John Calvin Commentary Psalms 72:7

"In his days shall the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more." — Psalms 72:7 (ASV)

In his days shall the righteous flourish. It is unnecessary for me to repeat frequently what I have already stated: that all these sentences depend upon the first verse. David, therefore, prayed that the king might be adorned with righteousness and judgment, that the just might flourish and the people prosper.

This prediction receives its highest fulfillment in Christ. It was, indeed, the duty of Solomon to maintain the righteous, but it is the proper office of Christ to make people righteous. He not only gives to every person what is theirs but also reforms their hearts through the agency of His Spirit.

By this means, He brings righteousness back from exile, so to speak, which would otherwise be completely banished from the world. Upon the return of righteousness, the blessing of God follows, by which He causes all His children to rejoice by making them perceive that under their King, Christ, every provision is made for them to enjoy all manner of prosperity and felicity.

If anyone would rather take the word peace in its proper and more restricted meaning, I have no objection. And certainly, for the consummation of a happy life, nothing is more desirable than peace, for amid the turmoil and conflicts of war, people derive almost no good from having an abundance of all things, since it is then wasted and destroyed.

Moreover, when David represents the king's life as prolonged to the end of the world, this shows more clearly that he not only includes his successors who occupied an earthly throne but that his vision extends even to Christ. Christ, by rising from the dead, obtained for Himself celestial life and glory, so that He might govern His Church forever.