Psalm 71 – Deus, judicium tuum

A prophecy of the coming of Christ, and of his kingdom: prefigured by Solomon and his happy reign.

[1] A psalm on Solomon. [2] Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king’s son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment. [3] Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice. [4] He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor. [5] And he shall continue with the sun, and before the moon, throughout all generations.

[6] He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth. [7] In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away. [8] And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. [9] Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground. [10] The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:

[11] And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him. [12] For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper. [13] He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor. [14] He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight. [15] And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.

[16] And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth. [17] Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him. [18] Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things. [19] And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it. [20] The praises of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

Commentary

[16] “A firmament on the earth”: This may be understood of the church of Christ, ever firm and visible: and of the flourishing condition of its congregation.

[20] “Are ended”: By this it appears that this psalm, though placed here, was in order of time the last of those which David composed.