72:1 [Of Solomon.] Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
72:2 May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.
72:3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.
72:4 May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.
72:5 May he endure* as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. / *Septuagint; Hebrew You will be feared
72:6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
72:7 In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
72:8 May he rule from sea to sea and from the River* to the ends of the earth. / *That is, the Euphrates
72:9 May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust.
72:10 May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts.
72:11 May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
72:12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
72:13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
72:14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
72:15 Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.
72:16 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. / *Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, from the city
72:17 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. / *Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)
72:18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
72:19 Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
72:20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.