David composed Psalm 72 for Solomon and prayed that he would have the wisdom to provide justice for the poor. What the inner soul craves in times of tragedy is the safety that is Hashem, and the knowledge that what is happening is beyond mortal understanding. There are questions that will never be answered, so we must focus beyond that and look to the light that is our Father in Heaven.
- Text Psalm 72
- Hebrew text of Psalm 72 – תהילים עב
- Listen to Psalm 72
- Explanation of Psalm 72 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
- Commentary by Rashi on Psalm 72
- Further explanation of the above Jewish comments
- Psalm 1 to 92
Text Psalm 72
Regarding Solomon. O G-d, give Your judgments to a king and Your righteousness to the son of a king. May he judge Your people with justice and Your poor people with justice. May the mountains bear peace to the people, and the hills bear righteousness. May he judge the poor of the people; may he save the children of the needy and crush the oppressor. May they fear You in the presence of the sun and before the moon from generation to generation.
….May there be an abundance of grain in the land, on the mountain tops; may its fruit rustle like Lebanon, and they shall blossom out of the city like the grass of the earth. May his name be forever ; before the sun his name will be magnified and [people] will bless themselves with him; all nations will praise him. Blessed is the Lord G‑d, the G‑d of Israel, who alone performs miracles. And blessed is His glorious name forever, and His glory will fill the whole earth. Amen and amen. The prayers of David son of Jesse are completed.
Hebrew text of Psalm 72 – תהילים עב
- To Solomon, God, give your judgments to the king and your righteousness to the son of the king. In the hand of your people in righteousness and your poor in judgment. 3 Let the mountains bring peace to the people and the hills righteousness. 4 He will judge the poor of the people, He will save the children of Abion and oppress the oppressor. They will see you with the sun and before the moon for generations. And it came down like rain on the gas like rabbis a trickle of Oretz. The righteous will flourish in his days and peace will prevail until the moon is gone. 8 And it came down from water to sea and from a river to the end of the earth. 9 Fleets will kneel before him and his enemies will follow him. The kings of Tarshish and the offering islands will return, the kings of Sheba and Saba will sacrifice. And all kings shall bow down to him, all nations shall serve him. 12 For he will save the destitute and the poor, and he has no helper. 13 Yahs on the poor and desolate, and the desolate souls of Yeshua. A hand from between and from Hamas will redeem their soul and their blood will be precious in his eyes. Let him live and let him be given gold. If you pray before him always all day long, they will bless him. 16 There shall be a wild field in the land at the top of the mountains, and its fruit shall rise like the grass of the land, and it shall spring from a city. 17 May his name be forever before the sun of Yanin (Yinun) whose heavens shall be blessed in him, and all the nations shall be glorified. 18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does wonders. 19 And blessed be the name of his glory forever, his glory will fill the whole earth, Omen and Omen. David ben Yishai’s prayers were finished.
Listen to Psalm 72
Listen to Psalm 72 in Hebrew.
Explanation of Psalm 72 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
David has been thoroughly tested by G-d in his life. He pleads with Hashem that his children should never be punished for anything he may have done wrong. David goes even further. He asks that Shlomo will always be fair in his judgments and guide the people with justice. David prays that Solomon will never be bitter and that he sees the events of his life as teaching moments designed to provide insight into how to be a just and worthy leader.
David speaks of generation after generation thriving both in the sun by day and in the moonlit night despite all the tragedy. Jews possess the ability to respond to those in need. This merit gives them hope of continuity. Everything is G-d all miracles and all actions. This truth is the answer to the unanswered.
Commentary by Rashi on Psalm 72
Per verse the commentary of Rashi, the Jewish Bible commentator who lived from 1040-1105. Rashi is considered the teacher of teachers. All traditional Jews regard Rashi as an authority on the Jewish Bible and Talmud. Hence it is important to record his commentary on the Psalms. Rashi uses new Hebrew supplemented with Old French words. His language is sometimes somewhat oracularly short. For further explanation it is wise to consult an orthodox Jewish rabbi.
Verse 1
Concerning Solomon. O G-d, give Your judgments to a king and Your righteousness to the son of a king.
