Observation: This is a psalm of Solomon, who is remembered as Israel's wisest and richest king. The prosperity the Kingdom of Israel enjoyed under Solomon, and the respect from other nations, was legendary. Interestingly, Psalm 72 has been the appointed psalm for Epiphany for centuries, so even though Matthew's Gospel does not say the wise men from the east are "kings," reading about the kings of three foreign lands bringing tribute on this same day put that image in our minds.
What I love about this psalm is that right alongside prosperity and international acclaim, the psalmist places the king's care for the poor and oppressed as paramount. In fact, it's a theme that keeps coming up. Care for the poor is every bit as important as any other issue in Solomon's kingdom, and you can't get one at the expense of the other.
Application: This is an appropriate psalm for a "return to work" in the closing days of Christmas. I dropped off my kids at school, I am getting prepped for all the meetings and appointments that had to be put off until "after the holidays", and in the news, today is the day when many elected officials in Washington are being sworn in. Whatever work we are "returning to", the priorities set by Solomon in psalm 72 are apt. It's okay to pray for prosperity, or at least the resources to make ends meet. It's fine to pray for respect and dignity from others, though that's always a two-way street. But none of those values ever comes before care for the poor and oppressed. To be a person of faith, knowing our king's care for the poor, is to use what power we have in this life to lift them up.
Prayer: God, grant me the vision to see the people in my community who may need help with finances, or with advocacy. Help me repent of the shame our culture places on people living in poverty, and help me take their side, as you do. Amen.
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