Psalm 72–73

A Solomon Psalm

^1–872Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God,

the gift of just rule to the crown prince.

May he judge your people rightly,

be honorable to your meek and lowly.

Let the mountains give exuberant witness;

shape the hills with the contours of right living.

Please stand up for the poor,

help the children of the needy,

come down hard on the cruel tyrants.

Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—

age after age after age.

Be rainfall on cut grass,

earth-refreshing rain showers.

Let righteousness burst into blossom

and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.

Rule from sea to sea,

from the River to the Rim.

^9–14Foes will fall on their knees before God,

his enemies lick the dust.

Kings remote and legendary will pay homage,

kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth.

All kings will fall down and worship,

and godless nations sign up to serve him,

Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need,

the destitute who have run out of luck.

He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out,

he restores the wretched of the earth.

He frees them from tyranny and torture—

when they bleed, he bleeds;

when they die, he dies.

^15–17And live! Oh, let him live!

Deck him out in Sheba gold.

Offer prayers unceasing to him,

bless him from morning to night.

Fields of golden grain in the land,

cresting the mountains in wild exuberance,

Cornucopias of praise, praises

springing from the city like grass from the earth.

May he never be forgotten,

his fame shine on like sunshine.

May all godless people enter his circle of blessing

and bless the One who blessed them.

^18–20Blessed God, Israel’s God,

the one and only wonder-working God!

Blessed always his blazing glory!

All earth brims with his glory.

Yes and Yes and Yes.

An Asaph Psalm

^1–573No doubt about it! God is good—

good to good people, good to the good-hearted.

But I nearly missed it,

missed seeing his goodness.

I was looking the other way,

looking up to the people

At the top,

envying the wicked who have it made,

Who have nothing to worry about,

not a care in the whole wide world.

^6–10Pretentious with arrogance,

they wear the latest fashions in violence,

Pampered and overfed,

decked out in silk bows of silliness.

They jeer, using words to kill;

they bully their way with words.

They’re full of hot air,

loudmouths disturbing the peace.

People actually listen to them—can you believe it?

Like thirsty puppies, they lap up their words.

^11–14What’s going on here? Is God out to lunch?

Nobody’s tending the store.

The wicked get by with everything;

they have it made, piling up riches.

I’ve been stupid to play by the rules;

what has it gotten me?

A long run of bad luck, that’s what—

a slap in the face every time I walk out the door.

^15–20If I’d have given in and talked like this,

I would have betrayed your dear children.

Still, when I tried to figure it out,

all I got was a splitting headache …

Until I entered the sanctuary of God.

Then I saw the whole picture:

The slippery road you’ve put them on,

with a final crash in a ditch of delusions.

In the blink of an eye, disaster!

A blind curve in the dark, and—nightmare!

We wake up and rub our eyes.… Nothing.

There’s nothing to them. And there never was.

^21–24When I was beleaguered and bitter,

totally consumed by envy,

I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox

in your very presence.

I’m still in your presence,

but you’ve taken my hand.

You wisely and tenderly lead me,

and then you bless me.

^25–28You’re all I want in heaven!

You’re all I want on earth!

When my skin sags and my bones get brittle,

God is rock-firm and faithful.

Look! Those who left you are falling apart!

Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again.

But I’m in the very presence of God—

oh, how refreshing it is!

I’ve made Lord God my home.

God, I’m telling the world what you do!