THE GLORIOUS REIGN OF KING MESSIAH

Lesson 11

Psalm 72:1–11

There is some question whether David wrote this Psalm or whether we are to ascribe it to Solomon. It is safe to say that Solomon was the subject of this Psalm and that the coming Messiah is also the subject of it.

Types of Christ

In the Old Testament we often observe two individuals who together are the type of the Christ who was to come. We see Moses and Aaron or Moses and Joshua, and David and Solomon. No one individual was rich enough in his own life to typify the Christ completely. He is to be the son of David. David was the man after God’s own heart. David did great things for his God and David sang some of the most beautiful songs in praise of his God. However, the reign of Messiah will also be far different from the rule of David. David had shed much blood so that he was not even allowed to build the temple for his God even though that was his great desire. The peace and splendor of Solomon’s reign spoke of the Messiah who was coming. In this Psalm, the reign of Solomon is referred to as typical of the reign of King Messiah. It will be a peaceful reign; it will be a glorious reign; it will encompass far more than the ancient people of God because His reign will have universal dimensions. Although the kingdom of Solomon had some of these attributes, the former days of Solomon and his latter days must be clearly distinguished. The former days were indeed glorious. What a relief that the wars were finished! What a blessing that the emphasis might now fall on the building of Jerusalem so that it became a famous city. But, in his later life, Solomon forsook his God, married outside of the covenant people, led Israel astray and placed burdens on the people greater than they could bear. The kingdom of Solomon has, therefore, both its lighter and darker side. In this respect Messiah’s Kingdom will not be like Solomon’s. His rule will last as long as sun and moon endure and it will be far broader in scope. Nobody will ever be the true type of the Christ. He is so far greater than any creature! He is unique! This must be borne in mind as we allow the light of the Old Testament to fall on the New. These types teach us, indeed, but they also teach us how much greater our Lord is.

The Righteous King

The one who has mounted the throne is the king’s son and as such has a right to this position. God had given the promise to David t hat He would cause his son to sit upon the throne of Israel after him and so build his house. This is now being fulfilled with the ascension of Solomon to the throne. The poet prays that God will give this new king His judgments and His righteousness so that he will be able to rule in the right manner. Not wealth or splendor is to characterize Solomon’s kingship, but judgment and righteousness. God had given His laws to Israel many years before the reigns of David and Solomon. Therein He had revealed t he pattern for the rule which would be pleasing in His sight. If the nation would walk in these ways, it would indeed be a theocracy that was God’s intention with Israel from the beginning. If Solomon will now receive from his God the spirit of judgment and of righteousness, he will be able to rule in the way God intended.

Besides, so much depended on the insight of the king into the various problems which were brought before him. If he would have His spirit of judgment and of righteousness, he would be able to give counsel which would stand. Later in the life and in the reign of Solomon we read of the wisdom which he exhibited, which was nothing less than the ability to judge righteously. Then the poor receive their due. If righteousness is lacking, the poor will suffer the most. Only when true judgment and righteousness characterize the rule in a nation are people safe! The prayer is here uttered that Solomon may have that kind of wisdom so that he follows the commands of his God, for then he will judge the poor of the people, he will save the needy, and punish the oppressor. Only in this way will there be true peace in the land. Peace and prosperity are built on justice.

His Prosperous Rule

A country which is ruled in such a way will experience blessings which had never been expected. The Old Testament frequently speaks of the effect which the conduct of men have on nature (the wicked . . . Jer. 12:4) Here in verse 3 the Psalmist speaks of the effect which the righteous reign of the just king will have on nature itself. The mountains will bring peace to the people and the hills in righteousness. In Palestine the valleys are very fruitful and produce an abundance. However, the hills and the sides of the mountains are often barren. These are the areas which are far too dry to produce a crop of any size. But, in the reign of this coming king there will be such prosperity that even the hills and the mountains bring forth in abundance. This will, therefore, be the kind of rule which the people have never experienced before. This promise certainly was not completely fulfilled during the days of Solomon, but it will be completely fulfilled during the reign of the greater than Solomon! Christ’s dominion will be complete and it will bring blessings wherever His rule extends.

The Psalmist prays that the subjects of this king may be obedient and may fear their king. He is one who is to be honored. The people must realize how great is their privilege that they have such a monarch to reign over them.

