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Burning Questions
answered by Rev. Colin Le Noury
Did Solomon pen Psalm 72, if so, then why
does v.20 seem
to accredit it to David?
The
question of the authorship of Psalm 72, raised for
us by Mr. John Wood of Nuneaton, is an interesting
one.
Who
wrote this psalm? Well it depends on which Bible
you use. Actually most versions accredit to Solomon,
however, the A.V. clearly introduces it as a prayer
of David. There is a sense in which both answers
are correct. The best of evangelical scholarship
would seem to agree that the pen was probably Solomon's,
but that the content was most certainly David's.
Let
me explain. Psalm 72 must be read against the background
of 2 Samuel 7, David's great messianic prophecy
for kingdom rule. Indeed the psalm is based on that
particular passage. Therefore the essential content
came from David, although Solomon is believed to
have used this as his inspiration for the psalm.
Spurgeon in his 'Treasury of David' is quite adamant
that Solomon was the author, as is W.Graham Scroggie
in his four volume expositions of the Psalms.
The
psalm is clearly messianic and looks forward to
the millennial reign of Christ when His kingdom
of peace and righteousness wilt be established.
It is one of the most wonderful psalms which heavily
underlines all that we embrace in our millennial
teaching.
It
is best summed up in the words of Scroggie himself,
who says, ',..so the prophecy of the father, and
the prayer of the son, look onto a time still future
when God's kingdom on earth shall be perfect and
universal'.
If
we accept as Spurgeon, Scroggie and others clearly
do, that the content came from David, but that the
transmission was through Solomon, then there is
no contradiction between v.20 and the accepted authorship
of the same.
Before
we let the matter rest we should just examine the
psalm itself and analyse its content Clearly it
is largely prophetic and must be interpreted and
understood in messianic terms.
On
reading 2 Samuel 7 & Psalm 72 one immediately
realises that David and Solomon are both espousing
an ideal kingdom which never came to fruition under
either of their reigns. Nor indeed did it happen
under any other king of Israel or Judah. Hence we
have to look to a future dispensation in which all
that is here predicted will be fulfilled. This can
only happen when Christ returns and establishes
His rule as King of Israel and the millennial nations.
I
would borrow again from Scroggie's exposition in
which he shows that the psalm breaks down into five
stanzas each of which describes a different aspect
of the prophesied millennial reign.
Firstly.
v.1-4, show its righteousness. It will be
a kingdom based on righteousness and peace. The
judgements of the King will be wholly equitable.
Secondly,
v.5-7, tells of its perpetuality. Such phrases
as 'generation to generation' and 'As long as the
sun and moon endure' places the psalm right out
of the rules of David and Solomon after whose reign
the kingdom began to disintegrate.
Thirdly,
its universality is heralded in v.8-11. The
fact that this psalm looks to a global kingdom is
beyond doubt in these verses. This was never attained
under David or Solomon. But the psalm is in keeping
with Daniel's prophecy of 'A stone not made with
hands' which will destroy all gentile rule, and
it will become a mighty kingdom 'filling the whole
earth'.
Fourthly,
v 12-15, underline the humanity of that reign, in
which all the benefits of the redemptive work of
Christ are proclaimed. Fifthly, v.16-19, speak of
its felicity. Here are some of the most beautiful
words of scripture outlining the blessing of the
nations through Messiah the King, and ascribing
blessing and praise unto Him.
In
the light of this psalm, let us as Bible-believing
Christians cherish the hope of our Lord's soon return
and the promise of His kingdom reign which will
revolutionise this world in the most unimaginable
way.
YT
5/97
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