Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 72:8

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 72:8. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea — The best comment on this, as it refers to Solomon, may be found in 1 Kings 4:21; 1 Kings 4:24: "And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms, from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt; for he had dominion over all on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river; and he had peace on all sides round about him."

Solomon, it appears, reigned over all the provinces from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the frontiers of Egypt. The Euphrates was on the east of Solomon's dominions; the Philistines were westward, on the Mediterranean sea; and Egypt was on the south. Solomon had therefore, as tributaries, the kingdoms of Syria, Damascus, Moab, and Ammon, which lay between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean. Thus he appears to have possessed all the land which God covenanted with Abraham to give to his posterity.

Unto the ends of the earth. — Or land, must mean the tract of country along the Mediterranean sea, which was the boundary of the land on that side: but, as the words may refer to Christ, every thing may be taken in its utmost latitude and extent.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE IMMORTAL, PRE-EXISTENT, UNIVERSAL RULER

"They shall fear thee while the sun endureth, And so long as the moon, throughout all generations. He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more He shall have dominion from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth."

It appears to us that there is precious little in this paragraph that can intelligently be applied to Solomon or to any other except the Blessed Messiah.

"They shall fear… while the earth endureth… so long as the moon… throughout all generations" Such a time-span as this is a reference to immortality. "Clearly, his immortality is implied in Psalms 72:5."W. E. Addis, p. 385.

"He will come down like rain… like showers" Both the rain and the showers come down from the heavens; and Solomon certainly never did anything like that. "Not only will this Great One rule all nations, but his pre-existence seems to be assumed in Psalms 72:6."Ibid.

"In his days the righteous shall flourish… abundance of peace" In a very limited and imperfect manner these words might be applied to the reign of Solomon. However his excessive taxation to support his hundreds of wives and concubines (a full thousand of them in all), his building of temples to their gods, the extravagant magnificence of his reign, and his expensive military establishment with some 40,000 horses, resulted finally in the rebellion against his successor and the rejection of the Davidic dynasty by the vast majority of the nation, ten of the twelve tribes going with Jeroboam I. All this prevents the application of Psalms 72:7 to Solomon, except in a very limited sense.

"Dominion from sea to sea… from the River to the ends of the earth" It is true that Solomon ruled over all of the Mid-East from the River (Euphrates) to the Mediterranean Sea, but not "to the ends of the earth."

Furthermore, the expression "from sea to sea," actually refers to the whole planet earth. "The ancient idea was that the earth was set in the middle of a great ocean";The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8-B, p. 65. thus "from sea to sea" meant the whole earth. Zechariah applied the exact Words of this verse to the Dominion of Messiah (Zechariah 9:10), of which dominion alone are they truly descriptive.

Delitzsch summarized this paragraph by his declaration that, "The wishes expressed here are of wider compass (than Solomon's dominion); and Zechariah repeats them predictively with reference to the King Messiah (Zechariah 9:10)."F. Delitzsch, op. cit., p. 302.

Our own viewpoint is that the words of this paragraph were not only "predictive" when Zechariah repeated them. They are predictive here, referring not to Solomon at all but to Christ. Such a truth as this lends remarkable support to the viewpoint of Calvin and of Matthew Henry that these words here are David's prayer for Solomon.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea - There is probably an allusion here to the promise in Exodus 23:31 : “And I will set thy bounds from the Red Sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river.” This was the original promise in regard to the bounds of the promised land. A promise similar to this occurs also in Genesis 15:18 : “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” The meaning here is, that what was implied in these ancient promises would be carried out under the reign of the king referred to in the psalm. The “immediate” allusion, therefore, in the phrase “from sea to sea,” may have been from the Red Sea on the East to the Mediterranean on the West; but still the language is susceptible of a more enlarged application, and may mean from one sea to another; that is, embracing all the lands or countries lying between seas and oceans; or, in other words, that the dominion would be universal. Compare the notes at Psalms 2:8.

