Psalm 72 The Character of the Reign of Christ

Psalm 72 The Character of the Reign of Christ A. PSA 72 is a psalm for Solomon. B. Solomon was the son of David, king of Israel. So too, the Lord Jesus Christ. JER 23:5; MAR 12:35-37; LUK 1:32-33; JOH 19:19. 1. Solomon in many ways was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Some prophecies have a fulfillment in both Solomon and Christ. 2SAM 7:12-14 c/w 1CH 22:9-10; HEB 1:5. 3. The prophecy of Solomon's reign adumbrates the reign of Christ. 4. The Jewish Targum (spoken paraphrases and explanations of Scripture) and the Jewish Midrash (rabbinic exegesis of Scripture) recognize this as a Messianic psalm. C. Many post-millennialists recognize this as prophetic of the Messianic reign. 1. The post-millennialist's view of the kingdom is that of a golden age of international cooperation and peace coupled with an uplifted social, economic, political and cultural life of mankind. 2. This golden age millennium is said to be ushered in by the church through world-wide conversions and will culminate with the personal return of Christ (hence the term, post- millennial). 3. Mind that Christ and Paul did not see a glorious golden age brought on by faith just before Christ's return. LUK 18:8; 2TI 3:13; 2TH 2:3. 4. There is a tendency to assign a naturalistic interpretation to O.T. Messianic prophecies and therefore deny their application to something immediate to Christ and the apostles. a. Clearly, the prophets did not overlook the days of Christ and the apostles when anticipating Messiah's reign and kingdom. ACT 2:30-31; 3:24; ISA 55:3-5 c/w ACT 13:32-34; 26:22-23. b. Those aspects of Messianic prophecies which seem to not have a natural fulfillment are not without spiritual fulfillment. D. vs. 1-4. 1. The King would judge righteously and judge the poor. a. No need to look for some future golden age here. b. Christ judged (and judges) righteously. JOH 5:22, 26-27, 30. c. The poor were given the gospel and the kingdom. LUK 4:17-21; 6:20; 7:22; JAM 2:5. d. The mountains brought peace by the gospel. ISA 52:7 c/w ROM 10:15. e. Such prophecy is clearly fulfilled in Christ and N.T. spiritual realities. ISA 11:1-4, 10 c/w JOH 3:34; ROM 15:12. 2. The King would break the oppressor. ACT 10:38; 1JO 3:8; HEB 2:14-15; COL 2:14-15. E. v. 5 c/w EPH 3:21. The gospel church/kingdom will always endure as a vessel for the worshipful fear of God. HEB 12:28. F. v. 6 c/w JOH 6:35; 7:37-39; MAT 5:6. The believer's thirst shall be well quenched with the water of the Spirit. Gospel times are times of refreshing. ISA 28:10-12 c/w 1CO 14:21; ACT 3:19. G. v. 7 c/w ROM 15:13; 2CO 9:8-11; 2TH 1:3; 2PE 1:2-3. Under the testament of grace, believers flourish in all spiritual blessings. H. v. 8 c/w ZEC 9:9-10; EPH 1:19-23; HEB 2:8. Christ's reign is presently over all, though man comprehends it not! Psalm 72 Page 1 of 2 I. v. 9. Messiah's enemies would be made to lick the dust. 1. “Lick the dust” is a phrase which denotes vanquishment and submission. GEN 3:14; JOB 16:15; ISA 26:5. 2. Messiah would vanquish the church's enemies and exalt the church to see their subduction. ISA 49:23 c/w REV 3:9. 3. God has been pleased to make secular powers the servant of the church from time to time. ISA 49:23a c/w EZR 6:4, 8; NEH 2:8; ACT 23:10, 22-23; 24:23; 28:16, 30-31. 4. MIC 7:17 clearly uses “lick the dust” in reference to Christ's First Coming and the gospel- confirming signs and wonders of the world-converting apostolic era. J. vs. 10-11, 15. Kings and nations would yield to the King. 1. This has an immediate application to Solomon, to whom the kings and queens of the world paid homage. 1KI 10:1-2, 22-25. 2. Political powers have been subjected to Christ since His resurrection. PSA 2 c/w ACT 13:32-33; REV 2:27. 3. Christ shall on Judgment Day elicit homage from all kings and kingdoms. REV 19:16; 1CO 15:24-25; REV 11:15-18; PHIL 2:9-11. K. vs. 12-14 c/w JAM 5:1-8; ROM 10:12-13; 2CO 1:8-11; MAR 9:17-26; 2TI 4:16-17. The King would be a Savior to the cry of the poor and needy and those without helpers. L. v. 16 c/w JOH 6:51; ACT 20:28; 1PE 2:2-3. Messiah would be a supplier of nutrition to the citizens of the kingdom. M. v. 17 c/w GAL 3:13-14; ROM 15:8-10. Men of all nations (not just Israel) would be blessed in Him and would bless the everlasting King Whose name is Jesus. LUK 1:31-33. N. vs. 18-19 c/w ZEC 14:8-9; 1TI 1:11; REV 11:17-18; 21:1-2, 10-11, 23. The whole earth would be filled with Messiah's glory: the first earth with His glorious gospel and His glory in judgment; the new earth with the glory of His saving presence. O. v. 20. “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” P. ROM 8:34; HEB 7:25. The prayers of Christ, the son of David continue. Psalm 72 Page 2 of 2