Concerning Solomon : He prayed this prayer on behalf of his son Solomon, for he foresaw with the Holy Spirit that he [Solomon] was destined to ask of the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘a heart to understand, to hear judgment’.
Your judgments : the wisdom of Your laws, which You have commanded in the Torah.
Your righteousness : judge righteously.
to the son of a king : Both refer to Solomon. Another explanation:
Give your judgment to a king : The chastenings should end with me, and charity should grant You my son; namely, that there is peace in his days.
Verse 3
May the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills bring about righteousness.
May the mountains bear peace to the people in his days. Now what is the peace that the mountains bear? When they bring forth fruit, men will not be jealous, and ,every man shall call his neighbor [to come] under [his] vine and under [his] fig tree.,
and the hills by righteousness : And the hills shall bear peace unto them by the righteousness which they shall perform.
Verse 5
May they fear You in the presence of the sun and before the moon from generation to generation.
May they fear You in the presence of the sun : All Israel will learn from him to fear You all the days of the sun and the moon, from generation to generation.
and for the moon : As long as the moon exists for generations, when it is before it [i.e. during its existence]. There are many such expressions in the language of the Mishnah. Before the temple and not before the temple [i.e. when the temple existed and when it no longer exists].
Verse 6
May it come down like rain on cut vegetation, like raindrops falling on the earth.
May it come down like rain on cut vegetation : May his word come down in the midst of Your people and in their hearts like the rain that falls on cut vegetation, which requires rain after being cut. As the case declares (Amos 7:1), ,and behold the last growth after the king’s reaping.,
that drop upon the earth : Hebrew זרזיף, an expression of drops. In Aramaic, in Tractate Yoma (87a): ,Drops (זרזיפי) of water struck him.,
Verse 7
May the righteous prosper in his days, and much peace until there is no moon.
May the righteous prosper in his days : Israel
and much peace : shall prosper in his days, and this peace shall last forever. Now all this prayer was fulfilled except this thing, because Solomon sinned. Therefore his kingdom did not last, for the kingdom was given to David on this condition (1 Kings 2:4): ,If your children take heed to their way,, but Israel sinned in his days. As it is said (ibid. 4:20): “Judah and Israel [were] many, as the sand, etc.” And Israel prospered in his days, as it is said… And there was much peace, as it is said (ibid. 5:5): ,And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, etc. ., all the days of Solomon.,
Verse 8
And may he reign from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the land.
And may he reign from sea to sea : All the land of Israel comes from the Sea of Reeds to the Sea of the Philistines [the Mediterranean Sea].
and from the river even to the ends of the land : (I Kings 5:4), “For he had dominion over all [the inhabitants of] this side the river, etc.”
Verse 9
May nobles kneel before him and may his enemies lick the dust.
nobles : Heb. ציים, companies of nobles, such as (Numbers 24:24): ,and nobles (וצים) of the Kittites,, which the Targum gives: And companies will come from the Romans.
Verse 10
May the kings of Tarshish and the islands pay tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba draw near with a gift.
May the kings of Tarshish and the isles pay tribute : (I Kings 10:23): For the king had ships of Tarshish at sea with the ships of Aliram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish would come, etc.
the kings of Sheba : the queen of Sheba
a gift : Hebrew אֶשְׁכָּר, a gift.
Verse 11
And all kings will fall down before him; may all nations serve him.
may all nations serve him : (I Kings 10:24f.): ,And all the [inhabitants of] the earth sought Solomon’s presence, etc. And every man should bring his gift.,
Verse 14
He will deliver their souls from beatings and from theft, and their blood will be precious in his sight.
Of beatings and of theft : Heb. מתוך ומחמס, of assault and theft. I found [the following]: מִתּוֹ is an expression of ‘his innermost midst (תּוֹ)’, people of conspiracies, who plot iniquity as (Proverbs 29:13): ‘a man of deep thoughts (תככים).
he will redeem their souls : through the righteousness and righteousness which he will do for them.
Verse 15
And may he live, and He will give him of the gold of Sheba, and may He make intercession for him continually; May He bless him every day.
