Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 72:16

"There shall be abundance of grain in the earth upon the top of the mountains; The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth." — Psalms 72:16 (ASV)

There shall be an handful of corn – “Of grain,” as the word means in the Scriptures. The general idea in this verse is clear. It is that, in the time of the Messiah, there would be an ample supply of the fruits of the earth, or that His reign would lead to the promotion of prosperity, industry, and abundance. It would be as if fields of grain waved everywhere, even on the tops of mountains, or as if the hills were cultivated to their very summits, so that the whole land would be covered with waving, smiling harvests.

However, there is a difference of opinion, and consequently of interpretation, regarding the meaning of the word translated “handful.” This word – פסה pissâh – occurs nowhere else, and therefore, it is impossible to determine its exact meaning. Some translate it as “handful;” others, as “abundance.” The former interpretation is adopted by Professor Alexander and is generally found in older interpreters; the latter is the opinion of Gesenius, DeWette, and most modern expositors.

This is also the interpretation in the Syriac. The Vulgate and the Septuagint translate it as “strength”—meaning something “firm” or “secure,” “firmamentum,” στήριγμα stērigma. According to the explanation that regards the word as meaning “handful,” the idea is that there would be a great contrast between the small beginnings of the Messiah’s reign and its ultimate triumph. This is pictured as if a mere handful of grain were sown on the top of a mountain—a place unlikely to produce anything, usually barren and unproductive—which would then grow into an abundant harvest, waving everywhere like the cedar trees of Lebanon. According to the other interpretation, the idea is simply that there would be an “abundance” in the land. The whole land would be cultivated, even to the tops of the hills, and evidence of plenty would be seen everywhere. It is impossible to determine which of these is the correct idea, but both agree on what is essential: that the reign of the Messiah would be one of peace and plenty.

The former interpretation is the most poetic and beautiful. It also aligns with other representations, such as in the parable of the grain of mustard seed and the parable of the leaven. Furthermore, it aligns with the fact that the beginning of the Gospel was small compared to what the ultimate result would be. This would seem to make that interpretation the most probable.

In the earth – In the land; specifically, the land of Canaan, the place where the kingdom of the Messiah would be established.

Upon the top of the mountains – In places like the tops of mountains. Mountains and hills were seldom cultivated to their tops. Yet here the idea is that the state of things under the Messiah would be as if a handful of grain were sown in the place most unlikely to produce a harvest, or in a place no one thought of cultivating. One hardly needs to be told how well this would represent the cold and barren human heart in general, or the state of the Jewish world regarding true religion at the time the Savior appeared.

The fruit thereof – That which would spring up from the mere handful of grain sown in this way.

Shall shake like Lebanon – Like the cedar trees of Lebanon. The harvest will wave as those tall and stately trees do. This is an image designed to show that the growth would be strong and abundant, far beyond what could have been anticipated from the small quantity of seed sown and the barrenness of the soil.

The word translated “shake” means more than is implied in our word “shake” or “wave.” It also conveys the idea of a rushing sound, such as that which whistles among cedar or pine trees. “The origin of the Hebrew verb,” says Gesenius, “and its primary idea lies in the ‘noise’ and ‘crashing’ that is made by concussion.” Hence, it is used to denote the “rustling” motion of grain waving in the wind and the sound of the wind whistling through trees when they are agitated by it.

And they of the city – Most interpreters suppose that this refers to Jerusalem, as the center of the Messiah’s kingdom. However, it seems more probable that it is not intended to refer to Jerusalem or to any particular city, but to stand in contrast with the top of the mountain. Cities and hills would flourish alike; there would be prosperity everywhere—in barren and unpopulated wastes, and in places where people had gathered. The figure is changed, as is not uncommon, but the idea is retained. The signs of prosperity would be apparent everywhere.

Shall flourish like grass of the earth – As grass springs out of the ground, producing the idea of beauty and plenty. See the notes at Isaiah 44:3-4.