Psalm 72 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Aug 29

Psalm 72 Short Summary:

Psalm 72 is a prayer of blessing over the King of Israel. The psalmist prayed that God would bless Israel and cause the nation to flourish under the king’s leadership. The psalm contains more than 10 specific prayers for the future of the kingdom and concludes with a statement of praise directed towards the God of Israel.

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Psalm 72 Summary

AUTHOR:

Authorship is debated between David and Solomon (72:1, 20).

NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:

No Known New Testament References.

THEMES:

A blessing for the King of Israel.
A blessing for the God of Israel.

DEFINITIONS:

Dominion (72:8) - The power to control, the right to rule; a king’s scope of rule.
Sheba (72:15) - The Kingdom of Sheba has not been located with certainty. Some believe it was on the Arabian Peninsula (near modern Yemen), while others hypothesize it was in Africa.
Tarshish (72:10) – A port city in what is now modern-day Spain. Solomon had a fleet of ships in Tarshish.

OUTLINE:

A BLESSING FOR THE KING (72:1-20):
- Psalm 72 is a prayer for the king (King of Israel).
- The psalmist prayed that God would bless the king’s reign in several ways.
  - (1) He prayed for the king to be a righteous judge.
  - (2) He prayed that the kingdom would be blessed and prosperous.
  - (3) That the poor, needy, and weak would be defended against oppressors.
  - (4) That the evil would live in fear of the king.
  - (5) He prayed that righteous people would flourish and enjoy an age of peace.
  - (6) He prayed for the king’s dominion to increase “to the ends of the earth.”
  - (7) That foreign kings and distant tribes would pay tribute and honor the King of Israel.
  - (8) He prayed for the king to have a long life.
  - (9) That he would be rich with gold.
  - (10) That the citizens of Israel would pray for the king continually.
  - (11) He prayed for the king’s fame to increase and for his name to be blessed by all nations.
- After blessing the king, the psalmist blessed the God of Israel.
- “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and Amen!” (72:18-19).

APPLICATION:

The Apostle Paul directs Christians to pray for government leaders, kings, and those in “high positions.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2 - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
Some of the prayers in this psalm are a great place to start if you don’t know how to pray for your leaders.
(1) Pray for them to judge righteously.
(2) For their kingdom to be blessed and prosper.
(3) That they will help the poor, needy, and helpless to be protected from oppressors.
(4) That they would be an enemy to evildoers.
(5) Pray for the righteous to flourish and to be able to live in peace.

Luke Taylor

Luke, together with his wife Megan, are the creators, writers, web designers, and directors of 2BeLikeChrist. Luke holds degrees in Business and Biblical Studies.

https://2BeLikeChrist.com