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The foregoing psalm was penned by David when he was old, and, it should seem, so was this too; for Solomon was now standing fair for the crown; that was his prayer for himself, this for his son and successor, and with these two the prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended, as we find in the close of this psalm. If we have but God's presence with us while we live, and good hopes concerning those that shall come after us that they shall be praising God on earth when we are praising him in heaven, it is enough. This is entitled "a psalm for Solomon:" it is probable that David dictated it, or, rather, that it was by the blessed Spirit dictated to him, when, a little before he died, by divine direction he settled the succession, and gave orders to proclaim Solomon king, 1Ki 1:30, etc. But, though Solomon's name is here made use of, Christ's kingdom is here prophesied of under the type and figure of Solomon's. David knew what the divine oracle was, That "of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne," Ac 2:30. To him he here bears witness, and with the prospect of the glories of his kingdom he comforted himself in his dying moments when he foresaw that his house would not be so with God, not so great not so good, as he wished. David, in spirit, I. Begins with a short prayer for his successor, Ps 72:1. II. He passes immediately into a long prediction of the glories of his reign, Ps 72:2-17. And, III. He concludes with praise to the God of Israel, Ps 72:18-20. In singing this psalm we must have an eye to Christ, praising him as a King, and pleasing ourselves with our happiness as his subjects.
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Prayer for Solomon
繁體中文
為所羅門禱告
所羅門的詩。
¹ 神啊，求你將判斷的權柄賜給王，將公義賜給王的兒子。
這一節是為王——甚至為王的兒子——所作的禱告。
一、我們可以將它應用在所羅門身上：「神啊，求你將你的判斷賜給他，將你的公義賜給他」——使他成為人、成為王；使他成為好人、好王。1. 這是父親為兒子的禱告，是臨終的祝福，如列祖遺留給兒女的那樣。我們為兒女向神所求最好的事，就是求神賜他們智慧和恩典，使他們認識並盡自己的本分；這比金子更好。所羅門學會了照他父親為他所禱告的那樣為自己禱告——不求神賜他富足和尊榮，而是求一個聰明智慧的心。大衛因自己的兒子將作他的繼承人而得安慰，更因他似乎既有判斷力又行公義而大得安慰。大衛曾給他良好的教育（箴 4:3），曾教導他*「明智和公義」*；然而除非神賜他自己的判斷，這一切仍不能成事。父母不能將恩典賜給兒女，卻可藉著禱告將他們帶到施恩的神麵前；他們必不徒然尋求他，因為他們的禱告若蒙應允，若不然，也必帶著安慰回到自己懷中。2. 這是君王為他的繼承人的禱告。大衛在位時曾施行公平和公義，如今他禱告他的兒子也如此行。我們當對後代有如此的關懷——切望並努力使那些在我們之後的人，在他們的日子比我們在我們的日子更盡心、更好地事奉神。那些毫不關心自己離去之後世界和教會將要如何的人，對神對人都少有愛心，並且存著極其狹窄自私的心。3. 這是百姓為君王的禱告。似乎大衛作了這詩供百姓使用，使他們在唱詩之時也為所羅門禱告。那些願意敬虔端正度日的人，必須為君王和一切在位的禱告，求神將他的判斷和公義賜給他們。
二、我們可以將它應用在基督身上；這不是說為我們代求的他需要我們為他代求；但是：1. 這是舊約教會為彌賽亞降臨的禱告——他來要作教會的王，作*「錫安聖山」上的王；萬王之王曾對他說：「你是我的兒子」（詩 2:6-7）。「求你快快使那位被託付一切審判的來到」；我們也當如此催促基督的第二次降臨——那時他必按公義審判天下*。2. 這是表達一切真信徒對主耶穌從父所領受之權柄的滿足：「願他在天上地上得著一切權能，作*「我們的義」*——耶和華我們的義；願他作那為一切屬他之人所託管之神恩的偉大受託人；將它賜給他，好使他可以賜給我們。
英文原文
Prayer for Solomon
A psalm for Solomon.
¹ Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
This verse is a prayer for the king, even the king's son.
I. We may apply it to Solomon: Give him thy judgments, O God! and thy righteousness; make him a man, a king; make him a good man, a good king. 1. It is the prayer of a father for his child, a dying blessing, such as the patriarchs bequeathed to their children. The best thing we can ask of God for our children is that God will give them wisdom and grace to know and do their duty; that is better than gold. Solomon learned to pray for himself as his father had prayed for him, not that God would give him riches and honour, but a wise and understanding heart. It was a comfort to David that his own son was to be his successor, but more so that he was likely to be both judicious and righteous. David had given him a good education (Pr 4:3), had taught him good judgment and righteous, yet that would not do unless God gave him his judgments. Parents cannot give grace to their children, but may by prayer bring them to the God of grace, and shall not seek him in vain, for their prayer shall either be answered or it shall return with comfort into their own bosom. 2. It is the prayer of a king for his successor. David had executed judgment and justice during his reign, and now he prays that his son might do so too. Such a concern as this we should have for posterity, desiring and endeavouring that those who come after us may do God more and better service in their day than we have done in ours. Those have little love either to God or man, and are of a very narrow selfish spirit, who care not what becomes of the world and the church when they are gone. 3. It is the prayer of subjects for their king. It should seem, David penned this psalm for the use of the people, that they, in singing, might pray for Solomon. Those who would live quiet and peaceable lives must pray for kings and all in authority, that God would give them his judgments and righteousness.
