Reflections
Psalm 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 (Read)
“Lord,
every nation on earth will adore you.”
The
Psalm is a prayer for our newborn King,
a
Messiah who will be like the “rain coming
down
upon the fields, like showers watering
the
earth.” Our psalmist prays that our
newborn
King will be anointed by God with
divine
judgment and empowered to rule the earth.
The prophet Isaiah
in our 1st
reading predicts that
the light of
the Lord will cause our hearts to overflow,
and
the riches of the sea to be emptied out
before
us. (Isaiah
60:5)
Our psalmist also speaks of abundance
that
will flourish in the King's days.
But
the Messiah is among us, to do more than
bless
us materially; the Savior has come to make
our
burdens easy, to share our afflictions.
“The
lives of the poor He shall save.”
We
see the light, just as the prophet Isaiah said
we
would. (Isaiah 60:1)
In the Psalm, the mystery is revealed
to
us, poor in spirit though we are:
“He
rescues the poor when they cry out [as we do],
the
afflicted who have no one to help.”
This
is what our Good Shepherd Jesus is sent to do,
to
shepherd God’s people. This is why we join the
Magi
in paying homage to our newborn King, and
join
with our psalmist in singing,
"Lord,
every nation on earth will adore you.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist mentions 'afflicted ones' and 'the afflicted' in two of the Psalm's verses.
Are there times when you can identify yourself as an 'afflicted' one? Tell what remedies
are available to you that are mentioned in the Psalm.
2. The Psalm says, 'Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.' Using the verses
are available to you that are mentioned in the Psalm.
2. The Psalm says, 'Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.' Using the verses
of the Psalm, explain why 'all kings' would want to pay homage to our Lord.
David, in spirit, begins with a short prayer for his successor (his son), he passes immediately into a long prediction of the glories of his reign, and he concludes with praise to the God of Israel.
ReplyDeleteIn singing this psalm we must have an eye on Christ, praising him as a King, and pleasing ourselves with our happiness as his subjects. This psalm is also the prayer of a father for his child; a dying blessing (David for his son Salomon). The best we can ask of God for our children is, that God would give them wisdom and grace to know and to do their duty.
This Psalm made me think why the Psalmist asks us to join the Magi (the three wise men) in paying homage to our new born King. He says, "Every nation will adore you."
ReplyDeleteAs the Psalm says, our newborn King is anointed by God with divine judgement and empowered to be righteous and just to rule the earth. He is our Messiah whose kingdom extends to the ends of the earth. As I anticipate his rule, it fills my heart and mind with hope.
Because Jesus is my Savior, when He comes, He makes my burdens easy and light. Christ shares my sufferings and sickness and misery in this world. And also He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy, and also He will rescue me from the hands of evil.
Most of all our Savior will save me from eternal death. He cares for me because I am precious to his eyes. I will be blessed through Him. For all these reasons all kings would want to pay homage to our Lord, as I would.
Praise the Lord, our newborn King, his glorious name forever!