English Standard Version
Psalms 72:16
16May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!
Psalms 72:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)There shall be an 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.
- New International Version (NIV)May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field.
- New King James Version (NKJV)There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)May there be abundant grain throughout the land, flourishing even on the hilltops. May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon, and may the people thrive like grass in a field.
Context of Psalms 72:16
14From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight. 15Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day! May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field! 17May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed! 18Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
Read all of Psalms 72Psalms 72:16 word by word
יְהִ֤י פִסַּת־בַּ֨ר׀ בָּאָרֶץ֮ בְּרֹ֪אשׁ הָ֫רִ֥ים יִרְעַ֣שׁ כַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן פִּרְי֑וֹ וְיָצִ֥יצוּ מֵ֝עִ֗יר כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- There shall be an handfulפִּסָּהpissâh · abundanceH6451
- of cornבַּרbâr bar · grainH1250
- in the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- upon the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- the fruitפְּרִיperîy · fruitH6529
- thereof shall shakeרָעַשׁrâ‛ash · to shakeH7493
- like Lebanonלְבָנוֹןlebânôn · LebanonH3844
- of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- shall flourishצוּץtsûts · to blossomH6692
- like grassעֵ֫שֶׂב‛eώeb · vegetationH6212
Cross-references for Psalms 72:16
- Job 8:7And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great.
- Isaiah 30:23And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures,
- Isaiah 32:15until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
- Matthew 13:31He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
- Mark 16:15And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
- Acts 1:15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,
- Acts 2:41So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
- Acts 4:4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
- 1 Corinthians 3:6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
- Revelation 7:9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
- Isaiah 2:2It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,
- Psalms 92:12The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
- Isaiah 29:17Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?
- Isaiah 35:1The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
- Hosea 14:5I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;
- Psalms 72:6May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!
Commentaries on Psalms 72:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16There shall be a handful of corn - The earth shall be exceedingly fruitful. Even a handful of corn sown on the top of a mountain shall grow up strong and vigorous; and it shall be, in reference to crops in other times as the cedars of Lebanon are to common trees or shrubs: and as the earth will bring forth in handfuls, so the people shall be multiplied who are to consume this great produce. And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16There shall be an handful of corn - “Of grain,” for so the word means in the Scriptures. The “general” idea in this verse is plain. It is, that, in the time of the Messiah, there would be an ample supply of the fruits of the earth; or that his reign would tend to the promotion of prosperity, industry, abundance. It would be as if fields of grain waved everywhere, even on the tops of mountains, or as if the hills were cultivated to the very summit, so that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-17Verses 2-17 This is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ; many passages in it cannot be applied to the reign of Solomon. There were righteousness and peace at first in the administration of his government; but, before the end of his reign, there were troubles and unrighteousness. The kingdom here spoken of is to last as long as the sun, but Solomon's was soon at an end. Even the Jewish expositors understood it of the kingdom of the Messiah. Observe many…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16the forests of Lebanon: Lebanon was famous for its wood (see study note on 2 Chronicles 2:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. The spiritual blessings, as often in Scripture, are set forth by material, the abundance of which is described by a figure, in which a "handful" (or literally, "a piece," or small portion) of corn in the most unpropitious locality, shall produce a crop, waving in the wind in its luxuriant growth, like the forests of Lebanon. they of the city ... earth--This clause denotes the rapid and abundant increase of population-- of--or, "from" the…Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 72:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 72
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries