AdventDay 24
Justice for the poor
Week 4 · Tuesday · Psalm 72: A Prayer for the Just King
For today
This is a prayer for a king who defends the poor and rescues the needy. Pray it for those who lead you, and let it stir your longing for the King who will do it perfectly.
Begin with these verses
verse 1Endow the king with Your justice, O God, and the son of the king with Your righteousness. verse 2May he judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice. verse 3May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring righteousness. verse 4May he vindicate the afflicted among the people; may he save the children of the needy and crush the oppressor.
verse 10May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. verse 11May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
In Christ
How this psalm points to Jesus
A theme the whole Bible completes in Christ · verse 10
Magi came from the east with gold and frankincense to worship the child Jesus, recalling the kings who bring gifts in this psalm. His is the kingdom of justice and peace without end.
verse 1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, verse 2asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
verse 6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. verse 7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
Optional. Kept only on this device, and never counted.