Psalms 72:9-14

72:9 Before him the coastlands ¹  will bow down,

and his enemies will lick the dust. ² 

72:10 The kings of Tarshish ³  and the coastlands will offer gifts;

the kings of Sheba ⁴  and Seba ⁵  will bring tribute.

72:11 All kings will bow down to him;

all nations will serve him.

72:12 For he will rescue the needy ⁶  when they cry out for help,

and the oppressed ⁷  who have no defender.

72:13 He will take pity ⁸  on the poor and needy;

the lives of the needy he will save.

72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them; ⁹ 

he will value their lives. ¹⁰ 

[72:9]  ¹ tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.

[72:9]  ² sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.

[72:10]  ³ sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.

[72:10]  ⁴ sn Sheba was located in Arabia.

[72:10]  ⁵ sn Seba was located in Africa.

[72:12]  ⁵ tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.

[72:12]  ⁶ tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.

[72:13]  ⁷ tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).

[72:14]  ⁹ tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).

[72:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”