The Righteous King
He will take pity on the poor and needy and save the lives of the oppressed. Psalm 72:13 · Berean Standard Bible
He will feel compassion for people living in poverty and on the edge of survival, and he'll actively save their lives from destruction.
The repetition here matters—the psalm keeps coming back to this because it's not negotiable. This isn't abstract justice; it's a king who has pity, who feels something toward the suffering. He doesn't just rule from a throne; he moves toward the broken.
The prayer deepening, emphasizing the emotional connection and action the king must have.
This echoes God's own character throughout Scripture—His 'bowels of compassion,' as the old translations say. It's what moved Jesus to weep over Jerusalem and to touch lepers others wouldn't go near.
The king will exhibit compassion toward the economically destitute and will actively intervene to rescue the oppressed from their deadly circumstances.
The pity or compassion (חֻס, hus) reflects the visceral empathy a righteous ruler should embody—not merely cold justice but emotional investment in the suffering of subjects. The progression from delivering (verse 12) to pitying (verse 13) to redeeming (verse 14) shows escalating commitment: the king doesn't merely respond to crises but proactively extends mercy.
The psalmist articulates the emotional dimension of righteous rule—the king's interior orientation toward the vulnerable must match his external actions.
Jesus's multiple depictions of compassion—the shepherd seeking lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7), the father running toward the prodigal son (Luke 15:20)—embody this emotional-volitional response to human suffering that Psalm 72 ideally attributes to the king.
11May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.
12For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
13He will take pity on the poor and needy and save the lives of the oppressed.
14He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
Read all of Psalm 72 — A prayer for Solomon that reaches past Solomon. This king will defend the poor, crush the oppressor, and rule from sea to sea.
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