And from the river ... - The Euphrates. This was emphatically “the river” to the Hebrews - the great river - the greatest river known to them; and this river would be naturally understood as intended by the expression, unless there was something to limit it. Besides, this was expressly designated in the original covenant as the boundary of the promised land. See, as above, Genesis 15:18. The meaning here is, that, taking that river as one of the boundaries, or as a starting point, the dominion would extend from that to the utmost limits of the earth. It would have no other boundary but the limits of the world. The promise, therefore, is, that the dominion would be universal, or would pervade the earth; at once a kingdom of peace, and yet spreading itself all over the world. It is hardly necessary to say that this did not occur under Solomon, and that it could not have been expected that it would occur under him, and especially as it was expected that his reign would be one of peace and not of conquest. It would find its complete fulfillment only under the Messiah.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

8He shall have dominion from sea to sea. As the Lord, when he promised his people the land of Canaan for an inheritance, assigned to it these four boundaries, (Genesis 15:18,) David intimates, that so long as the kingdom shall continue to exist, the possession of the promised land will be entire, to teach the faithful that the blessing of God cannot be fully realised, except whilst this kingdom shall flourish. He therefore declares that he will exercise dominion from the Red Sea, or from that arm of the Egyptian sea to the sea of Syria, which is called the Sea of the Philistines, ⁽¹³⁴⁾ and also from the river Euphrates to the great wilderness. If it is objected that such narrow bounds do not correspond with the kingdom of Christ, which was to be extended from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof, we reply, that David obviously accommodates his language to his own time, the amplitude of the kingdom of Christ not having been, as yet, fully unfolded. He has therefore begun his description in phraseology well known, and in familiar use under the law and the prophets; and even Christ himself commenced his reign within the limits here marked out before he penetrated to the uttermost boundaries of the earth; as it is said in Psalms 110:2,

“The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion.”

But, soon after, the Psalmist proceeds to speak of the enlarged extent of the empire of this king, declaring that the kings beyond the sea shall also be tributaries to him; and also that the inhabitants of the desert shall receive his yoke. The word ציים, tsiim, ⁽¹³⁵⁾ which we have translated inhabitants of the desert, is, I have no doubt, to be understood of those who, dwelling towards the south, were at a great distance from the land of Canaan. The Prophet immediately adds, that the enemies of the king shall lick the dust in token of their reverence. This, as is well known, was in ancient times a customary ceremony among the nations of the East; and Alexander the Great, after he had conquered the East, wished to compel his subjects to practice it, from which arose great dissatisfaction and contentions, the Macedonians disdainfully refusing to yield such a slavish and degrading mark of subjection. ⁽¹³⁶⁾ The meaning then is, that the king chosen by God in Judea will obtain so complete a victory over all his enemies, far and wide, that they shall come humbly to pay him homage.

(134) Or the Mediterranean.

(135) ציים,tsiim, is from ציה, tsiyah, a dry and parched country, a desert Rosenmüller translates it, the rude nations “The word ציים,” says he, “seems to signify rude, barbarous tribes; the inhabitants of desert places, — of vast and unknown regions. This sense appears to be most suitable, both here and in Psalms 74:14. Hence it is used Isaiah 13:21; Jeremiah 50:39, for the animals, — the wild beasts that inhabit jungles and deserts.” The LXX. translate it Αιθιοπες, “the Æthiopians;” and in like manner the Vulgate, Æthiopic, and Arabic versions. Boothroyd is of opinion that the wild Arabs may be intended.

(136) The kings of Persia never admitted any into their presence without exacting this act of adoration, and it was the Persian custom which Alexander wished to introduce among the Macedonians. — Rollin ’s Ancient History, volume 4, p. 288. This custom is still extant among the Turks. As soon as an ambassador sees the Sultan, he falls on his knees and kisses the ground.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 72:1-20

Psalms 72:1-20 is entitled, "A Psalm for Solomon." As we read this, we find that it goes far beyond Solomon and actually is a prophecy of that Son that was promised to David, even Jesus Christ, who would sit on the throne of David and rule it and establish it in order, in justice, and in righteousness, from henceforth forever. And so Psalms 72:1-20 transcends beyond just David's prayer for his son Solomon, and it becomes an expression of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom Age upon the throne of David. And so, there is that dual interpretation of Psalms 72:1-20 .

Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son ( Psalms 72:1 ).

When Jesus Christ comes again, the first order is that of judging the earth, gathering together the nations for judgment. "Give judgment unto thy king, and thy righteousness to the king's son."

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and the poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon mown grass: as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and the abundance of peace so long as the moon endures ( Psalms 72:2-7 ).

So you see even by the words of the psalm. "They shall fear Thee as long as the sun and the moon endure, throughout all the generations." So it carries far beyond Solomon to that righteous King that God had promised to sit upon the throne of David, and to establish it from henceforth even forever, as long as the moon endures.

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the eaRuth ( Psalms 72:8 ).

Again, the kingdom of God covering the entire earth.

They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him ( Psalms 72:9-11 ).

"Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father" ( Philippians 2:10-11 ). And the kings of the earth will gather, bring gifts from all over the world where His kingdom extends, and will bring the praises of the people unto Him in Jerusalem. The glorious Kingdom Age.

Now when you read of the kings of the earth coming and gathering and paying their homage and bringing their gifts, who are those kings of the earth? Revelation, chapter 1, verse Psalms 72:5-6, "Unto Him who loved us and who hath made us unto our God a kingdom of priests, and we shall reign with Him upon the earth." Revelation, chapter 5, the song of the redeemed saints in heaven, "Worthy is the Lamb to take the scroll and loose the seals, for Thou was slain and have redeemed us by Thy blood, out of every nation, tribe, tongue, kindred, and people, and hath made us unto our God, kings and priests. And we shall reign with Thee upon the earth." The church. So this mention of the kings falling down before Him is actually a reference to you, His church, and your place with Him in the Kingdom Age.

For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: and all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended ( Psalms 72:12-20 ).

So this brings us to the end of the second book of the psalms. As we mentioned to you, the psalms are actually divided into five books, and each of the books ends with a doxology. And here we find the doxology, "The whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." Just sort of, you know, the capstone on the thing, the conclusion. And thus, the prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

So as we enter into Book Three of the Psalms, we now get into a series of psalms that are ascribed to Asaph. Now Asaph was the chief musician. He was appointed by David as head over the musicians. Whether it is the name of an actual person or the title for the chief musician is not known. It is quite possible that Asaph is just the title for the chief musician, and thus, the psalms of Asaph would be the psalms of the chief musician, and not necessarily of the same person. Some of these psalms ascribed here to Asaph are psalms that definitely go beyond the Davidic period of reign, even into the areas of the desolation. Psalms that were written after the nation of Israel was devastated by their enemies, which, of course, goes then beyond Solomon's reign. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 72

This royal psalm is one of two psalms that attribute authorship to Solomon in the superscription (cf. Psalms 127). It describes his reign but anticipates the rule of his successor, Jesus Christ, on earth in the future. [Note: Chisholm, "A Theology . . .," p. 270.] The psalmist prayed for the prosperity of the Lord’s anointed, ultimately Israel’s Messiah. Isaac Watts wrote the hymn "Jesus Shall Reign" after meditating on this psalm. [Note: Kidner, p. 253.]

"The psalm is quoted nowhere in the New Testament as referring to Jesus, but certainly it describes the elements that will make up the promised kingdom when Jesus returns." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 219.]

Solomon wrote of the blessings that God bestows through His anointed ruler. Because the Lord had appointed the king and because he ruled righteously, Solomon expected his reign to be far-reaching. He asked God to bless his reign with peace and prosperity because he protects the oppressed.

"The psalm begins with a prayer for the messianic kingship of David’s dynasty (Psalms 72:1-2) and ends on an ascription of praise to the universal kingship of the Lord (Psalms 72:18-19). The petition alternates between a prayer for the king, a prayer for the prosperity and justice associated with the rule, and a prayer for the extent of the rule." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 469.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

It was not a sign of egotism that Solomon requested a universal dominion, as Psalms 72:12-14 make clear (cf. 1 Chronicles 4:10). The "river" is the Euphrates, the most significant river in terms of the land promises God gave to Abraham and his descendants. "Tarshish" probably refers to Tartessus in southwest Spain, "Sheba" to modern Yemen in southwestern Arabia, and "Seba" to upper (southern) Egypt, which is now Sudan.

