Give the king thy judgments, O God,
and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
He shall judge thy people with righteousness,
and thy poor with judgment.
The mountains shall bring peace to the people,
and the little hills, by righteousness.
He shall judge the poor of the people,
he shall save the children of the needy,
and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure,
throughout all generations.
He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass:
as showers that water the earth...
Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who only doeth wondrous things.
And blessed be his glorious name for ever:
and let the whole earth be filled with his glory;
Amen, and Amen.
Psalm 72, like many of David’s inspired songs, holds both a present and prophetic message for God’s people which is beautifully suited for the season of Epiphany. In the immediate sense of David’s writing, he was once the son of a humble shepherd who became the king of Israel around 1000 BC, and had learned through a lifetime of walking with God by faith that God’s Word was the light and life of all mankind. The first application of David’s Psalm is that when God gives His Word and wisdom to the king, and the king with his progeny remain in that Word and wisdom by faith, the people and the land will flourish. In such a land, there will be peace among the people, defense of the poor and needy, protection of the oppressed and vindication of the abused. There will be true justice and compassion, and the enemies of this light and life will be defeated. All the nations of the world will stand in awe, respect, and wonder of the nation which abides in the Word and wisdom of God, bringing their gifts and praises and celebrations into its gates.
Such was the case for Israel, for a while, under the leadership of David and his son, Solomon. Eventually Solomon wandered away from God, His Word, and His wisdom, and the kingdom began a long fall into civil war, captivity, and ruin under his successors. Even after Israel’s return from the Babylonian captivity in the centuries preceding the time of Jesus, they fell time and again into wars and strife which left them a servile vassal to Rome. While the Word and wisdom of God remained steadfast and sure, the people to whom it was committed— especially their kings and leaders— demonstrated time and again how poorly they could remain in it. Over and over, the people would begin in the blessing of God by faith and repentance, walk away from Him in their opulence, suffer destruction, and the remnant would return to Him in faith and repentance to be restored. What failed for Israel was not God nor His Word nor His wisdom, but the sinful and fallen hearts of prideful, self-absorbed, deceitful human beings.
While the first application of the text remains true, that the nation which abides in the Word and wisdom of God will live and flourish while those who despise His life and justice will be destroyed, there is also a deeper prophecy found in this text. While no human king and his lineage, let alone entire nations and empires, could by their own strength remain in the Word and wisdom of God, constantly beset as they are by their perennial enemies of sin, death, hell, and the devil, there was one King who could: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God the Father, King of the Universe. What man could not do— abide in the righteousness, compassion, and justice of God without fail— Jesus was in Himself from before the foundation of the world.
The promise given to David and the people of Israel was more than a challenge of the Law to remain steadfast and thereby to be blessed, but also that their Savior and Messiah would come who would secure for them, and for the whole world, what no human king or civilization could procure. This King would be born of the blessed Virgin Mary, of the line of David, and would give His life as a ransom for all who would put their trust in Him. This King who is Himself the eternal Author of Life, who forever is His Father’s Living Word and the Holy Spirit’s living wisdom, became Incarnate so that the light and life of God’s Word and wisdom might dwell with all people. This King’s throne can never be overthrown, never vanquished, and never put to shame. Even in Jesus’ humiliation which culminated with His death on a Roman cross to the bleating scorn of His people’s chief political and religious rulers, Jesus procured through His sacrifice the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation for everyone who put their faith in Him. Through His victorious resurrection, He declared His everlasting victory over sin, death, hell, and the devil, then delivered His His victory to His Church as free gifts to be freely given to every tribe, tongue, and nation. Through His glorious ascension to the right hand of the Father, Jesus continues to defend the meek and lowly, makes intercession for the lost and despairing, and brings justice with compassion for the broken and abused. In the sending of the Holy Spirit, He sends the great Comforter and living Wisdom of His Word to create faith in dead hearts, and to restore life to those enslaved in death. In His coming again, all His enemies shall be put away forever, so that the light, love, justice, compassion, beauty, and righteousness of the Holy Trinity might reign in joyous celebration among His people forevermore.
This Jesus, the one to whom Prophets like David looked forward and the one to whom Apostles, saints, and martyrs have looked back, is the present and future fulfillment of God’s Gospel promise be the light and life of all nations. In Jesus, what no human king or nation could accomplish, is secured forever. God’s Word and wisdom still call all people to faith and repentance, to abide in Him by the power of His Holy Spirit, to receive the forgiveness and life they so desperately need, while the enemies of righteousness and compassion are cast away with inescapable judgement. Here, in Jesus and His Eternal Word, is the Light which penetrates your darkness and puts evil to flight. Hear the Word and wisdom of God call to you again this Epiphany season, that the light of Jesus might enlighten your mind and enliven your spirit, and restore your joyous fellowship with your Savior and King. Amen.
