These notes are based on my sermon from July 19, 2009. Audio available here:
Further notes are available here:
Psalm 72 presents a magnificent vision of the ideal king and his kingdom. This essay explores the psalm through four key questions: Who wrote it? Who is it about? What does it promise? And what does it mean for us today?
Authorship and Subject: David, Solomon, and the Greater King
The superscription in most English translations reads “Of Solomon,” which could mean the psalm was written by Solomon, for Solomon, or concerning Solomon. Verse 20, however, concludes the first book of Psalms with the statement, “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.” This suggests that Psalm 72 is one of David’s prayers, likely composed near the end of his life as he interceded for his son Solomon, who was about to ascend the throne. John Calvin proposed that David originally composed the psalm as a prayer over Solomon, and Solomon later gave it final form. In either case, the psalm originates with David and is directed toward Solomon.
Many details in the psalm align strikingly with the early years of Solomon’s reign as described in 1 Kings 1–11. Solomon received unparalleled wisdom from God (1 Kings 3), enabling him to judge with divine insight (Psalm 72:1). His kingdom enjoyed extraordinary prosperity, freedom from oppression (v. 4), and territorial expansion to the full biblical boundaries of the promised land (v. 8; cf. 1 Kings 4:21, 24). Kings and queens from distant lands, most famously the queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10), came bearing gifts and paying homage (Psalm 72:10–11, 15).
Yet the psalm also exceeds anything Solomon ultimately achieved. Solomon’s glory proved fleeting. He multiplied wives, amassed excessive wealth, and fell into idolatry (1 Kings 11), leading to heavy taxation, internal unrest, and the division of the kingdom after his death. His reign, though brilliant, was temporary and tarnished. The psalm, however, describes an eternal kingdom of perfect righteousness, boundless dominion, and unending blessing—qualities Solomon never fully realized.
This points to a greater fulfillment. In Matthew 12:42, Jesus Himself declares that “something greater than Solomon is here.” The one wiser than Solomon, the king before whom all nations will bow, is Jesus Christ—the greater Son of David. Zechariah 9:9–10 draws on Psalm 72 language to describe the coming messianic king who enters Jerusalem humbly on a donkey, bringing peace to the nations—a prophecy fulfilled in Christ’s triumphal entry (Matthew 21; John 12). The New Testament consistently presents Jesus as the true heir of David’s throne, the king whose reign fulfills every promise and prayer of Psalm 72.
The Purpose of the Psalm: Prayer and Promise for the Messianic Kingdom
Psalm 72 is both a prayer and a prophetic promise. It intercedes for the king and his rule while simultaneously describing the shape and scope of the kingdom he will establish.
The psalm portrays a reign marked by:
- Righteousness and justice The king judges with God’s own judgments (v. 1–2), defends the afflicted, crushes oppressors, and delivers the needy (vv. 2–4, 12–14). He shows special concern for the poor, the marginalized, and the helpless—those who have no other advocate.
- Compassion for the weak Unlike ancient rulers who measured greatness by military conquest, this king’s greatness is seen in his mercy. He redeems the oppressed and rescues those who cry out to him (vv. 12–14). Jesus embodies this pattern perfectly, ministering to widows, lepers, outcasts, and the poor.
- Peace (shalom) The king brings comprehensive peace—reconciliation with God, harmony among peoples, and restoration of a broken creation (v. 3; cf. Isaiah 57; Ephesians 2). Shalom is not merely the absence of conflict but the repair of everything sin has damaged: relationships, justice, dignity, and the natural order itself.
- Eternal and universal dominion The king’s reign endures “as long as the sun and moon” (v. 5), from “sea to sea” and “to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). It is more stable than creation itself and fills the entire globe. All nations shall serve him and bring their tribute (vv. 10–11, 15).
- Blessing for all nations Echoing God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), the psalm declares that “all nations will be blessed in him” (v. 17). This blessing includes forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:8–14).
- Abundant prosperity The land becomes extraordinarily fruitful—even mountaintops yield grain (v. 16). This imagery recalls Eden, where humanity was to exercise wise dominion over a creation that flourished under God’s blessing (Genesis 1–2). The king restores that original mandate, causing the earth to yield its full abundance.