And may he live : Solomon
, and He will give him : Blessed be the Holy One.
of the gold of Sheba : And so it was (I Kings 3:13): ,both riches and honor, so that there will be none like you among kings.,
and may He pray for him continually : The prayer and the blessing are identical. When the Holy One, blessed be He, says to a man, “You will be blessed,” it is an expression of prayer.
Verse 16
May there be an abundance of grain in the land, on the mountain tops; may its fruit rustle like Lebanon, and they shall blossom out of the city like the grass of the earth.
May there be an abundance of grain : Hebrew פסת, an expression of proliferation (פסיון), increase and abundance. However, our sages interpreted this as an expression of white bread during the Messianic age (Keth. 111b, Shab. 30b), and the entire psalm as referring to the Messianic age. Another explanation: פִּסַת is an expression of goodwill, like פִּיוּס, pacifying; the people are satisfied and accepted by the Holy One, blessed be He, when He gives abundance in the world.
may its fruit rustle like Lebanon : May the grains of wheat be as thick as the kidneys of a great ox, as happened in the days of Shimon ben Shatach.
and they shall flourish : Israel
out of the city : Out of the midst of Jerusalem as the grass of the earth.
Verse 17
May his name be forever; before the sun his name will be magnified and [people] will bless themselves with him; all nations will praise him.
May his name : [May] the name of Solomon be forever remembered for his wealth and his wisdom.
before the sun his name will be magnified : All the days of the sun his name will be magnified.
will be magnified : Hebrew ינון, an expression of kingdom and dominion, as (Proverbs 29:21): he will ultimately be a ruler (מנון); (Genesis 21:23) ‘, and against my son (ולניני),’ who reigns after me over my possession; (below 74:8), ‘they said in their hearts, their rulers (נינם) together’; their kings together.
will bless themselves with him : A person will say to his son, ,May you be wise and rich like Solomon.,
Verse 18
Blessed is the Lord G‑d, the G‑d of Israel, who alone performs miracles.
Blessed is the Lord God, who alone works wonders : When fire came down from heaven through Solomon his son.
Verse 20
The prayers of David the son of Jesse are completed.
David’s prayers…are completed. : Hebrew כלו. Our sages related about כָּלוּ to mean כָּל אֵלוּ, these are all the prayers of David the son of Jesse, to record the whole book of David’s name, even what the sons of Korah and the ten elders said because he was renowned as (II Samuel 23:1) “the sweet singer of Israel.” כָּלוּ can also be interpreted as ,were completed., The construction of כָּלוּ is as (Job 24:24): ,They are taken away in a second (רֹמוּ),; (Jeremiah 2:12): “O heaven, marvel (שֹׁמוּ).” If so, this psalm was not written in its place and there is no chronological order in the book. The [subject] matter indicates that he said this in his old age, when he enthroned Solomon.
Further explanation of the above Jewish comments
The name Solomon comes from the word shalom which means peace. His mother Bathsheba gave him that name because under his rule there would be peace in Israel. In this respect Solomon was different from his father David who fought many wars. David struggled with evil and it stained him. For that reason, G-d did not allow him to build the Temple.
Solomon was the exact opposite of David. He had no enemies. There was no resistance to him. Because he lived in an age of peace and his hands were clean, he was chosen to build the Temple.
According to the Hasidic masters, David and Solomon symbolize the two ways of personal battles against evil. David actively waged war against evil; Solomon concentrated on the good and thus drove away the evil. According to Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, all people should follow Solomon’s method. Focus on good and light, and the darkness will disappear.
Parsha Tzav in the book of Leviticus describes the transformation of evil into good, from darkness into light. On a national level the enemy becomes a friend and on a personal level evil transforms into good and starts working in the service of G-d.
Ancient Egypt where Jews were slaves represented evil. Moses came with the divine mission to free the Jews. Despite the miracles that Moses performed, Pharaoh continued to resist fiercely. But on the Shabbat before the Exodus, the Egyptian firstborn rebelled against their government and sided with Moses. So evil was transformed into good. The Jewish sages say that this reaction arose from the personal fear of the firstborn because of the tenth plague in which they would be killed. Yet the rebellion of the firstborn was a first harbinger of the future in which darkness is turned into light and evil into good.
Psalm 1 to 92
Would you like to read more Psalms with a Jewish interpretation? Go to: Psalms 1 through 92.