II. We may apply it to Christ; not that he who intercedes for us needs us to intercede for him; but, 1. It is a prayer of the Old-Testament church for sending the Messiah, as the church's King, King on the holy hill of Zion, of whom the King of kings had said, Thou art my Son, Ps 2:6,7. "Hasten his coming to whom all judgment is committed;" and we must thus hasten the second coming of Christ, when he shall judge the world in righteousness. 2. It is an expression of the satisfaction which all true believers take in the authority which the Lord Jesus has received from the Father: "Let him have all power both in heaven and earth, and be the Lord our righteousness; let him be the great trustee of divine grace for all that are his; give it to him, that he may give it to us."
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The Kingdom of Messiah
繁體中文
彌賽亞的國度
² 祂要按公義審判你的民，按公平審判你的困苦人。 ³ 大山小山，都要因公義使民得享平安。 ⁴ 祂必為民中的困苦人施行審判，拯救窮乏人的兒女，壓碎那欺壓人的。 ⁵ 太陽還存，月亮還在，人要敬畏你，直到萬代。 ⁶ 祂必降臨，像雨降在已割的草地上，如甘霖滋潤大地。 ⁷ 在祂的日子，義人要發旺；大有平安，好像月亮長存。 ⁸ 祂要執掌權柄，從這海直到那海，從大河直到地極。 ⁹ 住在曠野的，必在祂面前下拜；祂的仇敵必要舔土。 ¹⁰ 他施和海島的王要進貢；示巴和西巴的王要獻禮物。 ¹¹ 諸王都要叩拜祂；萬國都要事奉祂。 ¹² 因為窮乏人呼求的時候，祂要搭救；沒有人幫助的困苦人，祂也要搭救。 ¹³ 祂要憐惜貧寒和窮乏的人，拯救窮苦人的性命。 ¹⁴ 他們的性命祂要救贖脫離欺壓和強暴；他們的血在祂眼中看為寶貴。 ¹⁵ 祂要長久活着；示巴的金子要奉給祂；人要常常為祂禱告，終日稱頌祂。 ¹⁶ 在地的山頂上，必有一把五穀；其果子要搖晃如利巴嫩；城裏的人要發旺，如地上的草。 ¹⁷ 祂的名要存到永遠；祂的名要傳到日頭落盡之時；人都要因祂蒙福；萬國都要稱祂為有福。
這是一段論到基督國度繁榮與長存的預言，以所羅門的統治為影兒。其作用有二：1. 作為加強這禱告的憑據：「主啊，將你的判斷和公義賜給他，那麼他便要以公義審判你的百姓，如此便達成了他被高舉的目的」，詩 72:2。「將你的恩典賜給他，那麼託付他照管的你的百姓，就必得着這恩典的益處。」神因愛以色列人，就立他們的王治理他們，為要施行公平和公義，代下 9:8。我們可以憑信心與神較力求那恩典——只要我們有理由相信這恩典對祂教會將有共同的益處。2. 作為對這禱告平安的回答。我們憑信心的禱告，就是對神憐憫應許的回答；照樣，神也憑憐憫的應許，對我們信心的禱告作出回答。這預言必定是指着彌賽亞的國度，這一點十分清楚，因為其中許多話不能應用於所羅門的統治。所羅門施政之初確有許多公義與平安；但在他統治的末期，卻兼有禍患與不義。此處所論的國度要存到日頭之久，所羅門的國卻很快就滅沒了。因此連猶太解經家也都承認這是指彌賽亞的國度。
我們當留意此處所發的許多大而寶貴的應許；這些應許只能在基督的國裏完全應驗，但其中有些在所羅門的統治中已部分應驗。
一、 這必是一個公義的政權（詩 72:2）：祂要按公義審判你的百姓。 比較賽 11:4。基督國度的一切律例，都與永恆的公平法則相符；它為了紓解已破壞之律法的嚴厲而設立的平反院，實乃公平之院；祂末後審判的判決，也無可非議。祂國度的平安要由公義來維繫（詩 72:3）；因為惟有當公義如海浪澎湃之時，平安才如江河滾滾。世界必按公義受審，徒 17:31。
二、 這必是一個和平的政權：大山要帶來平安，小山也是（詩 72:3）；即（哈蒙德博士說）所羅門國中上級與下級的審判機關。必大有平安，詩 72:7。所羅門這名字的意思是太平，他的統治也正是如此；因在其間以色列享受了前朝的勝利，並保全了那朝代的安靖與太平。然而平安特別是基督國度的榮耀；因為這國度無論在何處興盛，都使人與神和好、與自己和好、彼此和好，並殺滅一切仇恨；因為祂就是我們的平安。
三、 貧寒和窮乏的人要特別蒙這政權的保護：祂要審判你的窮苦人，詩 72:2。那些因持守無虧的良心而致貧窮的人，是神的貧寒人；他們必以分外的看顧蒙眷顧，必蒙以公平為之斷案，特別顧念他們的處境，並特別為他們所受的冤屈報仇。民中的窮苦人和窮乏人的兒女，祂必為他們施行審判，使他們得救，詩 72:4。這一點再次被強調（詩 72:12,13），表明基督必為祂受屈的貧寒人撐腰。祂要搭救那落在欺壓者手中的窮乏人，也搭救那困苦人——既因他們沒有幫助者，扶持他們正是祂的榮耀；又因他們向祂呼求，祂也已應許在回應他們禱告時扶持他們；他們藉着禱告將自己交託給祂，詩 10:14。祂要憐惜那些投靠祂憐憫的窮乏人，不以嚴厲苛刻待他們；祂要拯救他們的性命，這便是一切他們所渴慕的。虛心的人有福了，因為天國是他們的。 基督是窮人的王。
