Ruling Justly: Jesus, the Good King of Psalm 72

Devotional

Day 1: Crushing Oppression, Letting Righteousness Flourish

A good ruler doesn’t tolerate exploitation. Solomon’s vision of justice begins with defending the vulnerable against those who wield power for harm. When oppression is confronted, fear grips the abuser while the righteous thrive like rain-soaked fields. This isn’t passive kindness but active intervention—stopping harm at its root so communities grow unhindered. True peace blooms where bullies lose their grip and the overlooked find space to rise. [20:01]

“May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor.”
(Psalm 72:4, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you see systems or relationships tilted toward the powerful at others’ expense? How might you advocate for those silenced by oppression?

Day 2: Precious Blood: Valuing the Overlooked

Solomon insists a king’s worth is measured by how he treats the “nobodies.” The needy’s blood isn’t cheap—it’s precious, demanding protection. Jesus later embodies this, prioritizing the poor and broken. When leaders fixate on status, they dehumanize; when they see sacred worth in the weak, societies heal. Every policy, paycheck, or casual interaction reveals whom we truly honor. [25:52]

“For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.”
(Psalm 72:12–14, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your orbit feels invisible? What practical step could affirm their God-given dignity today?

Day 3: Tilted Scales: Rigging Systems for the Underdog

The world naturally favors VIPs—cutting lines, hoarding resources. But God’s kingdom inverts this: Jesus throws banquets for the poor and heals the “unworthy.” Solomon’s good king tilts policies toward those who can’t repay favors. Homestead exemptions help struggling homeowners more than millionaires. Every choice—budgets, voting, hiring—tests whose advantage we’re rigging. [43:04]

“He said also to the man who had invited him, ‘When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.’”
(Luke 14:12–14, ESV)

Reflection: Where do your daily habits (spending, socializing, working) default to serving the “important”? How could you adjust one routine to prioritize the underserved?

Day 4: Dual Citizenship: Choosing Which Kingdom to Serve

Earthly kingdoms demand loyalty through wealth, influence, or compromise. Jesus’ kingdom requires surrendering crowns—wealth, pride, control—to serve the weak. We can’t split allegiance. Like Rehoboam’s harsh rule or Daniel’s integrity in Babylon, our choices expose our true citizenship. Every act of mercy, every refusal to exploit, declares whose throne we honor. [36:13]

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
(Matthew 6:24, ESV)

Reflection: What “crown” (status, comfort, control) do you struggle to lay at Jesus’ feet? What would it look like to release it this week?

Day 5: Blossoming Cities: Prosperity Through Justice-Centered Rule

Solomon’s paradox: favor the poor, and everyone thrives. Grain waves on mountaintops; cities burst with life. Jesus’ healing of outcasts restored entire communities. Systems tilted toward the weak don’t create lack—they unleash shared abundance. Your sphere of influence, however small, can mirror this. Where the lowly are lifted, collective flourishing follows. [53:02]

“May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field.”
(Psalm 72:16, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you seen justice for the vulnerable lead to wider blessing? How can you advocate for one change that lifts others while enriching your community?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 72 sets wisdom on the throne and asks what a good ruler looks like. Solomon prays, Give the king your justice, O God, then lays out the task. The king judges with righteousness, defends the cause of the poor, delivers the children of the needy, and crushes the oppressor. The text draws a picture of rain on mown grass, where peace and righteousness make life sprout. When justice reigns, oppressors learn fear, but the righteous flourish. When justice reigns, nations notice, and distant kings bring tribute because right rule is magnetic.

The psalm then resets and presses the same point deeper. The good ruler hears the needy when he calls, has pity on the weak, redeems life from violence, and counts the blood of the small as precious. The results spread like grain waving on mountain tops, like cities blooming. Blessing fills the land, and God gets the glory. The prayer lands on a promise line, May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed, which echoes God’s word to Abraham that in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. The promise and the pattern converge in a king whose reign lifts the least and spreads blessing to all.