An Eternal Kingdom

The emphasis now falls on the duration of the rule of this great king. It will last as long as the sun endures, that is, according to the mind of the oriental, forever—as long as the moon, throughout all generations! Here is the prayer “O king, live forever.” David had a long reign, no less than forty years. Solomon will also have but forty years! He cannot expect that Solomon’s life will be as long as that of the sun and the moon. But, Solomon’s great Son will reign forever! This Psalm is Messianic! Solomon cannot exhaust the rich meaning of these words. Only Christ can!

The rule of this Messianic King will extend far beyond the time given to others and it will be of an entirely different nature. It will come down as rain upon the mown grass, as showers, gentle showers, that water the earth after the pastures have been denuded. This king will not come with the sword as David had done, but he will come down as the gentle rain. At the same time, this rain will again make the land fruitful. How dependent Israel was on the former and the latter rain! The land will have prosperity as never before.

The righteous, the law–abiding, will flourish during his entire reign. A nation is blessed when the righteous flourish. If the unrighteous are protected and therefore flourish, it is a blot on the record of that regime. But, under the Messianic reign the people who are the most deserving are the ones who are protected by their government.

The Universal Rule

The poet next speaks of the bounds of this reign of Messiah. He will have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River unto the ends of the earth. This is the Hebrew way of saying that there are no bounds to His reign. From the great sea, the Mediterranean, to the sea on the other end of the earth, whatever sea that might be. So also from the River, (and The River is none else but the Euphrates in Hebrew thought), to the ends of the earth, no land will be able to contain the rule of Messiah. There will be no end to that rule nor will there be geographical boundaries. Heaven cannot contain Him. Then no temple can contain Him; nor will one country be able to contain Him. Israel thought they were highly blest during the reigns of David and Solomon, and they were. But, the future holds such blessings as they have never imagined. Let Israel sing its Psalms! Let them realize how great their Messiah will be! The word which they have received is the word which speaks of Him!

Having spoken of the extent of the reign of Messiah, the P salmist now names the places and peoples who will fall under His reign. First he mentions those that dwell in the wilderness, the wild ones, spoken of both men and animals in the Old Testament. Those who had never been tamed will bow before Him. His enemies will lick the dust. They will humble themselves to the extreme before this great King Who is to come.

The vision of the Psalmist extends to the far–off foreign lands. The kings of Tarshish, which was likely found in today’s Spain, and the kings of the islands of the sea will render tribute. They will bring their gifts, their wealth, to Him because He is the rightful Owner. Also the kings of Sheba (in Arabia?) and of Seba, very likely found in Africa, will offer gifts. These gifts and the tribute of which a previous verse spoke, are not only to be looked upon as taxes which are paid by subjugated peoples; they are the gifts which even have religious significance. They are of the nature of sacrifices. Finally, the Psalmist sums this all up saying: Yea all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him. Never has there been a King whose rule has been so universal and so complete. The kings of Babylon, Assyria, Egypt and other lands, often boasted of the extent of their kingdoms and of the glory of their kingdoms. Compared with the kingdom of the One of Whom the Psalmist sings in Psalm 72, theirs was nothing. His kingdom is not only glorious and wide in extent; it is also eternal! Of all the others the final word is: “and he died.” But, Israel’s great King will reign as long as the sun endures and as long as the moon shines. His is a beneficent reign. His reign is greater than all others.

Questions for discussion:

1. Is the Kingship of our Lord as important as His other offices? Is it of more practical value to us then the other two? 2. In which ways was Solomon a true type of Jesus Christ? In which ways was he not? 3. Should our proclamation of the gospel include more of the Kingly demands of the Christ? Will we ever have a just rule here on earth as long as men do not bow the knee to King Jesus? 4. Why is His reign beneficial for men? He will be very gentle and yet His enemies shall lick the dust. Is there a contradiction here? 5. The dominion of Christ will be much broader than the dominion of either David or Solomon. Does Psalm 72 teach the people to look longingly for His day to come? Does it teach us this truth today?    

