lectionary.com

Advent Season · Second Sunday of Advent · Year A

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Psalm 72

December 7, 2025

The Judgment of Solomon, Dirk Vellert
The Judgment of Solomon, Dirk Vellert, c. 1530Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
A Netherlandish stained-glass design of the judgment, with the soldier's sword already raised over the child.Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son. May he defend the cause of the poor.Dirk VellertAn Antwerp designer of stained glass and engraver, one of the leading glass painters of the northern Renaissance.Cleveland Museum of Art, ClevelandAn unusually strong American museum with free admission since it opened in 1916, funded by Cleveland industrial money.Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelMatt. 3:1-12Mt 3:1-12
EpistleRom. 15:4-13Rom 15:4-13
Old TestamentIsa. 11:1-10Is 11:1-10
PsalterPs. 72:1-7, 18-19Ps 72:1-7, 18-19

Overview & Insights

“May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy.” (Psalm 72:4)

Psalm 72 is generally classified as a royal psalm. This means its focus is on the king and his kingdom. Some commentators view it as a coronation psalm, which is a little difficult to see because it does not have the same references to the establishment of the kingship as does Psalm 2:7. However, it could have been used in some capacity when Israelite kings were crowned. It is one of only two psalms associated with Solomon (the other is Ps. 127), and it certainly resonates with Solomon’s prayer for a “discerning heart” to govern Israel in 1 Kings 3:6–14. The content of the psalm, however, leaves the matter indecisive as to whether the psalm was written by Solomon or by David for Solomon. Calvin posits that it was originally a psalm by David, later adapted by Solomon.1Our interpretation assumes the position that David wrote the psalm as a prayer for Solomon.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Commentary

Commentary on Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19Commentary on Ps 72:1-7, 18-19 Working Preacher

Reads Psalm 72 as one of the nine royal psalms, arguing the psalm's prayer for a just king finds its fulfillment in the messianic line running from Jesse through David and Solomon to Jesus.

Psalm 72 Commentary: A Prayer for the King's ReignPs 72 Commentary: A Prayer for the King's Reign Enduring Word (David Guzik)

Verse-by-verse commentary on Solomon's prayer for a righteous, justice-bringing king whose reign is marked by care for the poor and needy.

Psalm 72 CommentariesPs 72 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregates classic commentaries on Psalm 72:1, comparing readings of the psalm as a coronation prayer that outgrows any merely human king.

Background & Word Study

Psalms 72Ps 72 Sefaria

Hebrew text with classical Jewish commentary on the royal psalm attributed to Solomon, offering a reading tradition centered on the ideal earthly king rather than messianic fulfillment.

The Church Fathers

Catena on Psalm 72Catena on Ps 72 Catena Bible

Compiles patristic comments on the royal, justice-bringing king of Psalm 72, tracing how early Christian readers took the psalm as a messianic portrait.

Questions preachers ask

Is Psalm 72 about Solomon or about the Messiah?

It begins as a coronation prayer for Israel’s king and asks for more than any king delivered: justice for the poor, rain on the mown grass, dominion to the ends of the earth. Christian reading has heard in that surplus a description of the king still to come.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Matthew 3:1-12
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.