四、 驕傲的欺壓者必受報應：祂要將他們壓碎（詩 72:4），要奪去他們害人的能力，並因他們所行的一切惡事懲罰他們。這是賢君的本分，Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos——寬恕順服者，擊敗驕傲者。 魔鬼是最大的欺壓者，基督要將他壓碎，並要作他國度的毀滅。祂必以口中的氣殺滅那惡者（賽 11:4），並要救祂百姓的性命脫離欺壓和強暴，詩 72:14。祂要拯救他們脫離撒但的權勢——撒但既如古蛇以詭詐迷惑他們，又如吼叫的獅子以強暴恐嚇吞吃他們。他們的血在祂眼中看為如此寶貴，以致無論是撒但或其差役以欺壓或強暴所流的一滴，都必被追討。基督是一位君王，祂雖然有時呼召祂的子民為祂抵抗到流血的地步，卻不浪費他們的血；除非為着祂與他們的榮耀，並補滿仇敵罪惡的滿盈，否則祂絕不容他們捨命。
五、 宗教要在基督的政權下興盛（詩 72:5）：太陽還存，月亮還在，人要敬畏你。 所羅門誠然建造了聖殿，神的敬畏與敬拜在他的治理下也曾一度興旺，但並未持續長久；故此這話必是指着基督的國度，其一切子民都被領到神的敬畏之中並蒙保守；因為基督教對自然宗教的維繫與促進有直接的傾向與強大的影響。對基督的信心必建立並維繫對神的敬畏；因此所傳的永遠福音就是：敬畏神，將榮耀歸給祂，啟 14:7。基督的政權既促進對神的敬虔，也促進人間的公平與慈愛（詩 72:7）：在祂的日子義人要發旺；公義要被遵行，行義的人要被看重。公義要豐盛並受尊崇，要掌權並大有能力。基督的律法寫在人心中，使人誠實公正，將各人所當得的歸給他；這律法也使人活在愛中，於是帶來極大的平安，將刀打成犁頭。聖潔與愛在基督的國度裏必永遠長存，永不衰殘，因為其子民要在太陽月亮尚存之時敬畏神；基督教在表認上一旦在世上立穩，就要存到世界的末了；在能力上一旦在心中立穩，就要在那裏存留，直到因死亡而日頭、月亮、星辰（即身體的感官）都變黑之時。任憑世界變幻無常，人生變幻不定，基督的國總能自我維繫；若對神的敬畏如日月般長存，那麼極大的平安也必如此。教會的平安、靈魂的平安，要與其純潔和敬虔並行，並與之同壽。
六、 基督的政權對祂一切忠心慈愛的子民必極其舒適（詩 72:6）：祂要藉着祂聖靈的諸般恩典與安慰，像雨降在已割的草地上——不是降在已被割下的草上，而是降在仍留着生長的草上，好叫它雖被斬斷，卻能再發旺。基督的福音如雨滴下，軟化剛硬的地土，滋潤枯乾之處，使其發青結實，賽 55:10。願我們的心喝下這雨，來 6:7。
七、 基督的國度要大大擴展、極其寬廣；請思想：
1. 祂版圖的廣闊（詩 72:8）：祂要執掌權柄，從這海直到那海（從南海到北海，或從紅海到地中海），從大河——幼發拉底河或尼羅河——直到地極。 所羅門的版圖極大（王上 4:21），正如應許所言，創 15:18。但這裏並未指明哪一個海、哪一條河，為要藉這些諺語式的表達，暗示主耶穌普世的王權。祂的福音已經或將要傳給萬民（太 24:14），當外邦人的數目添滿之時，世上的國就要成為祂的國（啟 11:15）。祂的版圖要擴及那些國家：（1）那與祂素昧平生的：住在曠野的人——遠離通衢大道、鮮聞消息的人，必聽見救贖主並祂所成就之救贖的好消息，要在祂面前下拜，要信靠祂、接受祂、敬拜祂、負祂的軛。在主耶穌面前，我們眾人不是屈膝，就是折斷；若折斷，便要滅亡——若屈膝，便必永遠得救。（2）那曾與祂為敵、與祂爭戰的：他們必要舔土；他們必被降卑、摔在塵土之中，必因惱恨而咬牙切齒，必因飢餓而以塵土為糧——這是蛇的食物（創 3:15），因為他們原是蛇的後裔；當祂的仇敵尚且如此被制服降卑，還有誰是祂不能管轄的呢？
2. 祂朝貢者的尊貴。祂不僅治理住在曠野的鄉野村夫，也治理住在宮殿裏的人（詩 72:10）：他施和海島的王——就是那些距離以色列最遠、屬於外邦人之海島（創 10:5）的王——要向祂進貢，奉祂為他們的主權之主，他們的冠冕與一切王土都是藉着祂並在祂之下持有的。他們要尋求祂的恩寵，並與祂建立關係，好聽祂的智慧。這話在所羅門身上字面應驗了（因天下諸王都來求見所羅門的智慧，各人帶着禮物來，代下 9:23,24），也在基督身上應驗了，當東方的幾個博士——大概在自己本國是首屈一指的人物——來朝拜祂並獻上禮物之時，太 2:11。他們要將自己獻給祂；這是我們能帶給基督最好的禮物，若沒有這個，任何別的禮物都不蒙悅納，羅 12:1。他們要獻上禮物——禱告與讚美屬靈的祭，將之獻給基督作他們的神，獻在基督這座使每一樣禮物成聖的祭壇上。他們歸向神，被稱為外邦人的獻上，或獻為祭，羅 15:16。是的，萬王遲早都要在祂面前下拜，或是為盡自己的本分，或是為接受自己的判決，詩 72:11。他們或作祂甘心順服的子民，或作祂被征服的俘虜，或在祂面前求憐憫，或等候祂的審判，都要在祂面前俯伏。當君王臣服時，百姓自然也隨之而來：萬國都要事奉祂；萬國都要蒙邀進入祂的事奉，萬國中都有人來歸，並且在每一國中都有人向祂獻香，獻上潔淨的祭物，瑪 1:11、啟 7:9。