THE MANNER OF MESSIAH’S RULE

Lesson 12

Psalm 72:12–20

Glorious things have been spoken concerning the kingly rule of the Messiah who is to come. He will be far greater than either David or Solomon or than these two together. No king will ever be like Him. His eternal Kingship will rule all men and He will be victorious over every enemy.

A Beneficial Rule

The question will naturally arise: What king of King will He be? Will His hands drip with the blood of those whom He has slain in battle? Will His riches as a King mean that He has impoverished all those over whom He rules? The Psalmist now goes on to tell us something of the nature of Messiah’s rule. It is clearly shown to be a very beneficent rule. David had been cruel to the nations and peoples whom he had vanquished (II Samuel 12:31). Solomon, in his later years, had exacted an enormous amount of taxes from his own people. Are they herein types of the Messiah and His reign? By no means. His reign is not going to be ushered in by great armies which conquer all peoples. He is not going to come with the exhibition of tremendous power whereby He forces men to bring obedience to Him. His reign will take the needy into consideration. He will deliver the needy when he cries out for deliverance. He will consider the poor that have no helper; i.e., no one has ever bothered about them. They have always been the downtrodden. Now, with the rule of Messiah, they will have a real Helper. This is a King who will be moved to pity by the plight of the poor and needy. Think of it! Other rulers have despised these poor and needy ones. They had no defense. They had no one to take up the cudgels for them. They were always the lonely ones. He will rescue them and save them. They have a real champion in the Messiah who comes to reign.

Oppression and violence had always followed them everywhere. They were the victims of fraud. Because they were defenseless, everyone took advantage of them. This situation ends with the coming of the Messianic reign. Their blood will be precious in the sight of their Savior. He will give them protection and will no longer allow anyone to take advantage of them. The prosperous day oftheir opponents has come to an end. The Messiah is One to be reckoned with and He has cast His lot with the poor and needy.

The reign of the Messiah will be a reign of righteousness. Whether people are poor or rich, whether they are needy or self–sufficient, He will rule over them in such a manner that the law of God and His will will be honored. God had demanded righteousness from those whom He had given a place of authority over others. Many of these rulers had not been obedient to this rule. This number included David and Solomon. However, when Messiah comes, His rule will be just. This will be seen especially in the way in which He will treat the poor and needy. These have always had to bear the brunt of the difficulties which came on people because of unjust rule. Although David and Solomon are types of the Christ to come, they will not begin to live up to the rule which He has set for Himself. The Antitype is much greater than any type! The Messiah is unique.

Grateful Subjects

What will the reaction be of the people over whom He rules? Of course, they will be overwhelmed by His goodness. They will call out to Him: “O King, live forever!” This is the proper translation of the beginning of verse 15. This was also the usual oriental expression to a king, whether he was good or bad. But, here the people mean it with all their hearts. His rule is the kind they have been wishing for throughout their lives. Now that it has finally come—let it never stop! To Him will be given of the gold of Sheba. The people willingly bring their tribute to such a King. He will be enriched as no one has been before. The people will see to it that He has all the riches He might ever desire in order that He may carry out all His plans. This King will be borne upon the prayers of His people. Later the Apostle will command the church that they are always to remember their earthly ruler in their prayers. This has often been difficult for God’s people when someone occupied the throne who was a godless man. When Messiah comes with His beneficent rule, the prayers of His people for Him are spontaneous. He is in their thoughts all the time! He will also hear the jubilation of this people all the time because they rejoice that they have such a King. This people is happy. This people is blessed. May this King live forever. May His Kingdom have no end. Never has a people been so favored by the One who rules over them.

