Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
Psalms 72:1-20.- God grants righteousness to His king in answer to prayer; whence righteousness and peace result among the people (Psalms 72:1-5); his reign of righteousness and peace reviving the world, as the showers do the grass, shall extend throughout the earth (Psalms 72:6-10); the reason why all kings serve Him is because He saves the souls of the needy, when they cry, from violence and deceit (Psalms 72:11-15); blessings shall abound on earth under Him, and His name be blessed by all nations forever (Psalms 72:16-17); Doxology concluding Books 1 (Psalms 1:1-6; Psalms 2:1-12; Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8; Psalms 5:1-12; Psalms 6:1-10; Psalms 7:1-17; Psalms 8:1-9; Psalms 9:1-20; Psalms 10:1-18; Psalms 11:1-7; Psalms 12:1-8; Psalms 13:1-6; Psalms 14:1-7; Psalms 15:1-5; Psalms 16:1-11; Psalms 17:1-15; Psalms 18:1-50; Psalms 19:1-14; Psalms 20:1-9; Psalms 21:1-13; Psalms 22:1-31; Psalms 23:1-6; Psalms 24:1-10; Psalms 25:1-22; Psalms 26:1-12; Psalms 27:1-14; Psalms 28:1-9; Psalms 29:1-11; Psalms 30:1-12; Psalms 31:1-24; Psalms 32:1-11; Psalms 33:1-22; Psalms 34:1-22; Psalms 35:1-28; Psalms 36:1-12; Psalms 37:1-40; Psalms 38:1-22; Psalms 39:1-13; Psalms 40:1-17; Psalms 41:1-13) and 2 (Psalms 42:1-11; Psalms 43:1-5; Psalms 44:1-26; Psalms 45:1-17; Psalms 46:1-11; Psalms 47:1-9; Psalms 48:1-14; Psalms 49:1-20; Psalms 50:1-23; Psalms 51:1-19; Psalms 52:1-9; Psalms 53:1-6; Psalms 54:1-7; Psalms 55:1-23; Psalms 56:1-13; Psalms 57:1-11; Psalms 58:1-11; Psalms 59:1-17; Psalms 60:1-12; Psalms 61:1-8; Psalms 62:1-12; Psalms 63:1-11; Psalms 64:1-10; Psalms 65:1-13; Psalms 66:1-20; Psalms 67:1-7; Psalms 68:1-35; Psalms 69:1-36; Psalms 70:1-5; Psalms 71:1-24; Psalms 72:1-20).
The Title - For Solomon - rather 'Of' [li-] Solomon, indicating him as the author. Solomon's authorship is confirmed by the objective character of the psalm-a feature observable in the other writings of Solomon, as contrasted with the subjective feeling which characterizes the psalms of David. The relations of Solomon's time form the groundwork of the psalm, delineating Messiah's antitypical reign. The Nile, the Mediterranean, and the Euphrates were then the bounds of Israel (1 Kings 4:21; 2 Chronicles 9:26), as promised in Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 11:24. From these starting points Messiah is to reign to the end of the earth (Psalms 72:8; Isaiah 9:5-6; Isaiah 11:1-16; Zechariah 9:10; Micah 5:4). The fundamental passage is Numbers 24:19. The Chaldaic, the Midrash Tehillim, Yarchi, Kimchi, and most ancient Jewish writers, apply the psalm to the Messiah.
Give the king thy judgments, O God - i:e., legal sentences or decisions emanating from God (cf. Deuteronomy 1:17; 2 Chronicles 19:6; Proverbs 8:15). The essence of all justice lies in the conformity of the earthly judge to the decisions of the heavenly Lord of Justice; this is so when there rests upon the former 'the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear, of the Lord' (Hengstenberg). The prayer "Give" is that of confident anticipation (James 1:6). Therefore the future of certainty follows, "He shall judge
... with righteousness" (Psalms 72:2). Solomon obtained the gift of the spirit of right judgment in measure, as the answer to his prayer at Gibeon, for 'an understanding heart to judge God's people,' 1 Kings 3:9; 1 Kings 3:28, "the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment." The antitypical King Messiah received the gift without measure (Isaiah 11:1-16; John 3:34).