八、 祂必為祂一切子民所尊崇所敬愛（詩 72:15）：祂要長久活着；祂的子民願祂長壽（王啊，願你萬歲！），這願望也合乎情理；因為祂曾說：因為我活着，你們也要活着；又有見證說祂活着，長遠活着，替他們祈求，來 7:8,25。祂要活着，且要繁榮地活着；於是：1. 必有禮物獻給祂。祂雖能不靠這些而活——因為祂既不需要任何人的禮物，也不需要任何人的事奉——然而示巴的金子要奉給祂：金子，是金屬中最美的；示巴的金子，大概是最純的金子；因為那至善者必須以最好的來事奉。凡在今世財富豐盛、有金子隨意支配的人，必須將之獻給基督，必須用以事奉祂、行善。你要以財物尊榮耶和華。 2. 必有人為祂禱告，並要常常如此。百姓曾為所羅門禱告，這也使他和他的統治成為他們極大的祝福。為君王和一切在位的禱告、懇求、代求、祝謝，乃是子民的本分——不是像常見的那樣奉承他們，而是出於對公眾福祉的關切。但這話如何應用於基督呢？祂並不需要我們的禱告，也不能從中得着任何益處。然而舊約聖徒曾為祂的來臨禱告，並且常常為此禱告；因為他們稱祂為那將要來者。如今祂既已來到，我們便必須為祂福音的興旺和祂國度的拓展禱告——這是祂所稱為為祂禱告的（和散那歸給大衛的子孫，願祂的國度昌盛）；我們也必須為祂的再來禱告。這話也可讀作：禱告要藉着祂而獻，或為祂的緣故而獻；我們向父所求的一切，都當奉祂的名、並倚靠祂的代求而求。3. 必有人讚美祂，並對祂的智慧、公義、良善發出極高的讚辭：終日要稱頌祂。 我們奉祂的名日日禱告，便是將尊榮歸給祂。子民理當稱頌那賜福與他們的政權；基督徒更當稱頌耶穌基督，且當每日稱頌祂；因為他們所有的一切都靠祂而得，並欠祂最高的本分。
九、 在祂的治理之下，糧食和人口都要奇妙地增多——鄉村地裏的出產和城邑中居住的百姓，都要如此，詩 72:16。1. 鄉村要富足。只要在山頂上撒上一把五穀——本來只能期望少量收成——然而其果子卻要搖晃如利巴嫩；它要如樹林般長起，又密又高又壯，如同利巴嫩的香柏樹。甚至在山頂上，地也要一把一把地出產；這是大豐收的說法（創 41:47），正如房頂上的草被說成是收割的人滿手也凑不足的那種。這話可應用於彌賽亞日子裏福音種子奇妙的出產。一把這樣的種子，撒在外邦人世界那山嶽荒蕪的土裏，竟為基督結出奇妙的豐收，果子搖晃如利巴嫩。田地已經發白，可以收割了，約 4:35、太 9:37。芥菜種長成了大樹。2. 城邑人口要增多：城裏的人要發旺如草，無論人數或青翠都是。福音的教會——神在人中間的城——要有一切興旺的記號：許多人要加添歸入其中，其中的子民也要因這城而蒙福。
十、 祂的政權要存到永遠，這既關乎祂的尊榮，也關乎祂子民的福樂。主耶穌必作王直到永遠；這話惟獨當理解為指着基督說的，絲毫不能應用於所羅門。惟獨基督才在萬代之中被人敬畏（詩 72:5），在日頭月亮尚存之時被人敬畏，詩 72:7。1. 這君王的尊榮是不朽的，永不致蒙羞（詩 72:17）：祂的名要存到永遠，任憑黑暗權勢用盡一切惡意的計謀與努力，要遮掩其榮光、要斬斷其譜系，這名仍要存留、傳承、擴展。地上君王的名是藉着後裔延續，基督的名則是在祂自己裏面延續。Filiabitur nomen ejus——祂的名要傳到後裔。 當世界尚存之時，萬國都要稱祂為有福，因祂稱頌神，常常說祂的好話，並以擁有祂為有福。直到時間的末了，直到永遠，祂的名都要被傳揚、被使用；萬口都要承認祂的名，萬膝都要在祂面前跪拜。2. 百姓的福樂也是普遍的；這福樂是完全且永遠的：人都要因祂蒙福——真正而永遠地蒙福。這話明明指着賜給列祖的應許：萬國必因彌賽亞得福。創 12:3。
英文原文
The Kingdom of Messiah
² He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
³ The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
⁴ He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
⁵ They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
⁶ He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
⁷ In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
⁸ He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
⁹ They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
¹⁰ The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
¹¹ Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
¹² For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
¹³ He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
¹⁴ He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
¹⁵ And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
¹⁶ There shall be a handful of corn 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.