"Extension, not limit, is the idea conveyed. The world belongs to God: may he confer on His representative a world-wide dominion! a hope to be realized only in the universal kingdom of Christ." [Note: Kirkpatrick, p. 420.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. A plea for wide influence 72:8-14

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,.... The same is said of the Messiah in Zechariah 9:10; where he is manifestly spoken of as here, and regards the extent of his dominion; not over the land of Israel only, as some think; but over the Gentile world, through the preaching of the Gospel in the several parts of it; and especially as it will be in the latter day, when the kingdoms of this world will be his, and he will be King over all the earth; see Revelation 17:14; which cannot agree with Solomon, whose dominion reached only to the land of the Philistines, to the border of Egypt, 1 Kings 4:21; but Christ's dominion will be, as it follows,

and from the river unto the ends of the earth; which, as Kimchi owns, is clear, if applied to the Messiah, since his government shall be over all the world. The note of Aben Ezra on the text is worthy of regard.

"If this is said concerning Solomon, the meaning is, from the Red sea to the sea of the Philistines; and from the river, this is Euphrates; and the ends of the earth mean the wilderness; (see Exodus 23:31); and, lo, mention is made of the length and breadth of the land of Israel: and if of the Messiah, the sense is, from the south sea, which is called the Idumean sea, to the northern sea, which is the sea of the ocean; and from the river, the river that goes out of Eden at the beginning of the east, unto the ends of the earth, which is at the end of the west;''

though rather the sense is, from the Indian ocean, the great sea, unto the Mediterranean sea; and from the river Euphrates to the end of the world. This text is applied to the Messiah by many Jewish writers z, ancient and modern.

z Raya Mehimna in Zohar in Exod. fol. 49. 4. Bemidbar Rabba, s. 13. fol. 209. 4. Baal Hatturim in Num. fol. 178. 4. R. Nachman. Disput. cum fratre Paulo, p. 41.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.   3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.   4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.   5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.   6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.   7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.   8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.   9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.   10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.   11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.   12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.   13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.   14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.   15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.   16 There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.   17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

      This is a prophecy of the prosperity and perpetuity of the kingdom of Christ under the shadow of the reign of Solomon. It comes in, 1. As a plea to enforce the prayer: "Lord, give him thy judgments and thy righteousness, and then he shall judge thy people with righteousness, and so shall answer the end of his elevation, Psalms 72:2; Psalms 72:2. Give him thy grace, and then thy people, committed to his charge, will have the benefit of it." Because God loved Israel, he made him king over them to do judgment and justice,2 Chronicles 9:8. We may in faith wrestle with God for that grace which we have reason to think will be of common advantage to his church. 2. As an answer of peace to the prayer. As by the prayer of faith we return answers to God's promises of mercy, so by the promises of mercy God returns answers to our prayers of faith. That this prophecy must refer to the kingdom of the Messiah is plain, because there are many passages in it which cannot be applied to the reign of Solomon. There was indeed a great deal of righteousness and peace, at first, in the administration of his government; but, before the end of his reign, there were both trouble and unrighteousness. The kingdom here spoken of is to last as long as the sun, but Solomon's was soon extinct. Therefore even the Jewish expositors understand it of the kingdom of the Messiah.

      Let us observe the many great and precious promises here made, which were to have their full accomplishment only in the kingdom of Christ; and yet some of them were in part fulfilled in Solomon's reign.

      I. That it should be a righteous government (Psalms 72:2; Psalms 72:2): He shall judge thy people with righteousness. Compare Isaiah 11:4. All the laws of Christ's kingdom are consonant to the eternal rules of equity; the chancery it erects to relieve against the rigours of the broken law is indeed a court of equity; and against the sentence of his last judgment there will lie no exception. The peace of his kingdom shall be supported by righteousness (Psalms 72:3; Psalms 72:3); for then only is the peace like a river, when the righteousness is as the waves of the sea. The world will be judged in righteousness, Acts 17:31.

