12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help,
The [q]afflicted also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will have compassion on the poor and needy,
And the [r]lives of the needy he will save.
14 He will [s]rescue their [t]life from oppression and violence,
And their blood will be precious in his sight;
15 So may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him;
And let [u]them pray for him continually;
Let [v]them bless him all day long.16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains;
Its fruit will wave like the cedars of Lebanon;
And may those from the city flourish like vegetation of the earth.
17 May his name endure forever;
May his name [w]increase [x]as long as the sun shines;
And let men bless themselves by him;
Let all nations call him blessed.18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who alone works wonders.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever;
And may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen, and Amen.20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
For some quick context, “he” and “him” references the new king or “king’s son” from previous verses. So as we continue on, the prayer is that the king will be an advocate for the poor and needy, a rescuer for the oppressed. As we just celebrated Resurrection Sunday (or Easter), the description is very familiar to God’s son (“the King’s son”).
Much of this psalm seems to focus on aligning the heart of the king with the heart of God, that his rule would be blessed by God, and that he would have God’s wisdom in governing the nation. I’m reminded once more that in Jewish culture, scripture is (generally) seen as cyclical and prophetic. So it shouldn’t surprise us to see God’s heart played out in real life in His son Jesus.
Indeed, the chapter wraps up with “God… Who alone works wonders.” It is an incredible wonder to rescue the oppressed and save the poor, the needy, and only God could do it. There was no way for us to rescue ourselves, and only His sacrifice could bridge the chasm that lay between us and God.
So once more, we look to God, we look for His heart in our lives. What does He have for you to do today, what can you do to show His love to those you serve (no matter your role/job, you serve someone). Find His heart, and make it known, so that the “whole earth be filled with His glory.”