¹⁷ His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
This is a prophecy of the prosperity and perpetuity of the kingdom of Christ under the shadow of the reign of Solomon. It comes in, 1. As a plea to enforce the prayer: "Lord, give him thy judgments and thy righteousness, and then he shall judge thy people with righteousness, and so shall answer the end of his elevation, Ps 72:2. Give him thy grace, and then thy people, committed to his charge, will have the benefit of it." Because God loved Israel, he made him king over them to do judgment and justice, 2Ch 9:8. We may in faith wrestle with God for that grace which we have reason to think will be of common advantage to his church. 2. As an answer of peace to the prayer. As by the prayer of faith we return answers to God's promises of mercy, so by the promises of mercy God returns answers to our prayers of faith. That this prophecy must refer to the kingdom of the Messiah is plain, because there are many passages in it which cannot be applied to the reign of Solomon. There was indeed a great deal of righteousness and peace, at first, in the administration of his government; but, before the end of his reign, there were both trouble and unrighteousness. The kingdom here spoken of is to last as long as the sun, but Solomon's was soon extinct. Therefore even the Jewish expositors understand it of the kingdom of the Messiah.
Let us observe the many great and precious promises here made, which were to have their full accomplishment only in the kingdom of Christ; and yet some of them were in part fulfilled in Solomon's reign.
I. That it should be a righteous government (Ps 72:2): He shall judge thy people with righteousness. Compare Isa 11:4. All the laws of Christ's kingdom are consonant to the eternal rules of equity; the chancery it erects to relieve against the rigours of the broken law is indeed a court of equity; and against the sentence of his last judgment there will lie no exception. The peace of his kingdom shall be supported by righteousness (Ps 72:3); for then only is the peace like a river, when the righteousness is as the waves of the sea. The world will be judged in righteousness, Ac 17:31.
II. That it should be a peaceable government: The mountains shall bring peace, and the little hills (Ps 72:3); that is (says Dr. Hammond), both the superior and the inferior courts of judicature in Solomon's kingdom. There shall be abundance of peace, Ps 72:7. Solomon's name signifies peaceable, and such was his reign; for in it Israel enjoyed the victories of the foregoing reign and preserved the tranquillity and repose of that reign. But peace is, in a special manner, the glory of Christ's kingdom; for, as far as it prevails, it reconciles men to God, to themselves, and to one another, and slays all enmities; for he is our peace.
III. That the poor and needy should be, in a particular manner, taken under the protection of this government: He shall judge thy poor, Ps 72:2. Those are God's poor that are impoverished by keeping a good conscience, and those shall be provided for with a distinguishing care, shall be judged for with judgment, with a particular cognizance taken of their case and a particular vengeance taken for their wrongs. The poor of the people, and the children of the needy, he will be sure so to judge as to save, Ps 72:4. This is insisted upon again (Ps 72:12,13), intimating that Christ will be sure to carry his cause on behalf of his injured poor. He will deliver the needy that lie at the mercy of their oppressors, the poor also, both because they have no helper and it is for his honour to help them and because they cry unto him and he has promised, in answer to their prayers, to help them; they by prayer commit themselves unto him, Ps 10:14. He will spare the needy that throw themselves on his mercy, and will not be rigorous and severe with them; he will save their souls, and that is all they desire. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Christ is the poor man's King.
IV. That proud oppressors shall be reckoned with: He shall break them in pieces (Ps 72:4), shall take away their power to hurt, and punish them for all the mischief they have done. This is the office of a good king, Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos—To spare the vanquished and debase the proud. The devil is the great oppressor, whom Christ will break in pieces and of whose kingdom he will be the destruction. With the breath of his mouth shall he slay that wicked one (Isa 11:4), and shall deliver the souls of his people from deceit and violence, Ps 72:14. He shall save from the power of Satan, both as an old serpent working by deceit to ensnare them and as a roaring lion working by violence to terrify and devour them. So precious shall their blood be unto him that not a drop of it shall be shed, by the deceit or violence of Satan or his instruments, without being reckoned for. Christ is a King, who, though he calls his subjects sometimes to resist unto blood for him, yet is not prodigal of their blood, nor will ever have it parted with but upon a valuable consideration to his glory and theirs, and the filling up of the measure of their enemies' iniquity.