      II. That it should be a peaceable government: The mountains shall bring peace, and the little hills (Psalms 72:3; Psalms 72:3); that is (says Dr. Hammond), both the superior and the inferior courts of judicature in Solomon's kingdom. There shall be abundance of peace,Psalms 72:7; Psalms 72:7. Solomon's name signifies peaceable, and such was his reign; for in it Israel enjoyed the victories of the foregoing reign and preserved the tranquillity and repose of that reign. But peace is, in a special manner, the glory of Christ's kingdom; for, as far as it prevails, it reconciles men to God, to themselves, and to one another, and slays all enmities; for he is our peace.

      III. That the poor and needy should be, in a particular manner, taken under the protection of this government: He shall judge thy poor,Psalms 72:2; Psalms 72:2. Those are God's poor that are impoverished by keeping a good conscience, and those shall be provided for with a distinguishing care, shall be judged for with judgment, with a particular cognizance taken of their case and a particular vengeance taken for their wrongs. The poor of the people, and the children of the needy, he will be sure so to judge as to save, Psalms 72:4; Psalms 72:4. This is insisted upon again (Psalms 72:12; Psalms 72:13), intimating that Christ will be sure to carry his cause on behalf of his injured poor. He will deliver the needy that lie at the mercy of their oppressors, the poor also, both because they have no helper and it is for his honour to help them and because they cry unto him and he has promised, in answer to their prayers, to help them; they by prayer commit themselves unto him,Psalms 10:14. He will spare the needy that throw themselves on his mercy, and will not be rigorous and severe with them; he will save their souls, and that is all they desire. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Christ is the poor man's King.

      IV. That proud oppressors shall be reckoned with: He shall break them in pieces (Psalms 72:4; Psalms 72:4), shall take away their power to hurt, and punish them for all the mischief they have done. This is the office of a good king, Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos--To spare the vanquished and debase the proud. The devil is the great oppressor, whom Christ will break in pieces and of whose kingdom he will be the destruction. With the breath of his mouth shall he slay that wicked one (Isaiah 11:4), and shall deliver the souls of his people from deceit and violence,Psalms 72:14; Psalms 72:14. He shall save from the power of Satan, both as an old serpent working by deceit to ensnare them and as a roaring lion working by violence to terrify and devour them. So precious shall their blood be unto him that not a drop of it shall be shed, by the deceit or violence of Satan or his instruments, without being reckoned for. Christ is a King, who, though he calls his subjects sometimes to resist unto blood for him, yet is not prodigal of their blood, nor will ever have it parted with but upon a valuable consideration to his glory and theirs, and the filling up of the measure of their enemies' iniquity.

      V. That religion shall flourish under Christ's government (Psalms 72:5; Psalms 72:5): They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure. Solomon indeed built the temple, and the fear and worship of God were well kept up, for some time, under his government, but it did not last long; this therefore must point at Christ's kingdom, all the subjects of which are brought to and kept in the fear of God; for the Christian religion has a direct tendency to, and a powerful influence upon, the support and advancement of natural religion. Faith in Christ will set up, and keep up, the fear of God; and therefore this is the everlasting gospel that is preached, Fear God, and give honour to him,Revelation 14:7. And, as Christ's government promotes devotion towards God, so it promotes both justice and charity among men (Psalms 72:7; Psalms 72:7): In his days shall the righteous flourish; righteousness shall be practised, and those that practise righteousness shall be preferred. Righteousness shall abound and be in reputation, shall command and be in power. The law of Christ, written in the heart, disposes men to be honest and just, and to render to all their due; it likewise disposes men to live in love, and so it produces abundance of peace and beats swords into ploughshares. Both holiness and love shall be perpetual in Christ's kingdom, and shall never go to decay, for the subjects of it shall fear God as long as the sun and moon endure; Christianity, in the profession of it, having got footing in the world, shall keep its ground till the end of time, and having, in the power of it, got footing in the heart, it will continue there till, by death, the sun, and the moon, and the stars (that is, the bodily senses) are darkened. Through all the changes of the world, and all the changes of life, Christ's kingdom will support itself; and, if the fear of God continue as long as the sun and moon, abundance of peace will. The peace of the church, the peace of the soul, shall run parallel with its purity and piety, and last as long as these last.

