What role do "mountains" and "hills" symbolize in Psalm 72:3? Setting the Verse in Context Psalm 72 is a coronation psalm. David prays that Solomon—and ultimately the Messiah—will rule in perfect justice. Verse 3 says: “May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring righteousness.” Literal Landscape, Prophetic Picture • David is looking at the actual hills and mountains of Israel. • Yet by the Holy Spirit he speaks prophetically: creation itself becomes a stage on which the King’s reign is displayed. Mountains and Peace • Mountains are Israel’s most visible landmarks—solid, unshakable, enduring. • They picture the comprehensive scope and stability of the Messiah’s peace. – Psalm 125:2: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people…”. The ring of mountains signals protection; peace flows from security. – Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace…”. Mountains become messengers of peace because they amplify the herald’s voice across the land. • In Psalm 72:3 the mountains “bring peace” by channeling the King’s protective rule down into every valley. Hills and Righteousness • Hills, though smaller than mountains, fill the countryside; they represent the everyday places where people live and work. • Righteousness is the moral order established by the King. – Isaiah 32:17: “The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”. – Hosea 10:12 links the sowing of righteousness with reaping steadfast love. • When Psalm 72:3 pairs hills with righteousness, it pictures ethical integrity rolling out to the furthest, most ordinary parts of the realm—no pocket of injustice left untouched. Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Isaiah 2:2–3 and Micah 4:1–3 foresee “the mountain of the house of the LORD” elevated above all hills, drawing nations to learn His ways. The imagery underscores righteous instruction and global peace. • Isaiah 55:12: “The mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”. Creation rejoices when righteousness and peace rule. • Romans 8:19–21 affirms that creation longs for the revealing of the sons of God, anticipating the same universal blessing pictured in Psalm 72. Takeaway for Today • Mountains and hills in Psalm 72:3 are more than scenic backdrops; they are God’s visual aids. – Mountains: the unmovable guarantee that Messiah’s peace is strong and lasting. – Hills: the widespread reach of His righteousness into daily life. • The verse assures believers that Jesus’ reign secures both external peace and internal moral order—every corner of life brought under His good governance. |
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