V. That religion shall flourish under Christ's government (Ps 72:5): They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure. Solomon indeed built the temple, and the fear and worship of God were well kept up, for some time, under his government, but it did not last long; this therefore must point at Christ's kingdom, all the subjects of which are brought to and kept in the fear of God; for the Christian religion has a direct tendency to, and a powerful influence upon, the support and advancement of natural religion. Faith in Christ will set up, and keep up, the fear of God; and therefore this is the everlasting gospel that is preached, Fear God, and give honour to him, Re 14:7. And, as Christ's government promotes devotion towards God, so it promotes both justice and charity among men (Ps 72:7): In his days shall the righteous flourish; righteousness shall be practised, and those that practise righteousness shall be preferred. Righteousness shall abound and be in reputation, shall command and be in power. The law of Christ, written in the heart, disposes men to be honest and just, and to render to all their due; it likewise disposes men to live in love, and so it produces abundance of peace and beats swords into ploughshares. Both holiness and love shall be perpetual in Christ's kingdom, and shall never go to decay, for the subjects of it shall fear God as long as the sun and moon endure; Christianity, in the profession of it, having got footing in the world, shall keep its ground till the end of time, and having, in the power of it, got footing in the heart, it will continue there till, by death, the sun, and the moon, and the stars (that is, the bodily senses) are darkened. Through all the changes of the world, and all the changes of life, Christ's kingdom will support itself; and, if the fear of God continue as long as the sun and moon, abundance of peace will. The peace of the church, the peace of the soul, shall run parallel with its purity and piety, and last as long as these last.
VI. That Christ's government shall be very comfortable to all his faithful loving subjects (Ps 72:6): He shall, by the graces and comforts of his Spirit, come down like rain upon the mown grass; not on that which is cut down, but that which is left growing, that it may spring again, though it was beheaded. The gospel of Christ distils as the rain, which softens the ground that was hard, moistens that which was dry, and so makes it green and fruitful, Isa 55:10. Let our hearts drink in the rain, Heb 6:7.
VII. That Christ's kingdom shall be extended very far, and greatly enlarged; considering,
1. The extent of his territories (Ps 72:8): He shall have dominion from sea to sea (from the South Sea to the North, or from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean) and from the river Euphrates, or Nile, to the ends of the earth. Solomon's dominion was very large (1Ki 4:21), according to the promise, Ge 15:18. But no sea, no river, is named, that it might, by these proverbial expressions, intimate the universal monarchy of the Lord Jesus. His gospel has been, or shall be, preached to all nations (Mt 24:14), and the kingdoms of the world shall become his kingdoms (Re 11:15) when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in. His territories shall be extended to those countries, (1.) That were strangers to him: Those that dwell in the wilderness, out of all high roads, that seldom hear news, shall hear the glad tidings of the Redeemer and redemption by him, shall bow before him, shall believe in him, accept of him, worship him, and take his yoke upon them. Before the Lord Jesus we must all either bow or break; if we break, we are ruined—if we bow, we are certainly made for ever. (2.) That were enemies to him, and had fought against him: They shall lick the dust; they shall be brought down and laid in the dust, shall bite the ground for vexation, and be so hunger-bitten that they shall be glad of dust, the serpent's meat (Ge 3:15), for of his seed they are; and over whom shall not he rule, when his enemies themselves are thus humbled and brought low?
2. The dignity of his tributaries. He shall not only reign over those that dwell in the wilderness, the peasants and cottagers, but over those that dwell in the palaces (Ps 72:10): The kings of Tarshish, and of the isles, that lie most remote from Israel and are the isles of the Gentiles (Ge 10:5), shall bring presents to him as their sovereign Lord, by and under whom they hold their crowns and all their crown lands. They shall court his favour, and make an interest in him, that they may hear his wisdom. This was literally fulfilled in Solomon (for all the kings of the earth sought the wisdom of Solomon, and brought every man his present, 2Ch 9:23,24), and in Christ too, when the wise men of the east, who probably were men of the first rank in their own country, came to worship him and brought him presents, Mt 2:11. They shall present themselves to him; that is the best present we can bring to Christ, and without that no other present is acceptable, Ro 12:1. They shall offer gifts, spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, offer them to Christ as their God, on Christ as their altar, which sanctifies every gift. Their conversion to God is called the offering up, or sacrificing, of the Gentiles, Ro 15:16. Yea, all kings shall, sooner or later, fall down before him, either to do their duty to him or to receive their doom from him, Ps 72:11. They shall fall before him, either as his willing subjects or as his conquered captives, as suppliants for his mercy or expectants of his judgment. And, when the kings submit, the people come in of course: All nations shall serve him; all shall be invited into his service; some of all nations shall come into it, and in every nation incense shall be offered to him and a pure offering, Mal 1:11, Re 7:9.
VIII. That he shall be honoured and beloved by all his subjects (Ps 72:15): He shall live; his subjects shall desire his life (O king! live for ever) and with good reason; for he has said, Because I live, you shall live also; and of him it is witnessed that he liveth, ever liveth, making intercession, Heb 7:8,25. He shall live, and live prosperously; and, 1. Presents shall be made to him. Though he shall be able to live without them, for he needs neither the gifts nor the services of any, yet to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba—gold, the best of metals, gold of Sheba, which probably was the finest gold; for he that is best must be served with the best. Those that have abundance of the wealth of this world, that have gold at command, must give it to Christ, must serve him with it, do good with it. Honour the Lord with thy substance. 2. Prayers shall be made for him, and that continually. The people prayed for Solomon, and that helped to make him and his reign so great a blessing to them. It is the duty of subjects to make prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, for kings and all in authority, not in compliment to them, as is too often done, but in concern for the public welfare. But how is this applied to Christ? He needs not our prayers, nor can have any benefit by them. But the Old-Testament saints prayed for his coming, prayed continually for it; for they called him, He that should come. And now that he has come we must pray for the success of his gospel and the advancement of his kingdom, which he calls praying for him (Hosanna to the Son of David, prosperity to his reign), and we must pray for his second coming. It may be read, Prayer shall be made through him, or for his sake; whatsoever we ask of the Father shall be in his name and in dependence upon his intercession. 3. Praises shall be made of him, and high encomiums given of his wisdom, justice, and goodness: Daily shall he be praised. By praying daily in his name we give him honour. Subjects ought to speak well of the government that is a blessing to them; and much more ought all Christians to praise Jesus Christ, daily to praise him; for they owe their all to him, and to him they lie under the highest obligations.
