9:7 His dominion will be vast 1
and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. 2
He will rule on David’s throne
and over David’s kingdom, 3
establishing it 4 and strengthening it
by promoting justice and fairness, 5
from this time forward and forevermore.
The Lord’s intense devotion to his people 6 will accomplish this.
48:18 If only you had obeyed my 7 commandments,
prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, 8
deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea. 9
60:5 Then you will look and smile, 10
you will be excited and your heart will swell with pride. 11
For the riches of distant lands 12 will belong to you
and the wealth of nations will come to you.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice. 13
72:4 He will defend 14 the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver 15 the children 16 of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
72:5 People will fear 17 you 18 as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation. 19
72:6 He 20 will descend like rain on the mown grass, 21
like showers that drench 22 the earth. 23
72:7 During his days the godly will flourish; 24
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky. 25
1 tc The Hebrew text has לְםַרְבֵּה (lÿmarbeh), which is a corrupt reading. לם is dittographic; note the preceding word, שָׁלוֹם (shalom). The corrected text reads literally, “great is the dominion.”
2 tn Heb “and to peace there will be no end” (KJV and ASV both similar). On the political and socio-economic sense of שָׁלוֹם (shalom) in this context, see the note at v. 6 on “Prince of Peace.”
3 tn Heb “over the throne of David, and over his kingdom.” The referent of the pronoun “his” (i.e., David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn The feminine singular pronominal suffix on this form and the following one (translated “it” both times) refers back to the grammatically feminine noun “kingdom.”
5 tn Heb “with/by justice and fairness”; ASV “with justice and with righteousness.”
6 tn Heb “the zeal of the Lord.” In this context the Lord’s “zeal” refers to his intense devotion to and love for his people which prompts him to vindicate them and to fulfill his promises to David and the nation.
7 tn Heb “paid attention to” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “had listened to.”
8 tn Heb “like a river your peace would have been.” שָׁלוֹם (shalom) probably refers here to the peace and prosperity which God promised in return for obedience to the covenant.
9 tn Heb “and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) probably refers here to divine deliverance from enemies. See v. 19.
10 tn Or “shine,” or “be radiant” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
11 tn Heb “and it will tremble and be wide, your heart.”
12 tn Heb “the wealth of the sea,” i.e., wealth that is transported from distant lands via the sea.
13 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
14 tn Heb “judge [for].”
15 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
16 tn Heb “sons.”
17 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the
18 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
19 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
20 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
21 tn The rare term zg refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
22 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS in textual note b on this verse suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirzÿfu). The translation assumes the latter.
23 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
24 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
25 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”