Unparalleled Prosperity

It is indeed glorious that the people have such a high conception of their King so that they bring Him more honor than has ever been paid to another monarch. However, there is more to it. Not only do these people sing His praises and rejoice in Him, they have not only found a Helper in the time of need but are also prospering as no other people. His beneficent rule elicits their admiration and their devotion. His just rule is also blest so abundantly that words fail to describe the blessing it will be for His people. The spiritual blessings which will come on the people as a result of Messiah’s rule are clear to all. However, the Psalmist now speaks of the material wealth which will be given to the people because of the favored reign of Messiah. The land of Palestine is fruitful –in places. It is the land which flows with milk and honey. But, there are also barren places in this land. Part of it is desert. Part of it is mountainous. At times the patriarchs had to leave the country because of famine. The Psalmist now speaks of the abundance of grain which there is to be in the land. How abundant? The grain will grow up the sides of the mountains to the very top in the days of Messiah, so that when the wind passes over it, it will sound as the wind in the branches of a forest! It will sound like Lebanon! This is the kind of situation which has never been experienced before. So great is the prosperity of the people of God when Messiah is their King. Nor is it restricted to the fields of grain. The dwellers in the cities shall also share in the tremendous wealth which His reign brings. Their numbers will increase so that the people will be as the grass of the earth. The promise had been made to the fathers that a numerous race would come forth from them. They would be in number as the grains of sand of the seashore or as the stars of the heavens. This will be fulfilled when Messiah has taken up the sceptre. When He has mounted the throne the people will flourish, their numbers will not be known.

All the blessings of life are connected to Messiah’s reign. Everything here is dependent on Him. Let Israel look back with nostalgia to the days of David and Solomon. Much more is still to come. Those two previous kings will be as nothing compared to David’s great Son. When He comes even all nature will outdo itself. The conditions can scarcely be put into words—and the greatest poet is speaking here!

Universal Admiration

The name of anyone whose reign will be such a blessing or the people over whom He rules and over the land itself will always be remembered. How could the name of. such a ruler ever be lost from memory? No, His name shall endure forever and shall be continued as long as the sun. The Hebrew poet makes it clear that he considers this name everlasting. And, it is not just for His people. No, we now see fulfilled the promise made to Abraham that in his seed all the nations should be blest. The people of God must often have asked themselves: How will this promise ever be fulfilled? It often seemed as though the people of God were considered a curse by the other nations among whom they were scattered. Time and again these surrounding nations sought to expel and sought to blot out the people of God. Now they can sing of the fulfillment of this promise in Psalm 72. Men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him happy. This Ruler receives the admiration and praise of all the nations.

Praise to God

This Psalm ends with a doxology. This sounds somewhat strange because we are not accustomed to hear a doxology at the end of the Psalms. However, it is most appropriate at the end of this Psalm. There are those who do not believe that these words really belong to this Psalm. However, I disagree. The Psalmist has been on the very heights. He has seen “the promised land” of the time of the reign of King Messiah. Words have almost failed him before in describing the rule of Messiah. Coming to the end of the Psalm, words fail him completely and he can only come with the words of a doxology—a word of praise to God! It is Jehovah God Who has done the marvelous works which he has described. To Him be the praise and the glory. He is the only One who does wondrous things. May His glorious name be blessed forever and ever. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of that God! He is great and He is greatly to be praised! No One can send a Messiah except Jehovah God! He has remembered His promise! And His promise is even so much greater than we had imagined. The doxology is in its rightful place here.

The Psalter of Israel was divided into several books from early days. For example, we find the same kind of ending to Psalm 41 as we find at the end of Psalm 72. We are now told that the prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. The second book of the Psalter has now come to a close. There are differences of opinion regarding the specific meaning of these words. We do know that the Psalms of David have not ended here. Later there are other Psalms which are attributed to David.

In the New Testament, our Lord refers to the Psalms, and speaks of them as written by David. This last sentence of this Psalm need not hold our attention very long. Suffice it to say that here was a division of the Psalter which was clearly understood at that time. But, let not this last sentence detract from the sublime beauty of this Psalm. Our Savior is King. In His Kingship many promises are fulfilled. His Kingship is so great. It is everlasting.

Questions for discussion:

1. When the reign of Messiah is called a beneficent reign is this fact contradicted by verse 4? 2. Is the rule over the poor and needy something which endears Him to the rulers of this earth? If their blood is precious in His sight, will He call them to defend their homeland? 3. The fact that men will pray for Him and bless Him all the day long is an evidence of the esteem in which the people hold Him. Was anything like this to be found in the reigns of David and Solomon? In the realms of present-day rulers? 4. The whole country, including nature, will benefit from t he just and beneficent rule of Messiah. Why is this true? Does real prosperity always accompany just and righteous rule? 5. How are all nations blest by Him? How are all nations blest by the people of God? 6. The final glory is ascribed to Jehovah God. Why? Will the reign of a righteous ruler serve to draw · people to the living God? Why or why not?