IX. That under his government there shall be a wonderful increase both of meat and mouths, both of the fruits of the earth in the country and of the people inhabiting the cities, Ps 72:16. 1. The country shall grow rich. Sow but a handful of corn on the top of the mountains, whence one would expect but little, and yet the fruit of it shall shake like Lebanon; it shall come up like a wood, so thick, and tall, and strong, like the cedars of Lebanon. Even upon the tops of the mountains the earth shall bring forth by handfuls; that is an expression of great plenty (Ge 41:47), as the grass upon the house top is said to be that wherewith the mower fills not his hand. This is applicable to the wonderful productions of the seed of the gospel in the days of the Messiah. A handful of that seed, sown in the mountainous and barren soil of the Gentile world, produced a wonderful harvest gathered in to Christ, fruit that shook like Lebanon. The fields were white to the harvest, Joh 4:35, Mt 9:37. The grain of mustard-seed grew up to a great tree. 2. The towns shall grow populous: Those of the city shall flourish like grass, for number, for verdure. The gospel church, the city of God among men, shall have all the marks of prosperity, many shall be added to it, and those that are shall be happy in it.
X. That his government shall be perpetual, both to his honour and to the happiness of his subjects. The Lord Jesus shall reign for ever, and of him only this must be understood, and not at all of Solomon. It is Christ only that shall be feared throughout all generations (Ps 72:5) and as long as the sun and moon endure, Ps 72:7. 1. The honour of the princes is immortal and shall never be sullied (Ps 72:17): His name shall endure for ever, in spite of all the malicious attempts and endeavours of the powers of darkness to eclipse the lustre of it and to cut off the line of it; it shall be preserved; it shall be perpetuated; it shall be propagated. As the names of earthly princes are continued in their posterity, so Christ's in himself. Filiabitur nomen ejus—His name shall descend to posterity. All nations, while the world stands, shall call him blessed, shall bless God for him, continually speak well of him, and think themselves happy in him. To the end of time, and to eternity, his name shall be celebrated, shall be made use of; every tongue shall confess it and every knee shall bow before it. 2. The happiness of the people if universal too; it is complete and everlasting: Men shall be blessed, truly and for ever blessed, in him. This plainly refers to the promise made unto the fathers that in the Messiah all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Ge 12:3.
18-20
Thanksgiving and Prayer
繁體中文
感恩與禱告
¹⁸ 獨行奇事的耶和華以色列的神，是應當稱頌的。
¹⁹ 他榮耀的名也是應當稱頌的，直到永遠；願他的榮耀充滿全地。阿們，阿們。
²⁰ 耶西的兒子大衛的祈禱完畢。
像前幾節那樣關乎彌賽亞和他國度的輝煌預言，理當這樣——如此處——以衷心的禱告和讚美作結。
一、詩人在此為這預言和應許擴大感恩（詩72:18-19）。神的每一句話都是確定的，我們可以如此滿足地倚靠它，以致我們有充分的理由為他所說的——即使尚未成就的——感恩。我們當承認，他為世界、為教會、為人類兒女、為他自己的兒女所行的一切大事，在護理的國度裏、在恩典的國度裏，為交託在救贖主手中的權柄和託付，神是配得讚美的；我們當激發自己和我們裏面的一切，以最好的方式讚美他，又願一切別人也如此行。耶和華是應當稱頌的，就是說，他榮耀的名是應當稱頌的；因為我們惟有在他的名裏，才能對他的榮耀和福分有所貢獻，而那名又超乎一切稱頌和讚美之上。願它永遠被稱頌，它必永遠被稱頌，它配得永遠被稱頌，我們也盼望永遠稱頌它。我們在此受教導，要為基督的名稱頌，並在基督裏稱頌神，為他藉着基督為我們所作的一切。我們當稱頌他：1. 作為主神——作為自有永有、自足的存有者，我們的主權之主。2. 作為以色列的神——與那百姓立約、被他們敬拜，並行這事以成就對雅各的真實、對亞伯拉罕的憐憫。3. 作為那獨行奇事的神——在創造和護理之中，特別是在這救贖之工上——這工超過一切。人的作為是微小的、普通的、瑣碎的事，連這些他們也不能沒有他而作。但神憑自己的能力作一切，他所行的都是奇事，是聖徒和天使永遠讚嘆的事。
二、他懇切禱告，求這預言和應許的成就：願他的榮耀充滿全地，當他施和海島的王要獻禮物之時就要如此。想到地何等缺少神的榮耀、他從這個他所厚賜恩惠的世界所得的服事和尊榮何等少，實在令人憂傷。所以一切願神得榮耀、願人類得福祉的人，不能不願地充滿他榮耀的彰顯，並以感恩的承認合宜地回應他的榮耀。讓每一顆心、每一張口、每一個聚會，都充滿對神至高的讚美。我們若觀察以下兩點，便會看見大衛在這禱告上何等懇切，他的心何等在其中：1. 他如何以雙重的印記結束禱告：阿們，阿們； 我一而再地說，我說，也願一切別人說同樣的話，誠心所願。我的禱告是阿們；眾聖徒同此目的的禱告也是阿們——願人都尊你的名為聖；願你的國降臨。 2. 他如何以這禱告結束自己的一生（詩72:20）。這是他所寫的最後一篇詩，雖然在本詩集中並非排在最後；他寫它時正臥在死亡之榻上，並以這禱告吐出最後一口氣：願神得榮耀，願彌賽亞的國度在世上設立並維持，我便足夠，再無所求。耶西的兒子大衛的祈禱就此完畢。 是的，主耶穌啊，我願你來，快來。
英文原文
Thanksgiving and Prayer
¹⁸ Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
¹⁹ And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
²⁰ The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Such an illustrious prophecy as is in the foregoing verses of the Messiah and his kingdom may fitly be concluded, as it is here, with hearty prayers and praises.
