As
Hurricane Isaac is starting to make landfall in New Orleans (following an
eerily similar path to Hurricane Katrina), the GOP National Convention is
preparing to kick-off where Mitt Romney will accept the nomination of his party
as the presidential candidate.  It will
be an event filled with pomp, circumstance, ticker take, high hopes, big
speeches, and boundless optimism.  The
National Convention meetings of each party are always an interesting panorama of
American politics.

 

Psalm
72 gives us a similarly interesting panorama into the politics of the early
monarchy in ancient Israel.  When King
David was fading into eternal sleep, his place in the hearts and minds of all
Jewish people was indelibly etched into their national consciousness.  His son, Solomon, had big shoes to fill.  David was a hero.  He was the shepherd boy who became a
king.  Solomon was born a prince and
although was trained in a royal household, he wasn’t his father. 

 

So
as we continue Psalm 72 today, we think back to the hopes of Israel as they inaugurated
their king, Solomon son of David.  With
their eyes also looking forward to the promised Messiah, they have high
optimism for David’s immediate son while they looked to the prophecy of the One
who would surpass their hero, David son of Jesse.

 

12 For
he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He
will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
14 He will
rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood
in his sight.

Psalm 72:12-14

 

The
earthly king of Israel was thought of as the shepherd of the people of
God.  We think of a king in terms of the
medieval kings of Western society.  In
our minds a king is inaccessible and distant. 
To the people of Israel, however, the king was available for help in
solving legal problems in addition to ensuring the judges over the people were
being honest and fair in their judgments. 
Even Solomon himself, with his expansive network and kingdom didn’t
match the ideal presented in these few verses.

 

This
reminds us that Psalm 72 is written about the ideal king.  The ideal king of Israel is none other than
the Messiah, Jesus.  The Lord spoke
through the prophet Isaiah, “The poor and
needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with
thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake
them” (Isaiah
41:17).   The Lord’s solution to the
problems plaguing humanity was coming down to us in the life of His Son, Jesus.

 

God
the Father didn’t just send us a representative; He sent us “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation”
(Colossians 1:15).  Jesus didn’t only
deliver a message from the Father, He demonstrated the Father’s love and
actions to us.  In showing us the Father
and being the ideal King, Jesus fulfilled the longing of verse 12, “he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who
have no one to help.”  He has great compassion and
meets our needs (cf. Matthew 9:36).

 

Jesus
took pity on us and saved us from death because he is the “good shepherd” (John 10:11). 
He laid down His life for the sheep and delivers us from our greatest
oppression and violence: the curse of sin. 
Taking on Himself our curse, “He was
pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was on Him and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).  Our great King has delivered us with His own
blood (cf. 1 Peter 1:19). 

 

When
Jesus stepped into space and time in that stable in Bethlehem, He did far more than achieve the miracle of the incarnation. 
He set forth the plan of God for the redemption of all humanity.  Our Great King loved us with a cross and “is able to save completely those who come to God through
Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

 

Dear
Christian, never forget how much your King loves you.  He has demonstrated His great love for us by
dying for us while we were still sinners and enemies of Him (Romans 5:8).  Now, we can be God’s friends through our King
of Kings (cf. John 15:15).

 

Verse

I’m forgiven

Because You were
forsaken

I’m accepted

You were condemned

I’m alive and well

Your Spirit is within me

Because You died

And rose again

 

Chorus

Amazing love

How can it be

That You my King

Would die for me

Amazing love

I know it’s true

It’s my joy to honor You

In all I do I honor You

 

Bridge

You are my King

You are my King

Jesus You are my King

Jesus You are my King

“You
Are My King (Amazing Love)”

Billy
Foote

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