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Psalm 72 · a question people ask

Who is the king in Psalm 72: Solomon, or Jesus?

In the text

The psalm doesn't name him. Its title says "By Solomon" (72:1), and Psalm 127 is the only other psalm whose title names Solomon (Psalm 127:1). The psalm itself asks God, "give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son" (72:1), and from 72:2 to 72:17 it speaks of the king as he, without a name. No New Testament verse quotes Psalm 72, so these notes don't say whom else it speaks of, and they don't make the king anyone the psalm doesn't name. How Christians read a psalm about the LORD's king as speaking of Christ is set out in the chapter on Psalm 2, in its question on whether Psalm 2 spoke first of David or a king of his line, or of Jesus directly, with the main readings and the New Testament verses each rests on (Psalm 2:2, 2:6-7; Acts 4:25-27).

The verses

“By Solomon. God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.”
Psalm 72:1 · World English Bible
“His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed.”
Psalm 72:17 · World English Bible
“A Song of Ascents. By Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.”
Psalm 127:1 · World English Bible
“The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his Anointed, saying,”
Psalm 2:2 · 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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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