Psalm 72 “Prayers for the King”

Psalm 72 “Prayers for the King”

 

INTRODUCTION: We are in the middle of election time. Political adds come on during every show on your TV, there are mailers, phone calls and even the news degenerates into a political circus. You may have strong feelings for one person over another; I would feel better about voting if I did. Then I come to Psalm 72. It has been a long time since I picked this psalm and I was not thinking it would convict me as it has. This psalm has something for all of us to consider.

 

1. A prayer for the king

            A. This is a prayer for Solomon

            B. do we pray for our leaders, president, governor, representatives, even or session?

            C. We criticize, berate, point out their flaws even pray for new ones.

            D. This psalm convicts me, for no matter who wins, they will need prayer.

            E. not prayer that their ideas and plans succeed, but prayer that God will use them.

 

2. Prayers for our leaders

            A. Pray for their salvation

            b. read every verse of Psalm 72

 

3. Pray now

            A. that God’s person would be elected

            B. once elected that that person would become the leader God wants

            C. Our country is in to bad of shape for us to pray against our leaders we need to pray for them.

            D. not that they accomplish their own plans but that they accomplish God’s plan.
 

Perhaps when we start praying for our leaders, to be God’s leaders, they will make wiser choices, and God will use them to heal our land.

Psalm 72:1-19 (NIV2011) ¹ Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
² May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.
³ May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.
⁴ May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.
⁵ May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.
⁶ May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.
⁷ In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.
⁸ May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
⁹ May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust.
¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts.
¹¹ May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
¹³ He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
¹⁴ He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
¹⁵ Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.
¹⁶ May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field.
¹⁷ May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.
¹⁸ Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
¹⁹ Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.