Psalm 72:1-7
1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
5 May they fear you while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!
7 In his days may the righteous flourish,
and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
The Perfect King
This psalm talks about a kingdom–a really good kingdom. Since we live in a democracy in America, we might quickly dismiss it and assume it was written for a different people from an ancient time. I challenge you today to dig in a little, and allow our Real. Present. God. to reveal His goodness in these verses.
The psalm starts with a focus on an earthly kingdom, particularly on Solomon’s kingship. While Solomon (and even more so, his dad, David) were “good kings,” they were not perfect. One only has to read a bit of their stories (in 1st & 2nd Samuel, 1st Kings, and 1st & 2nd Chronicles) to see that they were sinners just like us. The author of this psalm yearns for a perfect king and a perfect kingdom.
We can relate. So often, life lets us down. Even things that are good let us down! We yearn for things to be perfect. As we look around, we can easily be overwhelmed by burdens, cares, and concerns. Things are not perfect. We see our friends’ families falling apart… we are stressed about how our peers perceive us… we fear the evil that is so present in this world… we see injustice and we feel powerless to stop it… we are anxious or depressed and we don’t know a way out.
Thankfully, the Bible clearly points to Jesus as the perfect one through whom a perfect kingdom would come. A perfect king looks like this:
He judges people with righteousness and the poor with justice. Jesus isn’t biased towards people who the world would deem as popular or worthy, nor is He two-faced. He is good.
He defends and give deliverance to those who are weak and powerless. Jesus cares for the ones the world overlooks, and His actions are full of power.
He is refreshing. Like rain in summer, Jesus gives life to all things. Where He is, there is growth and renewal and refreshment.
He lasts forever. He will be feared (respected) as long as the sun and moon endure…which, ya know, is like a long time.
He gives good gifts. The psalm says that the righteous flourish and that peace abounds while He reigns. Who wouldn’t want that?
So, what does this mean for us? Today, I invite you to lift up your eyes, friend.
Remember whose Kingdom you live in, and whose child you are. Your Real. Present. God. is your rescuer and your refresher. He holds the power to take care of the bad things in this world, and He promises that He will do it. He wants you to trust Him because He cares for those that the world overlooks. He invites you to open your hands to His love for you, and He will give you peace that outlasts the sun and moon.
Journal Questions:
- What are some worries of this world that are heavy on your heart today?
- In what ways is God big enough to handle those worries?
Prayer:
Jesus, sometimes I forget how powerful You are, and how You take such good care of me as part of Your Kingdom. Please open my eyes to see Your amazing grace today, and open my heart to receive Your peace. Amen.
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