Psalm 72

¹Give the king your justice, O God,

and your righteousness to a king’s son.

²May he judge your people with righteousness,

and your poor with justice.

³May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,

and the hills, in righteousness.

⁴May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,

give deliverance to the needy,

and crush the oppressor.

⁵May he live while the sun endures,

and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.

⁶May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,

like showers that water the earth.

⁷In his days may righteousness flourish

and peace abound, until the moon is no more.

⁸May he have dominion from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

⁹May his foes bow down before him,

and his enemies lick the dust.

¹⁰May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles

render him tribute,

may the kings of Sheba and Seba

bring gifts.

¹¹May all kings fall down before him,

all nations give him service.

¹²For he delivers the needy when they call,

the poor and those who have no helper.

¹³He has pity on the weak and the needy,

and saves the lives of the needy.

¹⁴From oppression and violence he redeems their life;

and precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵Long may he live!

May gold of Sheba be given to him.

May prayer be made for him continually,

and blessings invoked for him all day long.

¹⁶May there be abundance of grain in the land;

may it wave on the tops of the mountains;

may its fruit be like Lebanon;

and may people blossom in the cities

like the grass of the field.

¹⁷May his name endure forever,

his fame continue as long as the sun.

May all nations be blessed in him;

may they pronounce him happy.

¹⁸Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

who alone does wondrous things.

¹⁹Blessed be his glorious name forever;

may his glory fill the whole earth.

Amen and Amen.

²⁰The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.