worship is to be performed in the same manner as to the Father, in spirit and in truth, in righteousness and holiness, with reverence and godly fear. This is to be understood, either literally of the kings of the earth, and which will have its full accomplishment in the latter day; see ( Isaiah 49:23 ) ( Isaiah 60:3 Isaiah 60:11 Isaiah 60:16 ) ; or mystically of such who are made kings unto God the Father by Christ; who reign spiritually now, through the power of divine grace in their hearts; have the honour, riches, and attendance of kings, and a crown and kingdom prepared for them; and shall reign with Christ on earth, though under him, at whose feet they cast their crowns: all this shows the dignity of Christ's person and office; that he is the Prince of the kings of the earth, the firstborn of God, whom he has made higher than they, and King of kings, and Lord of lords; whose princes, and all whose subjects, are altogether kings. This passage is allowed to belong to the Messiah, both by ancient and modern Jews F7; and indeed it never was true of Solomon, nor of any other;

all nations shall serve him;
which will be in the latter day; see ( Isaiah 2:2 ) ( Revelation 11:15 ) ( 15:4 ) ; the Jews say F8, that in the world to come, or the times of the Messiah, all the Gentiles shall be voluntary proselytes.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Zohar in Gen. fol. 84. 4. Bemidbar Rabba, s. 13. fol. 209. 4. Midrash Megillat Esther, fol. 86. 2. R. Isaac Chizzuk Emunah, par. 1. p. 44.
F8 T. Avodah Zarah, fol. 24. 1.

Psalms 72:11 In-Context

9 Ethiopians shall fall down before him; and his enemies shall lick the earth. (Those who live in the desert shall bow down before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.)
10 The kings of Tarshish and isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and of Seba shall bring gifts. (The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall offer gifts, or tribute; the kings of Sheba and of Seba shall also bring him gifts, or tribute.)
11 And all kings shall worship him; all folks shall serve him (all nations shall serve him).
12 For he shall deliver a poor man from the mighty; and a poor man to whom there was none helper. (For he shall rescue the poor from the mighty; yea, the poor for whom there was no helper.)
13 He shall spare a poor man and needy; and he shall make safe the souls of poor men. (He shall spare the poor and the needy; yea, he shall save the souls, or the lives, of the poor.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.