John Gill Commentary Psalms 72

Give the King your judgments, O God
A prayer of David, or of the church he represents, to God the Father concerning Christ; for he is "the King" meant; which is the sense of the old Jewish synagogue: the Targum is, ``give the constitutions of your judgments to the King Messiah;'' and so their Midrash ^F13 interprets it. He is "the King", by way of eminence, as in (Psalms 45:1); not only the King of the world in right of creation and preservation, in conjunction with his Father, having an equal right with him; but of saints, of the church and people of God, by the designation and constitution of his Father; hence he was promised and prophesied of as a King, (Jeremiah 23:5Jeremiah 23:6) (Ezekiel 37:24) (Hosea 3:5) (Zechariah 9:9); and he came into the world as such, though his kingdom did not appear very manifest in his state of humiliation; yet at his ascension it did, when he was made and declared Lord and Christ; and it is for the manifestation of his kingdom, and the glory of it, the psalmist here prays.

For by "judgments" are meant not the statutes and laws of God, given him to be shown, explained unto, and enforced on others, which rather belongs to his prophetic office, or as the rule of his government; nor the judgments of God to be inflicted upon wicked men, which is only one part of his kingly office; but of all power in heaven and in earth, which was given him by his Father upon his resurrection, and about the time of his ascension, (Matthew 28:18); and is the same with "all judgment" committed by him to his Son, (John 5:22); and which explains the clause here, and is the reason why it is expressed in the plural number here; which takes in the whole of the power and authority, the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom, delivered to Christ; and which chiefly lies in the government of the church, which is on his shoulders, and is committed into his hand; exercised in enacting laws, and delivering out ordinances, to be observed by the saints, and in the protection and defence of them; and also includes his judgment of the world at the last day, to which he is ordained and appointed by his Father, and will be managed and conducted by him;

and your righteousness unto the King's Son ;
who is the same with the King, as Jarchi well observes; for only one single person is afterwards spoken of, and designs the Messiah; who, as a divine Person, is the Son of the King of kings, the only begotten of the Father, the true and proper Son of God; and, as man, the Son of David the king. And so the Targum, ``and your righteousness to the Son of David the king;'' a known name of the Messiah, (Matthew 1:1) (22:42) .

And by "righteousness" is meant, not the essential righteousness of God; this Christ has by nature equally with his divine Father, and is not given or communicated to him; but the fulness of the graces of the Spirit, and perfection of virtues, which he received without measure; whereby, as Mediator, he is abundantly qualified to judge with righteousness, and reprove with equity; and not as other judges do, after the sight of the eyes, or hearing of the ears; see (Isaiah 11:2Isaiah 11:3) . Unless it can be understood of the everlasting righteousness, which Christ has wrought out, called his Father's, because appointed in council and covenant, approved of and accepted by him, and imputed to his people. To work out this righteousness was not only given to Christ in covenant, but he was sent in the fulness of time to do it; and had a power given him, as Mediator, to justify many with it, (Isaiah 53:11) ; and which may be here prayed for. Jerom, by the "King's Son", understands such as are regenerated, and taken into the adoption of children; and to such the righteousness of God is given. This is a truth, but not the sense of the text.

FOOTNOTES:

• F13: In Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 112. 2.

He shall judge your people with righteousness
Or, "so shall he judge"; or, "that he may judge" ^F14 , as the Syriac and Arabic versions; having the judgments and righteousness of God given him, he will be thereby qualified to judge the people of God; such as are so, not by creation, but by special grace; his chosen and covenant people, the redeemed and purchased people of God, and who in the effectual calling appear to be so, and are made his willing people. These Christ judges, rules, and governs, protects and defends, in a righteous manner; pleads their cause, vindicates their right, and avenges them on their enemies, as well as justifies them with his own righteousness;

and your poor with judgment ;
justice and equity. Such who are literally poor, and are the Lord's poor, whom he has chosen, and makes rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom; and with whom Christ, when here on earth, was chiefly concerned, and now is; and not with the great men and rulers of the earth: or such who are poor in spirit, sensible of their spiritual poverty; that find themselves hungry and thirsty, and destitute of righteousness, and without money, or anything to procure either. Or, "your afflicted ones" ^F15 ; such as are distressed in body or mind, with respect to things temporal or spiritual; oppressed by sin, Satan, and the world, These Christ regards, and administers justice to in his own time and way; see (Isaiah 11:4) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F14: (Nydy) "ut jus dicat", Tigurine version; so Ainsworth.
• F15: (Kyne) "afflictos tuos", Montanus, Vatablus, Musculus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis, Tiguriue version.

