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"Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.  Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!  Amen and Amen!"

~ Psalm 72:18-19

 

This psalm is superscripted as being a psalm of Solomon.  This is the first psalm we encounter in the psalter as having authorship attributed to Solomon.  We know from 1 Kings 4:32 that Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs.  Based on the final verse (v.20) of this psalm, it is possible that this psalm was written shortly after his father, King David’s, death, and at the beginning of his own kingly reign in Israel. 

As may be familiar, Solomon started off well but ended poorly in his reign as king.  This psalm gives evidence that his heart began in line with what God had instructed for Israel’s Kings (Deuteronomy 17:14-20; 1 Kings 2:1-4) and with what God had further covenanted with David (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). 

Ultimately, we know that no merely human king could fulfill what is requested and described in this Psalm.  But praise be to God, that his plan and purpose did not have a mere human king in mind!  It is his Son Jesus Christ who was in view when he made promises to Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:15), when he covenanted with Abraham for a Seed (Genesis 12,15,17) and when he covenanted with David for a forever king on a forever throne in a forever kingdom (2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 17, Psalm 2,89).

Read this psalm and see Jesus, our incarnate Savior and King!  He is the King of justice and righteousness (v.1).  He is to be feared (v.5), for he judges with authority, equity and faithfulness (v.2).  He delivers his people (v.4,12-14) and crushes his enemies (v.4,9).  He brings peace (v.7) and prosperity (v.3,16).  His dominion is universal (v.8-10) and all kings bow before him (v.11).  It is he alone who does wondrous things (v.18) and in him alone are people blessed (v.6,17).  Let us praise his glorious name forever (v.15,19)!