He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. - Psalms 72:6-7 repeat in substance Psalms 72:1-5 - the showers of righteousness and peace under Messiah shall bless the earth; this is followed by the consequent extension of His dominion universally (Psalms 72:8-10).
Verse 8. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea - (Numbers 24:19.) Whereas Israel was in its utmost limits bounded by the Red Sea, the Sea of the Philistines or the Mediterranean, and the Euphrates (Exodus 23:31), Messiah's dominion is to be "from (one) sea to (the) sea," most remote, and "from the river unto the ends of the earth." Zechariah 9:10 quotes this verse (cf. Psalms 2:8).
Verse 9. They that dwell in the wilderness - the beasts (Psalms 74:14; Isaiah 34:14) (Hengstenberg). Rather, the wandering peoples of the desert, such as the Arabs, and the Chaldeans (Isaiah 23:13).
Shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. A token of abject submission to Oriental kings was to kiss and even lick the dust, as L. Piso did (Valerian, 'Max.' 8: 50: 6; Isaiah 49:23).
Verse 10. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba - the kings of the wealthy and distant west, and of the south. The historical basis which suggested the prophecy is in 1 Kings 4:21, 'Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the river of the Philistines; and unto the border of Egypt they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.' Also 1 Kings 10:10; 1 Kings 10:24-25. Compare Psalms 68:29; Psalms 45:12; Isaiah 60:6-9. The visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon with a large present is made the typical picture of the spontaneous subjection of all nations hereafter to King Messiah. "Bring presents" - literally, 'give gifts in return,' or by way of recompense: to 'render tributary presents' (2 Kings 3:4; 2 Kings 17:3); in gratitude, when the conqueror becomes reconciled to the conquered, and shows kindness to them. The thank-offering to the Messiah of the converted pagan nations shall be in return for His favours experienced (Psalms 72:12-16). "The isles" are all the maritime regions, representing the distant, Gentiles in general. Thus Isaiah 42:4, "the isles," is explained in Matthew 12:21; "the Gentiles." "Sheba" is a region the same as Yemen in Arabia Felix; "Seba," in Ethiopia (Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 45:14). Subsequently, this island, which lay between the Astaboras, the Atbara, the most northern tributary of the Nile, and the Astapus, the 'blue river,' the eastern of its two great confluents was called Meroe, from the Egyptian Meru, an 'island.' Shebek, or Sabaco, founder the Ethiopian dynasty, which for a time ruled Egypt itself. Seba, too, represents a Cushite settlement on the Persian Gulf.