Psalm 72

A psalm for Solomon.
1 Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son.
2 Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful.
4 Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever!
6 May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth.
7 May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.
8 May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River[a] to the ends of the earth.
9 Desert nomads will bow before him; his enemies will fall before him in the dust.
10 The western kings of Tarshish and other distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him gifts.
11 All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him.
12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.
15 Long live the king! May the gold of Sheba be given to him. May the people always pray for him and bless him all day long.
16 May there be abundant grain throughout the land, flourishing even on the hilltops. May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon, and may the people thrive like grass in a field.
17 May the king’s name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him and bring him praise.
18 Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things.
19 Praise his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!
20 (This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.)

This psalm was written by David; and very likely at the close of his days, when he ordered Solomon to be anointed king.

What is it that we wish for our children? Its often different from what we wish for ourselves...and better. David is no different. For himself David asked God for a love for justice. For Solomon he asked for righteousness. I think this is more revealing than all the exploits David prays upon Solomon in the rest of the psalm. "Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. "
I love justice. I could see me asking God for a sense of justice. In fact, He may have given it. But...justice comes with its own weight. If you spend your life fighting for justice...defending the widows and orphans...as David did you are volunteering yourself for years of conflict, hardship and pain. But David was a warrior and a man after God's heart. I suspect a zeal for justice came naturally to him. The pursuit of Justice is certainly worth the cost, but few men would wish the journey upon their children.

So, what does David ask for his son? Righteousness...understood as godliness,holiness and integrity. Any loving father would do the same thing. Would you want your son to be a mighty warrior? A powerful politician? or in perfect fellowship with God?
No contest. If our children can have that, their lives and eternity are secure.

As we see in the rest of the psalm, righteousness has its own good consequences...
- fairness.
- prosperous and fruitful.
- defends the poor and needy.
Each of these is an admirable quality...and would help make a good king, but means nothing if a person does not have a right relationship with God...based upon righteousness. So...David had his priorities right for his son.

My daughter is an architect. My middle son is a field grade officer in the United States Air Force. My first born is an artist and musician. I am proud of each of them but, what they accomplish in their chosen professions has little significance if they do not Love the Lord with all their heart.
And, following David's fatherly example...that is my prayer for them. What prayers are you offering on behalf of your children?
Live boldly out there today...