In short, Psalm 72 prays for—and promises—a kingdom of perfect justice, compassionate deliverance, universal peace, everlasting dominion, global blessing, and overflowing prosperity, all under the wise and gracious rule of God’s anointed king.
What This Means for Us: Living in Light of the Kingdom
Psalm 72 confronts us with a simple but searching question: Do we believe it?
We are living proof that these prayers are being answered. We are among the nations being blessed in Christ. We are the poor He has rescued, the helpless He has helped, the needy He has fed. The very existence of the church—scattered across every continent—is evidence that the kingdom of Psalm 72 is advancing.
Yet the psalm also gives us hope for the future—not only for the final consummation at Christ’s return, but for the growth of His kingdom in history before that day. Every New Testament picture of the kingdom is one of expansion: a mustard seed becoming a great tree, leaven permeating dough, a vine adding branches, a body growing to maturity. The kingdom grows.
This growth is not thwarted by current headlines or cultural decline in the West. The kingdom does not depend on America, secular democracy, or favorable political conditions. It advances wherever the gospel is preached and believed. In many parts of the world today, the church is growing rapidly. The big picture is encouraging. Time is on the side of the kingdom.
Believing this vision has practical consequences. If Jesus shall reign “where’er the sun does his successive journeys run,” then complacency is out of place. We cannot be more concerned with comfort, retirement accounts, or entertainment than with the advance of Christ’s kingdom. The psalm rebukes indifference and summons us to active participation—through prayer, witness, mercy, justice, and sacrificial service—in the spread of the gospel to every nation.
John Calvin understood this in a dark hour. In the early 1500s, the church was corrupt, tyranny was rising, and Islam posed a growing threat. Yet Calvin embraced the rediscovered gospel and labored tirelessly to train preachers and send missionaries, even knowing many would die within months. He wrote to the king of France, insisting that Christ’s kingdom would triumph “from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth,” as the prophets foretold. Neither persecution nor apparent defeat shook his confidence in God’s word.
Psalm 72 calls us to the same faith. The future does not belong to oppression or darkness. Christ’s enemies will lick the dust (v. 9), fulfilling the ancient curse on the serpent (Genesis 3:15). A foot will crush the serpent’s head—forever.
The question is not whether the promises will be fulfilled. They are being fulfilled now and will be consummated at Christ’s return. The question is whether we will live as though we believe them—whether we will seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting that the king who reigns at the Father’s right hand will indeed reign over all the earth.
Psalm 72 stands as one of the most magnificent royal psalms in the Psalter, blending prayer, petition, and sweeping promises into a vision of ideal kingship. The psalm raises four key questions: Who wrote it? Who is it about? What is its purpose? And what does it mean for us today?
Authorship and Subject
The superscription reads “Of Solomon” (or “for Solomon”), which could indicate authorship by Solomon or a psalm composed concerning him. Yet verse 20 concludes the first book of Psalms with the statement, “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.” This suggests that Psalm 72, though placed at the close of the Davidic collection, may have originated with David himself—perhaps as a prayer offered for his son Solomon as David neared death and Solomon prepared to ascend the throne. John Calvin proposed that David composed the psalm in prayer over Solomon, and Solomon later gave it final form. In either case, the psalm is tied to David and Solomon.
Much of the language fits the historical reign of Solomon remarkably well. Solomon received unparalleled wisdom from God (1 Kings 3), enabling him to render righteous judgments (Psalm 72:1). His reign brought prosperity, freedom from oppression (v. 4), expanded borders (v. 8; cf. 1 Kings 4:21, 24), and tribute from distant kings, including the queen of Sheba (vv. 10, 15; cf. 1 Kings 10). For a season, Solomon’s kingdom reflected the zenith of Israel’s history.
Yet the psalm’s vision far exceeds Solomon’s achievements. Solomon’s glory proved fleeting. He multiplied wives, gold, and horses in violation of Deuteronomy 17, fell into idolatry, and provoked division that split the kingdom after his death (1 Kings 11–12). An eternal kingdom and boundless dominion cannot ultimately point to him.