The mountains shall bring peace to the people
The people of God, as before. Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret this of the nations and kings of the nations, comparable to mountains and hills, as in (Micah 6:1Micah 6:2). They say these should make peace with Israel in the days of Solomon, and in the days of the King Messiah. Jarchi interprets this of the abundance of fruit the mountains and hills should bring forth; so that there would be no contention among men about gathering it, but everyone would invite his neighbour to partake thereof, according to (Zechariah 3:10), and so the Midrash ^F16.

The Targum explains it of the inhabitants of the mountains. It may also be applied to the churches of Christ, comparable to the mountains for their firmness and stability, (Isaiah 2:2) (11:9) (25:6), and to the abundance of peace, holiness, and righteousness that should be found in them in the times of Christ; or to the ministers of the Gospel, whose feet are beautiful upon the mountains publishing peace and salvation by Christ, (Isaiah 52:7).

and the little hills by righteousness :
that is, shall bring peace, by or with righteousness, the righteousness of Christ; the effect of which is spiritual peace and joy, (Romans 5:1) (14:17) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F16: In Yalkut Simeoni, ut supra. (par. 2. fol. 112. 2.)

He shall judge the poor of the people
Of the people of God, whether among Jews or Gentiles; (See Gill on Psalms 72:2);

he shall save the children of the needy ;
whose parents being needy, they are so too, in a spiritual sense, and in distressed circumstances. Such Christ saves from their sins; from the curses and condemnation of the law: from, wrath to come, and out of the hands of all their enemies;

and shall break in pieces the oppressor ;
the tyrant Satan, the god of this world; that has usurped a power over it; who works in the children of disobedience, and leads captive the people of God in their unregenerate state: the "calumniator", as some render the word; the accuser of the brethren: "the defrauder" ^F17 , as others: who beguiled our first parents, and deceives mankind. Now it was foretold of Christ that he should break his head; and he was manifested in the flesh to destroy his works; and him himself; and he has broke him and all his schemes in pieces, and spoiled all his principalities and powers:

The Syriac Version reads, "tyrants" or "oppressors", in the plural number; and it may include the Jews, who were the persecutors and oppressors of the first Christians; and Rome, Pagan and Papal; antichrist, and all the antichristian states, which have been, or will be, broken to pieces by Christ; who will rule them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces as a potter's vessel, (Revelation 2:27) (12:5) (19:15) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F17: (qvwe) "calumniatorem", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Vatablus, Musculus; "fraudatorem", Muis, Cocceius.

They shall fear thee
The King Messiah, the Judge of the poor, and the destroyer of the oppressor: either the tyrants and oppressors themselves shall fear him, and such who have been aiding and assisting to them; see (Revelation 11:11Revelation 11:13); or rather the people of God, the poor of the people, and children of the needy, judged and saved by Christ; who shall fear the Lord, both internally and externally, in the exercise of grace, and in the performance of religious worship; in all the parts of it, which are both included in the fear of the Lord; of which there will be many instances, both among Jews and Gentiles, in the latter day; see (Hosea 3:5) (Isaiah 60:5) (Revelation 15:4); and this they shall do,

as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations ;
or, "with the sun, and before the moon, generation of generations" ^F18 ; that is, to the end of the world, until sun and moon shall be no more: so long will Christ have a seed to serve him:; see (Psalms 89:36Psalms 89:37) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: Sic Eth. Syr. Arab. Apollinarius, Vatablus, & Cocceius.