https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Psalm+72%3B+Deuteronomy+26
Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 18 May 2025:
Psalm 72:1–4 – “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!”
This psalm is both a prayer and a prophecy. Solomon prays for himself and his royal descendants to govern with God’s justice. But no merely human king ever fulfilled this prayer perfectly. The poor, the weak, and the oppressed often suffer most under human rulers. Yet these verses anticipate a perfect King—Jesus—who rules with righteousness and lifts up the lowly. The justice of God flows not from policy but from character, and Christ, the royal Son, embodies it in every word and act.
Psalm 72:5–7 – “May they fear you while the sun endures… In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!”
True peace is a byproduct of reverent submission to God. When God’s King reigns, the righteous flourish, not the corrupt. This is not merely political prosperity, but spiritual vitality under divine leadership. The language is eternal—“till the moon be no more”—pointing beyond Solomon’s kingdom to the eternal reign of Christ. In His kingdom, peace is not negotiated but flows from holiness.
Psalm 72:11 — “In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound.”
When the righteous flourish, peace abounds. A truly just ruler has the moral authority to expand his reign on earth. We are all called to increase our influence for God’s glory.
Psalm 72:12–14 – “For he delivers the needy… From oppression and violence he redeems their life…”
God’s King doesn’t rule for His own power but for the sake of the powerless. This is a radical contrast to worldly authority. Jesus, the Servant King, came to redeem the needy, defend the oppressed, and pour out His blood for their ransom. The value He places on every human life—especially the vulnerable—should guide how we treat others in His name.
Psalm 72:15 – “May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!”
We should pray for our leaders, particularly our faithful leaders.
Psalm 72:17 — “May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!”
God desires that we pray for righteous leaders continually.
Psalm 72:18 – “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.”
All good things come from God.
Psalm 72:18–20 – “Blessed be his glorious name forever…”
The psalm ends where all history is heading—with worship. The glory belongs not to the king, but to the Lord. God alone does wondrous things, and His name alone will be praised forever. All faithful leadership points to Him; all righteous judgment reflects His justice. This is not merely a prayer for the king but a hymn for the King of kings.
Deuteronomy 26:1–11 – “When you come into the land… take some of the first of all the fruit… and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose…”
The first act God wants done is the act of worship which professes God publicly and often recounts the history of salvation. Bringing the firstfruits was an act of worship, remembrance, and dependence. God wanted His people to tangibly remember their past slavery, His powerful deliverance, and the generous land He gave them. They were to give not leftovers, but firsts. We often give God what’s left after we’ve met our own needs and wants. But God asks for firstfruits—not because He needs them, but because it shows who is first in our hearts. Our giving becomes a testimony of God’s faithfulness and our trust in His provision.
Deuteronomy 26:13 – “I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.”
The tithe honors God by giving Him the first and best, and it is “given” to Him by giving it to others in need. Remember, we show our love for God primarily through obedience to His commands, and His greatest commandment is love – we love God by loving others. If you don’t love the brother you can see, you cannot love the God who you can’t see (1 John 4:20)
Deuteronomy 26:16-19 – “This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.”
To profess God as your God is to commit yourself to obey Him. The demons believe in Jesus, but they don’t follow Him – they know He exists and who He is, but they don’t love Him. Do you have a saving faith that desires to love, trust, and obey?
This passage is a formal renewal of the covenant relationship. God commands, and His people commit to obey. It’s a two-way declaration: the people choose God as Lord, and He chooses them as His treasured possession. Obedience, therefore, isn’t about legalism—it’s about identity and relationship. God doesn’t want half-hearted rule-following but full-hearted allegiance. To be holy means to be set apart for God’s purposes, which should shape every area of life.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 18 May 2025: Worship Jesus today as your King—righteous, just, compassionate, and eternal (Psalm 72). Acknowledge Him in prayer not only as your Savior but as the sovereign ruler over your life. Bring Him your first and best, not the leftovers (Deut. 26:1–11). Give with integrity, remembering those in need and honoring the One who gave you everything (Deut. 26:12–15). Reaffirm your covenant commitment to God today: He is your God, and you are His holy possession. Live like it. Let your actions today—your giving, your leadership, your worship, and your words—reflect that you belong to Christ the King.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 