Psalms 72:1 «[A Psalm] for Solomon. » Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
A Psalm for Solomon] Whom his father David had crowned while yet alive; and now, at point of death, leaveth him this last bequeath as a basilicon doron, a direction in point of government, and a prediction of a most flourishing reign thereupon; this last he so describeth, that by a spirit of prophecy, attributing eternity thereunto, he riseth up from Solomon to Christ, of whom he was a type; like as also the promise made to David, concerning Solomon and Christ, was conceived in such terms by God himself, as if they had been almost one and the same person, 2 Samuel 7:13,14 1 Chronicles 22:10. (Beza).
Ver. 1. Give the king thy judgments, O God] i.e. Give me, for that little time I have here to live and reign, skill and will to do it aright, and as thy law requireth.
And thy righteousness unto the king's son] To Solomon, and his successors; for David's great care was the welfare of God's people after his decease, for which end he both prayeth, and principleth his son Solomon; and herein his great piety to the end appeareth. I could not but love the man (said Theodosius, the emperor, concerning Ambrose) who, while he lived he heartily wished that the contentions that were in the Church might be quenched, though it were with his blood; so when he died he was more solicitous of the Church's welfare than of his own.