Messiah's Reign
Psalm 72:1-20
Give the king your judgments, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son.…


I. CHARACTERISTICS.

1. Righteousness (ver 2). (Isaiah 11:1-5; Isaiah 32:1, 17). Not till He comes whose right it is to reign will there be on earth a king whose judgments shall be based on an absolute knowledge of men, independent of the sensual judgment of sight and hearing. Then, and then only, will the people have righteousness meted out to them; then only will the poor be perfectly defended from the oppression of the rich.

2. Strength (Revelation 12:10). In the day of Christ's reign oppression shall not only come to an end, but the saints shall inherit the kingdom and the oppressor shall be cast out of power.

3. Gentleness (ver. 6). Not with the sword does Christ win His kingdom, nor by such means will He execute righteousness in the deliverance of His poor and in the breaking of the tyrant's power, but by the almighty strength of truth itself.

4. Peace and prosperity (vers. 8, 10, 16). This can only indicate an abundance of every supply, both for the people in country and city, and for all purposes of state and kingdom.

II. EXTENT.

1. Duration. An everlasting reign (vers. 15, 17). His Kingship, as well as His Priesthood, is in the power of an endless life (Psalm 21:4; Psalm 61:6, 7).

2. Subjects. Not only of all nations, but of every class of men in all nations.

3. Territory (ver. 8). What a heaven this earth will be with the curse removed, all wickedness and evil taken out of the hearts and lives of all people; waters shall break out in the desert, and the very beasts of the field and the forest shall rest at peace each side with the others.

III. UNIVERSAL ADORATION.

1. Prayer. "Prayer shall be made to Him continually." Every want shall be presented to Him, in the spirit of constant and humble, yet confident supplication, and no good thing will be witheld from those who pray.

2. Praise. "And daily shall He be praised." Eternity will not be too long wherein to praise Him who shall have delivered our souls from death, from the deceit and oppression of the wicked, especially from the power of our great enemy, the devil; to praise Him for the unspeakable blessings of forgiveness, justification, regeneration, sanctification.

3. Gifts. "To Him shall be given the gold of Sheba." The people will themselves be a free-will offering to their Lord and King; all that they are and have shall be laid at His feet as being worth nothing apart from Him and His blessing. Who shall say that in the age of glory there shall not be vast fields and unknown opportunities for the employment of all the redeemed and sanctified powers of man?

(G. F. Pentecost, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: {A Psalm for Solomon.} Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

WEB: God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.




Jesus Both King and King's Son
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