Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a prayer for a king to be good; it's a plea for God to give him the very capacity to rule justly. The plural word for "judgments" highlights that true kingship isn't a single act but a complex, wise administration of many facets of justice.
Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with a prayer for the king, understood by many as Solomon, David's son and successor, who is being established on the throne. It calls for God to grant him wisdom and integrity in ruling, setting the stage for a description of a just and prosperous reign. The prayer anticipates a ruler who will embody divine justice and righteousness in all his decisions and actions.
Imagine praying for your leader, asking God to directly pour His wisdom and character into them. This Psalm starts with just that kind of bold request.
This isn't just a wish for a good ruler; it's a prayer for divine equipping. David asks God to give the king 'your judgments' and 'your righteousness.'
What does this mean?
David is essentially praying that the king would govern like God governs, mirroring His perfect justice and character. This highlights that true, godly leadership isn't just about skill or power; it's about a direct impartation from God Himself.
Who is this 'king' and 'king's son' being prayed for? The answer points us from an earthly ruler to an eternal King.
The immediate context points to Solomon, David's son, who was newly anointed king. However, the language and the scope of the Psalm go far beyond any human ruler.
A Dual Fulfillment
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This Psalm functions as a prayer that anticipates the perfect, eternal reign of the Messiah, who alone fully embodies God's justice and righteousness.
Understand the original words
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, justice refers to the standard of moral equity and right-doing established by God. It involves both the administration of law and the restoration of what is right in relationships and society.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
Righteousness is the quality or character of being right or just, in conformity with God's nature and law. It encompasses both personal integrity and the act of doing what is morally upright before God and men.
ben-melek · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Refers to the king or ruler anointed by God to lead His people. Biblically, it often points toward the Messianic King, whose authority is derived from God to govern according to divine standards.
din · Hebrew Verb
To judge is to exercise authority in making decisions, discerning truth, and administering justice. In the Bible, it is the act of evaluating conduct against divine truth and rendering a verdict.
ani · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
In this context, it refers to those who are afflicted, powerless, or socially marginalized. God repeatedly commands His leaders to protect and care for this group, as He is their defender.
This psalm is deeply rooted in the historical moment of Solomon's ascent to the throne, acting as both a prayer and a prophecy for his rule, while simultaneously pointing beyond him to the perfect, eternal reign of the Messiah.
c. 970 BC— this verse
Solomon Anointed King
David, nearing the end of his life, has his son Solomon anointed king, though David himself is still alive. This sets the stage for Solomon's rule.
c. 970 BC
David's Prayer for Solomon
The aging King David offers a prayer for his son Solomon, asking God to grant him wisdom, justice, and righteousness to rule the kingdom effectively.
c. 970 BC
Solomon's Dream at Gibeon
God appears to Solomon in a dream, offering him anything he desires. Solomon asks for wisdom and understanding to govern God's people justly.
c. 970 BC
Beginning of Solomon's Reign
Solomon officially begins his reign, marked by his request for wisdom and God's subsequent blessings of wealth and honor, as outlined in this psalm.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death and the reign of his son Rehoboam, the united kingdom of Israel splits into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. This highlights the eventual decline from the ideal reign described in the psalm.
This verse directly echoes Solomon's prayer to God for wisdom and understanding to govern, which is the very essence of what David is asking for in Psalm 72:1. It shows the human side of the prayer for divine enablement in leadership.
Isaiah 11:4This prophecy describes the Messiah judging with righteousness and equity, mirroring the desire in Psalm 72:1 for the king to be given God's justice and righteousness. It points to the ultimate fulfillment of this prayer in Christ.
Matthew 28:18Jesus declares that 'all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,' reflecting the divine empowerment and authority that Psalm 72:1 prays for the king to receive. This highlights the ultimate King who perfectly embodies these qualities.
John 5:22Jesus states that the Father 'has given him authority to execute judgment,' which directly connects to the 'judgments' David asks for in Psalm 72:1. This emphasizes that true divine authority for judgment comes from God.
poolePsalms 72:1: "A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son."
THE ARGUMENT That this Psalm was made by David is evident from Psalm 72:20 , and that it was made with respect to Solomon is no less certain from the very title of it: and that David, or at least the Holy Ghost, which dictated this Psalm, did took beyond Solomon, and unto the Messiah, of whom Solomon was an illustrious and unquestionable type, seems as manifest from divers passages…
bensonPsalms 72:1: "A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son."
Psalm 72:1 . Give the king — Namely, Solomon, who was now anointed king, although his father was yet living, 1 Kings 1:39 ; thy judgments — Either, 1st, Thy statutes and precepts, often called God’s judgments; as thou hast already given them to him in thy book, so give them to him in another and better way, by writing them upon his heart, or by giving him a perfect knowledge of the…
This isn't just a prayer for a king to be good; it's a plea for God to give him the very capacity to rule justly. The plural word for "judgments" highlights that true kingship isn't a single act but a complex, wise administration of many facets of justice.
This psalm opens with a prayer for the king, understood by many as Solomon, David's son and successor, who is being established on the throne. It calls for God to grant him wisdom and integrity in ruling, setting the stage for a description of a just and prosperous reign. The prayer anticipates a ruler who will embody divine justice and righteousness in all his decisions and actions.
This psalm opens with a prayer for the king, understood by many as Solomon, David's son and successor, who is being established on the throne. It calls for God to grant him wisdom and integrity in ruling, setting the stage for a description of a just and prosperous reign. The prayer anticipates a ruler who will embody divine justice and righteousness in all his decisions and actions.
"Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!" — This isn't just a prayer for a king to be good; it's a plea for God to give him the very capacity to rule justly. The plural word for "judgments" highlights that true kingship isn't a single act bu…
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Last reviewed October 2026