The New Testament resolves the tension. In Matthew 12:42, Jesus declares, “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” Jesus is the greater Son of David, the true fulfillment of Psalm 72. Zechariah 9:9–10 echoes the psalm’s imagery of a humble, universal king riding on a donkey—language the Gospels apply to Jesus’ triumphal entry (Matthew 21; John 12). Martin Luther rightly called Psalm 72 “an exceedingly magnificent and beautiful prophecy of Christ and his rule in the whole world.” The psalm is ultimately about Jesus, the promised King whose reign surpasses every historical type.
Purpose: Prayer and Promise for the King’s Reign
Psalm 72 is both a prayer for the king and a prophetic portrait of his kingdom. It petitions God to endow the king with divine justice (v. 1) and describes the shape that reign will take.
The kingdom is characterized by righteousness and justice (vv. 1–4). The king defends the afflicted, crushes oppressors, delivers the needy, and liberates the captive. This justice is not abstract; it prioritizes the poor and vulnerable—those who are spiritually bankrupt before God and those marginalized in society. When the helpless cry out, this king answers.
The kingdom brings comprehensive peace (shalom) (v. 3). Biblical peace is more than the absence of conflict. It is the restoration of right relationships—with God, with one another, and with creation itself. Sin has wrecked the world; this king repairs what is broken, reversing the effects of the fall. The gospel of the kingdom announces God’s intention to replace sin, guilt, sickness, hunger, injustice, oppression, poverty, bondage, dehumanization, and death with righteousness and restoration that cover the whole earth.
The measure of the king’s greatness is not military conquest but compassion for the weak (vv. 12–14). In a world where ancient rulers boasted of domination, this king’s glory shines in redeeming the needy and crushing oppressors. Jesus embodied this: He did not muster armies against Rome but showed mercy to widows, lepers, outcasts, and the poor.
The kingdom is boundless in time and space (vv. 5–8, 17). It endures “as long as the sun and moon,” more stable than creation itself. It extends “from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” This fulfills the Abrahamic promise of blessing all nations (Genesis 12:3; Psalm 72:17). All peoples will serve the king and be blessed in him—receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit (Galatians 3:8–14).
The kingdom is prosperous and fruitful (vv. 3, 16). Even mountaintops yield grain; abundance overflows. This imagery recalls Eden, where humanity was to exercise dominion and cause the earth to flourish (Genesis 1–2). The new king, a greater Adam, restores creation’s fertility and purpose.
What This Means for Us
Psalm 72 confronts us with a choice: Do we believe these prayers will be answered and these promises fulfilled? The existence of the church today is evidence that they are. We are among the people being blessed, the poor being rescued, the helpless being helped. Jesus has already begun to reign, and the church is the present sign of His kingdom.
Yet the psalm also fuels hope for the future growth of that kingdom in history—before Christ’s return. Every New Testament picture of the kingdom is one of expansion: a mustard seed becoming a great tree, leaven permeating dough, a vine adding branches, a body maturing, a temple rising stone by stone. The kingdom grows.
Objections arise: “Look at the headlines—the church is shrinking, the world is hostile.” But decline in one place does not mean decline everywhere. The kingdom advances dramatically among other peoples and cultures. The growth of Christ’s kingdom is sure.
The future is not Orwell’s boot stomping on a human face forever. It is the serpent’s head crushed beneath the victor’s foot (Genesis 3:15; Psalm 72:9). Christ’s enemies will lick the dust; His kingdom will fill the earth.
If the church struggles in our time, the fault lies not with the gospel or the King, but with our complacency. We have too often sought comfort, convenience, and security rather than the kingdom of God. Secularism and rival ideologies flourish where believers grow indifferent.
Five centuries ago, the church faced corruption, tyranny, and Islamic threats. Into that darkness stepped John Calvin, embracing the rediscovered gospel with zeal. He trained missionaries who faced martyrdom—some with an average life expectancy of six months after graduation. Yet they pressed on, confident that God’s truth would “tower unvanquished” because Christ reigns from sea to sea. Their sacrifice helped transform the world.
The same conviction is ours. The kingdom is coming. Time is on our side. The church is young; the project is vast. We are called not to wait passively but to pray, proclaim, and labor for the spread of Christ’s righteous, peaceful, compassionate, everlasting dominion—until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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