Chapter 72

Endow the King with Your Justice

1 Kings 3:1–15; 2 Chronicles 1:1–13; Psalms 45:1–17

Of Solomon.

¹Endow the king with Your justice, O God,

and the son of the king with Your righteousness.

²May he judge Your people with righteousness

and Your afflicted with justice.

³May the mountains bring peace to the people,

and the hills bring righteousness.

⁴May he vindicate the afflicted among the people;

may he save the children of the needy

and crush the oppressor.

⁵May they fear him^a as long as the sun shines,

as long as the moon remains,

through all generations.

⁶May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass,

like spring showers that water the earth.

⁷May the righteous flourish in his days

and prosperity abound,

until the moon is no more.

⁸May he rule from sea to sea,

and from the Euphrates^b to the ends of the earth.

⁹May the nomads bow before him,

and his enemies lick the dust.

¹⁰May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute;

may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.

¹¹May all kings bow down to him

and all nations serve him.

¹²For he will deliver the needy who cry out

and the afflicted who have no helper.

¹³He will take pity on the poor and needy

and save the lives of the oppressed.

¹⁴He will redeem them from oppression and violence,

for their blood is precious in his sight.

¹⁵Long may he live!

May gold from Sheba be given him.

May people ever pray for him;

may they bless him all day long.

¹⁶May there be an abundance of grain in the land;

may it sway atop the hills.

May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon,

and its people like the grass of the field.

¹⁷May his name endure forever;

may his name continue^c as long as the sun shines.

In him may all nations be blessed;

may they call him blessed.

¹⁸Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,

who alone does marvelous deeds.

¹⁹And blessed be His glorious name forever;

may all the earth be filled with His glory.

Amen and amen.

²⁰Thus conclude the prayers of David son of Jesse.