Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 72:1a "Give the king Your judgments, O God..."
Day 343 – Psalm 72
“Give the king Your judgments, O God…” Psalm 72:1a
SUPERSCRIPTION: A Psalm of Solomon
1. Author: Identified as King Solomon.
2. This is often described as a royal psalm commemorating the time when Solomon was crowned as the king of Israel. He succeeded his father King David.
ESSENTIAL HISTORICAL DETAILS
1. Succession to the throne was contested by Adonijah (1 Kings 1:5-9).
a) He had his own power base (1 Kings 1:7).
i) Joab (a powerful general)
ii) Abiathar (a priest)
b) Invited to attend his coronation (1 Kings 1:9).
i) His brothers (princes)
ii) Many of the king’s servants
2. Succession of the throne was secured by Nathan the prophet (1 Kings 1:10-53)
a) King David’s oath- that Solomon would be his heir (1 Kings 1:28-31).
b) The King’s faithful men:-
i) Zadok the priest
ii) Nathan the prophet
iii) Benaiah the son of Jehoiada (chief bodyguard, 2 Samuel 8:18)
c) They were charged to crown Solomon as the king of Israel (1 Kings 1:32-40).
d) King David himself acknowledged Solomon as the rightful king.
“May God make the name of Solomon
better than your name, and may He
make his throne greater than your throne…
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has
given one to sit on my throne this day,
while my eyes see it!”
1 Kings 1:47-48