Jesus stands as the fulfillment. He announces in Isaiah’s words good news to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed. Jesus is the king that is needed. He tells the powerful to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, promising payment at the resurrection of the just. History’s long lesson about failed rulers primes the world for the one who will judge justly and save those who wait for him. On the day when every knee bows, there are no dual citizenships. Humanity either clings to the kingdoms built on power, wealth, and violence, or belongs to the kingdom shaped by the love of God in Christ.

God removes kings and sets up kings. Even in complex systems of laws and boards and budgets, authority still answers to him. A ruler walking Psalm 72 keeps a thumb on the scale for the weak. The world tilts toward the rich and the powerful, but God is tilted toward the underdog. So policy and practice should be rigged in favor of the least, because when the least are lifted, all flourish. Ordinary Christians steward votes, paychecks, workplaces, and neighborhoods the same way, turning small spheres so they look a little more like the kingdom of heaven, until the true King returns and fills the earth with his glory.

Key Takeaways

1. Judge justly and defend the poor [20:01] Justice in Scripture is not vague compassion, it is concrete protection of the vulnerable and firm restraint of the oppressor. A ruler faithful to God’s justice will make the wicked nervous and the righteous fruitful. Courage is part of love here, because defending the weak requires confronting those who prey on them. God calls leadership to be rain on mown grass, not a storm that flattens the field. [20:01]
2. Tilt the scales toward underdogs [43:04] The world bends toward the rich, so righteousness applies a thumb on the scale for the weak. Policies that cost little to the powerful can crush the poor, which means wisdom evaluates impact from the bottom up. Rigging systems for the least is not partiality, it is repentance for a fallen tilt. Measured this way, mercy becomes the standard for good rule, not an afterthought. [43:04]
3. Jesus fulfills the righteous-king psalm [30:49] The psalm’s portrait finds its face in Jesus, whose first public claim was to lift the poor and free the oppressed. His cross proves he uses power for others, not himself, and his resurrection secures a kingdom where justice and peace kiss. Allegiance to him reframes authority, ambition, and wealth. His throne is the test by which all rule is weighed. [30:49]
4. Allegiance cannot be split between kingdoms [35:58] Citizenship in the kingdom built on power cannot coexist with citizenship in the kingdom built on Christ’s love. Repentance looks like laying down crowns, budgets, and pride, and saying, This is yours. Divided loyalties always drift toward the louder idol, so the heart must choose its king. Hope is safe only where the throne is righteous. [35:58]
5. When least are served, all flourish [52:40] Psalm 72’s paradox is that favoring the weak multiplies blessing for everyone. When the floor is raised, fields yield more and cities blossom, because justice heals the whole ecosystem. A society that prizes precious blood does not lose prosperity, it gains peace. God’s economy grows from mercy outward. [52:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[17:23] - Psalm 72 and Solomon’s context
[18:54] - What makes a good king
[20:01] - Justice for the poor, crush oppressor
[21:31] - Righteous flourish, nations respond
[26:09] - Blessing overflows and God’s glory
[28:59] - Abrahamic promise and the king
[30:16] - Fulfillment in King Jesus
[31:57] - Jesus’ mission to the least
[35:58] - Two kingdoms, one allegiance
[38:42] - God appoints rulers, human responsibility
[43:04] - Tilted toward the underdog
[45:13] - Policy and workplace illustrations
[52:40] - When least are served, all flourish
[63:52] - Communion and examined hope

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Psalm 72:1-7, 12-17 (ESV)
1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!
5 May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!
7 In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!
17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!

Observation Questions

What specific actions does Psalm 72 say a good ruler takes to protect the vulnerable (vv. 4, 12-14)?
How does the psalm describe the results of a king who prioritizes justice for the poor (vv. 6-7, 16)?
In the sermon, what two contrasting examples were given to illustrate systems that either help the weak or favor the powerful (homestead exemptions vs. speeding tickets)? [45:13]
What Old Testament promise to Abraham is echoed in Psalm 72:17, and how does it connect to Jesus?

