Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

“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.

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