CORONATION DAY – According to Westermann, the structure is unclear, but what is clear is its form—"this is a petition for the reigning king and so of pre-exilic date." [1] The setting may be that of a coronation ceremony or some other royal festival; its reason for surviving in the book of Psalms is probably due to its messianic overtones: the psalm prays for the ultimate enactment of God’s reign, and God’s will for the world. [2]

MANY A SLIP BETWEEN CUP AND LIP – What becomes painfully obvious is the great disparity between this prayer for the ideal king and the actual reigns of kings over the checkered history of Judah and Israel. A gap opens between our highest petitions and aspirations and the actual, often feeble attempts to accomplish God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. Such is not a far cry from our own prayers and behavior in the church—a wide gap—reminds us of great brokenness that needs repair. But as the NIB points out:

Psalm 72 finally calls us as citizens of God’s realm to remind every human ruler, politician, and government that ‘the way to peace and well-being is found only when power assumes responsibility for justice and is clothed in compassion, regarding as precious and valuable the life of every citizen in the land.’ Or to use the key word in Psalm 72, right makes might! The cruciform power of love, weak though it seems, is ultimately the greatest power in the world. [3]

connections

Some refer to this psalm as "The Reign of the Messiah." From a Christian perspective, certain points of convergence can be seen: Jesus responded to the poor and needy, healed the sick and preached a new kingdom where the first would be last and the last first. God’s kingdom is based on care for the poor and the promotion of justice. As you write a check to a charity or take food to a local shelter, offer the prayer of this psalm in thanksgiving: "God, I am grateful for these persons you so cherish." [4]

gambits

This psalm accords well with the Isaiah 11 lesson which follows. Use Psalm 72 in the worship order—a call to worship, embedded in the pastoral prayer or the prayer of confession, etc.

This is one of those "job description" passages that Christian faith appropriates to apply to Jesus Christ. Should you consider this psalm homiletically, you may want to use "job descriptions" as a metaphor for our highest aspirations and visions in leadership. Though the National Election in America is past, those of you in other countries may be swarming with politicians in an upcoming election; you could shape a homily around the campaign promises, the promises to reform the economy, etc, with this psalm writer’s prayer for a leader that could only be fulfilled by Jesus.

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[1] Claus Westermann, The Living Psalms (Wm B. Eerdmans, 1989), page 61.
[2] The New Interpreter’s Bible IV (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996, page 963.
[3] Ibid, page 965.
[4] The Spiritual Formation Bible (Zondervan, 1999), page 754.