Psalm 72 · a question people ask

"This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse" (72:20). Why does a psalm titled "By Solomon" end that way, when later psalms are titled by David?

In the text

The line says what it says, and the book doesn't explain it. It closes a psalm whose title is "By Solomon" (72:1). And psalms titled by David still come after it. The first is Psalm 86: "A Prayer by David. Hear, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy" (Psalm 86:1), and there are more, such as Psalm 101:1, 103:1 and 138:1. The book doesn't say how the line and these titles fit together, and these notes don't add an explanation. What can be said is what its words are. In Hebrew ends is kalah, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent", and prayers is the plural of tefillah, the word in the titles "A Prayer by David" (Psalm 17:1, 86:1) (tap prayers).

The verses

“By Solomon. God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.”
Psalm 72:1 · World English Bible
“This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.”
Psalm 72:20 · World English Bible
“A Prayer by David. Hear, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.”
Psalm 86:1 · World English Bible
“A Psalm by David. I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, LORD, I will sing praises.”
Psalm 101:1 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 72

Psalm 72: Give the king your justice

Speaking to God, Psalm 72 calls the poor "your poor" (72:2), and straight after "All nations shall serve him" (72:11) comes "For he will deliver the needy when he cries" (72:12). And its "Praise be" (72:18) and "Blessed be" (72:19) are one Hebrew word, barukh.

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Last reviewed September 28, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions