Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III
Psalm LXXII (72)
Cantillated — Royal Blessing
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 72 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
By Solomon.
God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.
לִשְׁלֹמֹ֨ה ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ תֵּ֑ן וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ לְבֶן־מֶֽלֶךְ׃
He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
יָדִ֣ין עַמְּךָ֣ בְצֶ֑דֶק וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people. The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.
יִשְׂא֤וּ הָרִ֓ים שָׁ֘ל֥וֹם לָעָ֑ם וּ֝גְבָע֗וֹת בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces.
יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט ׀ עֲֽנִיֵּי־עָ֗ם י֭וֹשִׁיעַ לִבְנֵ֣י אֶבְי֑וֹן וִֽידַכֵּ֣א עוֹשֵֽׁק׃
They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
יִֽירָא֥וּךָ עִם־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵ֥י יָ֝רֵ֗חַ דּ֣וֹר דּוֹרִֽים׃
He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.
יֵ֭רֵד כְּמָטָ֣ר עַל־גֵּ֑ז כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים זַרְזִ֥יף אָֽרֶץ׃
In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
יִֽפְרַח־בְּיָמָ֥יו צַדִּ֑יק וְרֹ֥ב שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַד־בְּלִ֥י יָרֵֽחַ׃
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.
וְ֭יֵרְדְּ מִיָּ֣ם עַד־יָ֑ם וּ֝מִנָּהָ֗ר עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust.
לְ֭פָנָיו יִכְרְע֣וּ צִיִּ֑ים וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו עָפָ֥ר יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
מַלְכֵ֬י תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ וְ֭אִיִּים מִנְחָ֣ה יָשִׁ֑יבוּ מַלְכֵ֥י שְׁבָ֥א וּ֝סְבָ֗א אֶשְׁכָּ֥ר יַקְרִֽיבוּ׃
Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him.
וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ כָל־מְלָכִ֑ים כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יַֽעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃
For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.
כִּֽי־יַ֭צִּיל אֶבְי֣וֹן מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ וְ֝עָנִ֗י וְֽאֵין־עֹזֵ֥ר לֽוֹ׃
He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy.
יָ֭חֹס עַל־דַּ֣ל וְאֶבְי֑וֹן וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹת אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.
מִתּ֣וֹךְ וּ֭מֵחָמָס יִגְאַ֣ל נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְיֵיקַ֖ר דָּמָ֣ם בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
He will live; and Sheba’s gold will be given to him. Men will pray for him continually. They will bless him all day long.
וִיחִ֗י וְיִתֶּן־לוֹ֮ מִזְּהַ֪ב שְׁ֫בָ֥א וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲד֣וֹ תָמִ֑יד כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם יְבָרֲכֶֽנְהֽוּ׃
Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.
יְהִ֤י פִסַּת־בַּ֨ר ׀ בָּאָרֶץ֮ בְּרֹ֪אשׁ הָ֫רִ֥ים יִרְעַ֣שׁ כַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן פִּרְי֑וֹ וְיָצִ֥יצוּ מֵ֝עִ֗יר כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָֽרֶץ׃
His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed.
יְהִ֤י שְׁמ֨וֹ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם לִפְנֵי־שֶׁמֶשׁ֮ ינין שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֑וֹ כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃
Praise be to Yahweh God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
בָּר֤וּךְ ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֹשֵׂ֖ה נִפְלָא֣וֹת לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.
וּבָר֤וּךְ ׀ שֵׁ֥ם כְּבוֹד֗וֹ לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם וְיִמָּלֵ֣א כְ֭בוֹדוֹ אֶת־כֹּ֥ל הָאָ֗רֶץ אָ֘מֵ֥ן ׀ וְאָמֵֽן׃
This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.
כָּלּ֥וּ תְפִלּ֑וֹת דָּ֝וִ֗ד בֶּן־יִשָֽׁי׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
O God, give Your judgments to the king
Your righteousness to the son of the king
May he judge Your people in righteousness
Your afflicted with justice
May the mountains lift up peace for the people
The hills in righteousness
May he judge the afflicted of the people
Save the children of the poor
Crush the oppressor
They will fear You with the sun
Before the moon, generation to generation
May he come down like rain on cut grass
Like showers watering the earth
In his days the righteous will flourish
Abundance of peace
Until there is no moon
May he rule from sea to sea
From the river to the ends of the earth
Before him the desert dwellers bow
His enemies lick the dust
Kings bring tribute
Nations serve him
All kings bow down
All nations serve him
For he delivers the needy who cry out
The afflicted with no helper
He has compassion on the poor and the needy
He saves the lives of the needy
From oppression and violence he redeems them
Their blood is precious in his sight
May he live
May gold of Sheba be given to him
May prayer be made for him continually
All the day they bless him
May there be abundance of grain in the land
On the tops of the mountains it waves
Its fruit like Lebanon
They flourish from the city
Like grass of the earth
May his name endure forever
Before the sun his name continues
All nations will bless themselves in him
All nations call him blessed
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel
Who alone does wonders
Blessed be His glorious name forever
Let His glory fill all the earth
Amen
Amen
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.