      VI. That Christ's government shall be very comfortable to all his faithful loving subjects (Psalms 72:6; Psalms 72:6): He shall, by the graces and comforts of his Spirit, come down like rain upon the mown grass; not on that which is cut down, but that which is left growing, that it may spring again, though it was beheaded. The gospel of Christ distils as the rain, which softens the ground that was hard, moistens that which was dry, and so makes it green and fruitful, Isaiah 55:10. Let our hearts drink in the rain,Hebrews 6:7.

      VII. That Christ's kingdom shall be extended very far, and greatly enlarged; considering,

      1. The extent of his territories (Psalms 72:8; Psalms 72:8): He shall have dominion from sea to sea (from the South Sea to the North, or from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean) and from the river Euphrates, or Nile, to the ends of the earth. Solomon's dominion was very large (1 Kings 4:21), according to the promise, Genesis 15:18. But no sea, no river, is named, that it might, by these proverbial expressions, intimate the universal monarchy of the Lord Jesus. His gospel has been, or shall be, preached to all nations (Matthew 24:14), and the kingdoms of the world shall become his kingdoms (Revelation 11:15) when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in. His territories shall be extended to those countries, (1.) That were strangers to him: Those that dwell in the wilderness, out of all high roads, that seldom hear news, shall hear the glad tidings of the Redeemer and redemption by him, shall bow before him, shall believe in him, accept of him, worship him, and take his yoke upon them. Before the Lord Jesus we must all either bow or break; if we break, we are ruined--if we bow, we are certainly made for ever. (2.) That were enemies to him, and had fought against him: They shall lick the dust; they shall be brought down and laid in the dust, shall bite the ground for vexation, and be so hunger-bitten that they shall be glad of dust, the serpent's meat (Genesis 3:15), for of his seed they are; and over whom shall not he rule, when his enemies themselves are thus humbled and brought low?

      2. The dignity of his tributaries. He shall not only reign over those that dwell in the wilderness, the peasants and cottagers, but over those that dwell in the palaces (Psalms 72:10; Psalms 72:10): The kings of Tarshish, and of the isles, that lie most remote from Israel and are the isles of the Gentiles (Genesis 10:5), shall bring presents to him as their sovereign Lord, by and under whom they hold their crowns and all their crown lands. They shall court his favour, and make an interest in him, that they may hear his wisdom. This was literally fulfilled in Solomon (for all the kings of the earth sought the wisdom of Solomon, and brought every man his present,2 Chronicles 9:23; 2 Chronicles 9:24), and in Christ too, when the wise men of the east, who probably were men of the first rank in their own country, came to worship him and brought him presents,Matthew 2:11. They shall present themselves to him; that is the best present we can bring to Christ, and without that no other present is acceptable, Romans 12:1. They shall offer gifts, spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, offer them to Christ as their God, on Christ as their altar, which sanctifies every gift. Their conversion to God is called the offering up, or sacrificing, of the Gentiles,Romans 15:16. Yea, all kings shall, sooner or later, fall down before him, either to do their duty to him or to receive their doom from him, Psalms 72:11; Psalms 72:11. They shall fall before him, either as his willing subjects or as his conquered captives, as suppliants for his mercy or expectants of his judgment. And, when the kings submit, the people come in of course: All nations shall serve him; all shall be invited into his service; some of all nations shall come into it, and in every nation incense shall be offered to him and a pure offering,Malachi 1:11; Revelation 7:9.

