January 10, 2024
Psalm 72:1
Give the King your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the King’s son; that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice.
Last week as I was preparing for Epiphany Sunday service, I read through Psalm 72, a suggested Psalm reading for Epiphany worship. We did not read it in our service but its words have been on my mind. Today, I saw a headline that said most Canadians think our Prime Minister should step down before the next election, I saw another headline that called into question the US President’s competence, then there were headlines about other world leaders, Netanyahu, Putin, Kim Jung Un, and others. Most articles were pointing out the flaws and inabilities of these world leaders. Remember, I had the words of Psalm 72 floating around in my mind, so I found myself comparing these articles to this Psalm.
Psalm 72 is an earnest prayer for a leader. I wonder how often we pray for our political leaders. The leadership blueprint of Psalm 72 is clear.
· Lead with God’s justice.
· Defend the needy among the people.
· Rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
· Deliver the poor who cries out in distress and
· the oppressed who has no helper.
Outcome of such a leader is that,
· The righteous shall flourish, and
· there shall be an abundance of peace
· Enemies and foes will bow down.
· lives will be redeemed from oppression and violence.
And nature, the mountains, the hills, the abundance of grain, and elements of gold shall bring prosperity to the people.
This is God-shaped justice according to Psalm 72.
that I think we all could get behind.
What does justice look like for you today?
How can we, in all that we do, wherever we are, lead and live with this kind of God-shaped justice?
How might we incorporate some of Psalm 72 in our prayers for national leaders and international leaders? What if we just prayed that our Country’s leaders would lead with God’s justice? What might God do in their lives? and our national lives?
Give the King your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the King’s son;
that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice.
Read all of Psalm 72 below.
As you do consider how you can incorporate
its words into your life?
Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
5 May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
8 May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
11 May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
11 May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
16 May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
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