What Does a Real King Look Like?

Psalm 72:12-17

¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
¹³ He will take pity on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
¹⁴ He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
    for precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵ Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba be given him.\
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.
¹⁶ May grain abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
    and thrive like the grass of the field.
¹⁷ May his name endure forever;
    may it continue as long as the sun.

Then all nations will be blessed through him,
    and they will call him blessed.

This is a psalm about the king of Israel, notably King Solomon, King David’s son.  Israel considered its king as divinely appointed by God.  As God’s representative, the king ruled justly and rightly, which led to Israel’s prosperity.  And through was prosperity God gave Israel, the king also would also deliver and take care of the weak and needy, and rescue them in their oppression. 

While Israel was prosperous under King Solomon, after him things went down quickly for the people of Israel.  The kings became more interested in people worshipping them, and God judged Israel for its worshipping of other gods.  Future kings were more interested in taking care of their own, that they forgot about the poor and needy.

But this psalm also looks forward to a future king in the line of David, who was prophesied and promised to be the Messiah.  The psalm takes on a new and deeper meaning as we see Jesus as the ultimate King.  It is also called a royal psalm for this reason.  This verse confirms the future king Jesus,

“May his name endure forever;
    may it continue as long as the sun.

Then all nations will be blessed through him,
    and they will call him blessed.”

When God gave Abraham his covenant promise in Genesis 12, God said he would bless Abram and through his name all nations would be blessed.  So, although the king of Israel was meant to bring prosperity through God’s rule, the real goal was that through Israel, God might bless all nations.  Israel was God’s chosen people, the Vine which would bear fruit to all the nations.  So, when Jesus the “king of kings” comes, the last words he gives his disciples are, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations! And I will be with you until the end of the age” 

So, what’s the point pastor? The point is that we are blessed to be a blessing to others. Whether personally, or as a nation. “One nation under God”, we say.  While a good king brings prosperity to a country while ruling justly with God’s wisdom, the blessing is not just for our country but for others.  And while we don’t live in a theocracy (where there is no line between church and state) government leaders are called to rule justly, wisely and also sharing the fruits of prosperity with the poor and needy. 

I pray for leaders like this in our country, so that our nation can continue to be a blessing to other nations.  We need to pray for our leaders that they might govern and rule with the wisdom of King Solomon and the heart of King David.  Unfortunately the political environment today looks nothing like this, and only reflects division and acrimony between two political parties radically opposed to each other.