      VIII. That he shall be honoured and beloved by all his subjects (Psalms 72:15; Psalms 72:15): He shall live; his subjects shall desire his life (O king! live for ever) and with good reason; for he has said, Because I live, you shall live also; and of him it is witnessed that he liveth, ever liveth, making intercession,Hebrews 7:8; Hebrews 7:25. He shall live, and live prosperously; and, 1. Presents shall be made to him. Though he shall be able to live without them, for he needs neither the gifts nor the services of any, yet to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba--gold, the best of metals, gold of Sheba, which probably was the finest gold; for he that is best must be served with the best. Those that have abundance of the wealth of this world, that have gold at command, must give it to Christ, must serve him with it, do good with it. Honour the Lord with thy substance. 2. Prayers shall be made for him, and that continually. The people prayed for Solomon, and that helped to make him and his reign so great a blessing to them. It is the duty of subjects to make prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, for kings and all in authority, not in compliment to them, as is too often done, but in concern for the public welfare. But how is this applied to Christ? He needs not our prayers, nor can have any benefit by them. But the Old-Testament saints prayed for his coming, prayed continually for it; for they called him, He that should come. And now that he has come we must pray for the success of his gospel and the advancement of his kingdom, which he calls praying for him (Hosanna to the Son of David, prosperity to his reign), and we must pray for his second coming. It may be read, Prayer shall be made through him, or for his sake; whatsoever we ask of the Father shall be in his name and in dependence upon his intercession. 3. Praises shall be made of him, and high encomiums given of his wisdom, justice, and goodness: Daily shall he be praised. By praying daily in his name we give him honour. Subjects ought to speak well of the government that is a blessing to them; and much more ought all Christians to praise Jesus Christ, daily to praise him; for they owe their all to him, and to him they lie under the highest obligations.

      IX. That under his government there shall be a wonderful increase both of meat and mouths, both of the fruits of the earth in the country and of the people inhabiting the cities, Psalms 72:16; Psalms 72:16. 1. The country shall grow rich. Sow but a handful of corn on the top of the mountains, whence one would expect but little, and yet the fruit of it shall shake like Lebanon; it shall come up like a wood, so thick, and tall, and strong, like the cedars of Lebanon. Even upon the tops of the mountains the earth shall bring forth by handfuls; that is an expression of great plenty (Genesis 41:47), as the grass upon the house top is said to be that wherewith the mower fills not his hand. This is applicable to the wonderful productions of the seed of the gospel in the days of the Messiah. A handful of that seed, sown in the mountainous and barren soil of the Gentile world, produced a wonderful harvest gathered in to Christ, fruit that shook like Lebanon. The fields were white to the harvest,John 4:35; Matthew 9:37. The grain of mustard-seed grew up to a great tree. 2. The towns shall grow populous: Those of the city shall flourish like grass, for number, for verdure. The gospel church, the city of God among men, shall have all the marks of prosperity, many shall be added to it, and those that are shall be happy in it.

      X. That his government shall be perpetual, both to his honour and to the happiness of his subjects. The Lord Jesus shall reign for ever, and of him only this must be understood, and not at all of Solomon. It is Christ only that shall be feared throughout all generations (Psalms 72:5; Psalms 72:5) and as long as the sun and moon endure,Psalms 72:7; Psalms 72:7. 1. The honour of the princes is immortal and shall never be sullied (Psalms 72:17; Psalms 72:17): His name shall endure for ever, in spite of all the malicious attempts and endeavours of the powers of darkness to eclipse the lustre of it and to cut off the line of it; it shall be preserved; it shall be perpetuated; it shall be propagated. As the names of earthly princes are continued in their posterity, so Christ's in himself. Filiabitur nomen ejus--His name shall descend to posterity. All nations, while the world stands, shall call him blessed, shall bless God for him, continually speak well of him, and think themselves happy in him. To the end of time, and to eternity, his name shall be celebrated, shall be made use of; every tongue shall confess it and every knee shall bow before it. 2. The happiness of the people if universal too; it is complete and everlasting: Men shall be blessed, truly and for ever blessed, in him. This plainly refers to the promise made unto the fathers that in the Messiah all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Genesis 12:3.