Today we’ll be reading from Psalm 72.  This is a longer Psalm, so we’ll look at the general overview of the Psalm.  But I want you to see these verses here:

1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness
and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy,
and crush the oppressor.

11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight.

I think of the words of one of my teachers and mentors, Dr. W.E. “Knick” Knickerbocker from Memphis Theological Seminary. He loved the Psalms, and in many ways, his love for them rubbed off on me.  I said one of the ways to really get additional meaning and value out of the Psalms (and all the Old Testament) is to read them looking for Jesus. 

So today, when I read this passage, I see Jesus everywhere within it.  The mountains will bow down. The kings will fall down before Him.  He will deliver the poor and help the needy; He has pity upon the weak. He saves the oppressed. 

Yes, an earthly king will do this, but their lives are for a moment. Even the greatest earthly leader their time is finite. They will be the leader for that season, but they will pass, and others will go.

Jesus, however, is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and all will bow down to Him. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess.  Jesus Christ is Lord.  When we read the Bible, we should always read it looking for Jesus.

And in the same vein, we shouldn’t just read the Bible looking for Jesus; we should live our lives looking for Jesus. And to take it even a step further, we should look to follow what it is that Jesus does.  So, today, we seek to do the same, have pity on the weak, help the hurting, and be a loving presence towards someone. 

Today, there is someone in your life who needs to feel the grace of Jesus.  You may be that way that person experiences that grace.  May it be so!

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