I. The psalmist is here enlarged in thanksgivings for the prophecy and promise, Ps 72:18,19. So sure is every word of God, and with so much satisfaction may we rely upon it, that we have reason enough to give thanks for what he has said, though it be not yet done. We must own that for all the great things he has done for the world, for the church, for the children of men, for his own children, in the kingdom of providence, in the kingdom of grace, for all the power and trust lodged in the hands of the Redeemer, God is worthy to be praised; we must stir up ourselves and all that is within us to praise him after the best manner, and desire that all others may do it. Blessed be the Lord, that is, blessed be his glorious name; for it is only in his name that we can contribute any thing to his glory and blessedness, and yet that is also exalted above all blessing and praise. Let it be blessed for ever, it shall be blessed for ever, it deserves to be blessed for ever, and we hope to be forever blessing it. We are here taught to bless the name of Christ, and to bless God in Christ, for all that which he has done for us by him. We must bless him, 1. As the Lord God, as a self-existent self-sufficient Being, and our sovereign Lord. 2. As the God of Israel, in covenant with that people and worshipped by them, and who does this in performance of the truth unto Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, 3. As the God who only does wondrous things, in creation and providence, and especially this work of redemption, which excels them all. Men's works are little, common, trifling things, and even these they could not do without him. But God does all by his own power, and they are wondrous things which he does, and such as will be the eternal admiration of saints and angels.
II. He is earnest in prayer for the accomplishment of this prophecy and promise: Let the whole earth be filled with his glory, as it will be when the kings of Tarshish, and the isles, shall bring presents to him. It is sad to think how empty the earth is of the glory of God, how little service and honour he has from a world to which he is such a bountiful benefactor. All those, therefore, that wish well to the honour of God and the welfare of mankind, cannot but desire that the earth may be filled with the discoveries of his glory, suitably returned in thankful acknowledgments of his glory. Let every heart, and every mouth, and every assembly, be filled with the high praises of God. We shall see how earnest David is in this prayer, and how much his heart is in it, if we observe, 1. How he shuts up the prayer with a double seal: "Amen and amen; again and again I say, I say it and let all others say the same, so be it. Amen to my prayer; Amen to the prayers of all the saints to this purport—Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come." 2. How he ever shuts up his life with this prayer, Ps 72:20. This was the last psalm that ever he penned, though not placed last in this collection; he penned it when he lay on his death-bed, and with this he breathes his last: "Let God be glorified, let the kingdom of the Messiah be set up, and kept up, in the world, and I have enough, I desire no more. With this let the prayers of David the son of Jesse be ended. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."
前一篇詩篇是大衛年老時所寫，看來本篇也是；因為那時所羅門正有望繼承王位；前篇是他為自己的禱告，本篇是為他兒子與繼承人的禱告，藉這兩篇詩，耶西的兒子大衛的祈禱便告終結，正如我們在本篇結尾所見。我們若有神在我們活著時與我們同在，又對在我們之後的人存著美好的盼望——當我們在天上讚美神時，他們仍在地上讚美祂——那就夠了。本篇題為「所羅門的詩」：據推測，這是大衛臨終前不久，奉神的指示確立繼承、下令宣告所羅門為王之時（王上 1:30 等），由大衛口述，或更確切地說，是蒙聖靈默示給他的。然而，雖然此處用了所羅門的名字，卻是藉著所羅門的預表與影像預言基督的國度。大衛曉得神的諭旨是什麼——就是要「從他的後裔中立一位坐在他的寶座上」（徒 2:30）。他在此為祂作見證，並憑著祂國度榮耀的展望，在臨終之時安慰自己，因為他預見自己的家必不能如他所願那樣在神面前如此偉大、如此美善。大衛在靈裡：一、以簡短的祈禱為他的繼承人開始（詩 72:1）。二、隨即轉入對祂掌權榮耀的長篇預言（詩 72:2-17）。三、他以讚美以色列的神作為結束（詩 72:18-20）。我們歌唱本篇時，當仰望基督，將祂作君王來讚美，並以自己作祂子民的福分為樂。