Interpretation Questions

Why might defending the poor and crushing oppressors cause the righteous to flourish (vv. 4-7)? How does this challenge common views of “success” in leadership?
The sermon describes God as “tilted toward the underdog” in a world that favors the rich. How does Psalm 72 redefine what true justice looks like in contrast to worldly systems? [43:04]
The psalm says “all nations” will call the king blessed (v. 17). How does Jesus’ mission to the poor and oppressed (Luke 4:18-19) fulfill this global vision?
Why is it impossible to maintain “dual citizenship” between worldly kingdoms of power and Christ’s kingdom of love? [35:58]

Application Questions

Where do you see systems in your community (laws, workplaces, schools) tilted toward the powerful? What practical step could you take to advocate for policies that protect the vulnerable? [49:09]
How might you intentionally use your resources (time, money, influence) this week to “tilt the scale” toward someone overlooked or marginalized?
In what areas of your life (family, friendships, spending habits) do you feel pressure to prioritize the “loud idols” of wealth or status? How can you actively reorient those priorities toward Christ’s values?
The sermon mentioned that serving the least leads to flourishing for all. What is one way you could invest in someone in need, trusting God’s promise to multiply blessing? [52:40]
How does recognizing Jesus as the ultimate righteous King change the way you respond to injustice or suffering you encounter daily?
Reflect on a time you witnessed someone in power defend the weak. How did it impact others? What might it look like to imitate that courage in your sphere of influence?

Sermon Clips

58s

#JesusAboveAll

“``On that day, all of the kings of this world, all of those who are rich, all of those who are powerful, all of those who have thought themselves important and influential will lay their crowns at his feet, and they will proclaim that Jesus, you are above all of us. You are what we all should have been. And on that day, he will judge justly the oppressor from Psalm 72. He will judge the exploiter. He will judge the murderer. And on that day, he will also save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

54s

#ChooseYourKingdom

“But on that day, we cannot be both. We cannot be in both camps. There are no dual citizenships on that day. We are either citizens of the kingdoms of this world that are built upon the use of power, the use of wealth, the use of violence, the use of influence, or we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven that is based upon the love of God that has been shown to us in Jesus and his care for the weak and the small and the poor and the hurting. We cannot maintain citizenships in both kingdoms.”

52s

#FollowJesusPattern

“We must choose which path it is that we are going to follow, which pattern it is that we are going to serve. Are we going to serve the patterns of this world that use power to enrich ourselves, that use power to make ourselves comfortable? Or are we going to follow in the pattern of Jesus who used all of the power that was given to him, not for his own benefit, but for the benefit of every one of us. Which pattern are we going to follow? Which kingdom are we going to maintain citizenship in?”

74s

#LiveKingdomValues

“And on that day, the world will cease to be tilted in the favor of the strong, and it will be tilted towards Jesus and to him alone. And until that day, we, as his people, we bear witness to his greatness by living under the rules of the kingdom of heaven while we are here on earth. We walk in our lives. We shape our hearts and our worlds so that they look a little bit more like the kingdom of heaven every time that we touch them. So that the things that we have the ability to influence are tilted a little less towards the strong and the rich and the powerful and a little more towards the poor and the weak and the needy. Why do we do that? Because we are in love with Jesus, because we love his kingdom, and our heart beats with his heart. And his heart is what Solomon is describing here.”

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Ruling Justly: Jesus, the Good King of Psalm 72

Devotional

Day 1: Crushing Oppression, Letting Righteousness Flourish

Day 2: Precious Blood: Valuing the Overlooked

Day 3: Tilted Scales: Rigging Systems for the Underdog

Day 4: Dual Citizenship: Choosing Which Kingdom to Serve

Day 5: Blossoming Cities: Prosperity Through Justice-Centered Rule

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Ruling Justly: Jesus, the Good King of Psalm 72

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