Read Psalm 72

Peace With God

Many people declare that David was the penman of the Psalms without realizing that he was merely one of many authors. In fact, the shepherd king is only presumed to have written seventy-three of the one hundred fifty psalms! Moses was inspired to write Psalm 90, Asaph and his sons are credited with a dozen, the sons of Korah wrote eleven of the songs, Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman the Ezrahite are credited with one apiece. Fifty of the psalms are anonymous and there is no traditional author ascribed to them. There are two psalms ascribed to Solomon, the son of David: Psalm 72 and Psalm 127. There is some debate as to whether Psalm 72 was actually written by Solomon or is simply about Solomon.

In Psalm 72 is seen a yearning for justice and compassion. Compare the words and thoughts of this psalm with the Beatitudes preached by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.

Israel hoped for a peaceful reign under Solomon, and while it was rather peaceful in contrast to his father’s rule, it was not the peace that God promised His people. True peace came under the Son of David; those who are in Christ are the only ones who can experience the peace with God that He desires us to have. “In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more” (Psalm 72:7).

Solomon enjoyed the praise and honor of many nations as a wise king, but there were limits to his power. The psalmist declares, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, and His enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him” (Psalm 72:8-11). This is yet to be fulfilled, but it will be. Paul wrote that the day would come “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

Do you have peace with God? Have you humbly bowed before Him, confessing the name of Jesus, obeying His glorious gospel?