Read
(By Solomon.)
A Prayer for God To Guide
1Please help the king
to be honest and fair
just like you, our God.
2Let him be honest and fair
with all your people,
especially the poor.
3Let peace and justice rule
every mountain and hill.
4Let the king defend the poor,
rescue the homeless, and crush
everyone who hurts them.
5Let the king live forever
like the sun and the moon.
6Let him be as helpful as rain
that refreshes the meadows
and the ground.
7Let the king be fair
with everyone,
and let there be peace
until the moon
falls from the sky.
8 Let his kingdom reach
from sea to sea,
from the Euphrates River
across all the earth.
9Force the desert tribes
to accept his rule,
and make his enemies
crawl in the dirt.
10Force the rulers of Tarshish
and of the islands
to pay taxes to him.
Make the kings of Sheba
and of Seba bring gifts.
11Make other rulers bow down
and all nations serve him.
12Do this because the king
rescues the homeless
when they cry out,
and he helps everyone
who is poor and in need.
13The king has pity
on the weak and the helpless
and protects those in need.
14He cares when they hurt,
and he saves them from cruel
and violent deaths.
15Long live the king!
Give him gold from Sheba.
Always pray for the king
and praise him each day.
16Let cities overflow with food
and hills be covered with grain,
just like Mount Lebanon.
Let the people in the cities
prosper like wild flowers.
17May the glory of the king
shine brightly forever
like the sun in the sky.
Let him make nations prosper
and learn to praise him.
18Lord God of Israel,
we praise you.
Only you can work miracles.
19We will always praise
your glorious name.
Let your glory be seen
everywhere on earth.
Amen and amen.
20This ends the prayers
of David, the son of Jesse.
Reflect
This Psalm is written with a prophetic edge to it. The psalmist is reflecting on a kingdom whose rule reflects the rule and love of God.
He talks about the prosperity of the righteous, help for the poor and harvest fields that are thriving. It is a land where justice is an everyday affair.
The Lord himself in Matthew 6:9-13 gives to us the Lord’s Prayer. It is here we are taught to ask for the coming of God’s kingdom; his will being done here on earth as it is in heaven.
Psalm 72 is a reflection of that kind of rule lived out. His rule is a dominion over all. His kingdom, as we know, is without end.
The signature of the tender love of the king for his people is seen throughout this Psalm. In verses 12-14 the psalmist reflects on how precious the lives of the weak and needy are in his sight. His longing to help and deliver them from their oppressors is seen here.
We are called to love as Christ loves. That love lived out should be reflected in our care for all people regardless of how rich or poor they are. However in this psalm God’s heart is particularly for the poor.
If we find our hearts lacking in his love, we must go to the Father and ask him to fill our hearts with his love, so that we may love as he loves.
Respond
Heavenly Father, I praise you for you are the sovereign, unchanging God. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Fill our hearts with your love that we may love all who come across our path today. Amen.
Donna Dyck
Donna and her husband Bill are parents of 4 adult children and have 9 grandchildren. They have been pastoring at Toronto Alliance church for 28 years. Donna has written 2 books, Confessions of a Not So Average Girl and Confessions of an Unlikely Pastors wife. She has spoken at many conferences, seminars, and events over the years. She and her husband have just written a Devotional called Hope for an Unwanted Journey which will be published soon and is for parents, especially those who are walking through the valley of addiction or mental illness with their loved ones.