Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading
Psalm 72:1–7, 10–14

Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. 

May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. 

May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. 

May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor. 

May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. 

May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. 

In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more. 

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts. 

May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service. 

For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. 

He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. 

From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight. (NRSV)    

Reflection

The last psalm of David, Psalm 72 is both prayer and prophecy. The wording before the psalm declares that it’s “Of Solomon,” meaning it is a transitional writing marking the evolution from the rule of David to the rule of Solomon.  

However, the psalmist’s message (cue trumpets) highlights the glorious anticipation of the perfection that will be Christ’s kingship. 

The psalm builds in its expectation of the coming perfect kingdom of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The words and imagery are all here — the everlasting kingdom, the universal kingdom, the kingdom of perfect peace, the kingdom of perfect submission of its inhabitants, and a kingdom through which all peoples on earth are blessed.  

Acknowledging in his words that all good gifts flow from our relationship with God, David prays that Solomon would be filled with God’s justice and God’s righteousness. He asks that his son’s rule be just and that he be blessed with a peaceful reign. David is imbued with a sense of complete awe, assuring us that “with righteousness, he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.” Believing these assurances, we humans can rest in the certain knowledge that God always, always, always has our back.  

Prayer

Creator God, when we become weary with the current state of the world, help us to remember that this is your world, your domain. Knowing this, keep us faithful to the promise that all, eventually, will be well. 

Written by Betsy Storm, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church  

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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