April 17, 2017
HIS NAME IN LIGHTS
Psalm 72
Ryan Stafford
Central Truth
We live in a world that revolves around fame and popularity. Solomon knew that better than anyone who ever lived, but he also knew that it is God's name that will endure forever and whose fame will live on "as long as the sun!"
Key Verse | Psalm 72:17
May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him,
all nations call him blessed!
(Psalm 72:17)
Psalm 72
Give the King Your Justice
Of Solomon.
1
Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
2
May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
3
Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
4
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
5
May they fear you
1
72:5
Septuagint He shall endure
while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
6
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!
7
In his days may the righteous flourish,
and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
8
May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River
2
72:8
That is, the Euphrates
to the ends of the earth!
9
May desert tribes bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust!
10
May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts!
11
May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!
12
For he delivers the needy when he calls,
the poor and him who has no helper.
13
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14
From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight.
15
Long may he live;
may gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made for him continually,
and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16
May there be abundance of grain in the land;
on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
like the grass of the field!
17
May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him,
all nations call him blessed!
18
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
19
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
20
The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 72
Like many now in their forties, I grew up watching Saved by the Bell. It seemed everyone who grew up in the '90s was in on that show. Recently, Lifetime (please hold all judgments—my wife had it on that channel) aired The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story. First, it was more interesting than what 90% of you think; second, it reminded me of how much emphasis we put on fame and popularity.
Psalm 72 is one of only two psalms written by Solomon, David's son. If there was ever a person who knew fame, wealth, and power, it was Solomon. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus teaches us not to be anxious about what we will eat, drink, or wear, and He compares Solomon's glory to the beauty of a lily. To be accurate, He says that Solomon’s glory doesn’t even compare to the flower. But that shout-out from the Lord should give us perspective. Of all the people who had lived before that time, the Lord used Solomon as an example of someone who knew fame and glory.
In today’s psalm, after he acknowledges all that God is and does—redeeming lives from oppression and violence, delivering the needy, and blessing with an abundance of grain and fruit—Solomon squarely acknowledges who deserves the fame and glory.
In our day and age, we have countless magazines, websites, and TV shows dedicated to those who have earthly fame. Next time we hear celebrity birthdays on the radio, see all those magazines at the grocery store, or watch Entertainment Tonight, may it remind us who ultimately deserves the fame now and for eternity.
May our Lord's name endure forever! May we be blessed in Him! And may our nation turn to Him and call Him blessed!
Discussion Questions
1. Do you get caught up in fame and popularity?
2. Do you spend as much time reading God's Word as you do reading US Weekly, People, etc.?
3. Are you spending quality time in prayer like Solomon models here:
Praying continually (verse 15)?
Praying that the nations bow down before the ultimate Son of David who will sit on His throne eternally (verses 9 & 17)?
Praying that the righteous would flourish (verse 7)?
Asking God to continue to provide (verse 16)?
Praying the earth would be filled with His glory (verse 19)?