Psalms 72:4

Psalms 72:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
• New International Version (NIV)May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!
• New King James Version (NKJV)He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor.

Context of Psalms 72:4

2Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly. 3May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful. Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors. 5May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever! 6May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth.

Psalms 72:4 word by word

יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט׀ עֲֽנִיֵּי־עָ֗ם י֭וֹשִׁיעַ לִבְנֵ֣י אֶבְי֑וֹן וִֽידַכֵּ֣א עוֹשֵֽׁק׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He shall judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• the poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• he shall saveיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of the needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• and shall break in piecesדָּכָאdâkâ' · to crushH1792
• the oppressorעָשַׁק‛âshaq · to oppressH6231

Cross-references for Psalms 72:4

• Psalms 72:12He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
• Psalms 109:31For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them.
• Isaiah 11:4He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
• Ezekiel 34:15I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord.
• Zechariah 11:7So I cared for the flock intended for slaughter—the flock that was oppressed. Then I took two shepherd’s staffs and named one Favor and the other Union.
• Matthew 11:5the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”
• Psalms 2:9You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’”
• Psalms 94:5They crush your people, Lord, hurting those you claim as your own.
• Job 19:2“How long will you torture me? How long will you try to crush me with your words?
• Job 34:24He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their place.
• Proverbs 20:26A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.
• Jeremiah 51:20“You are my battle-ax and sword,” says the Lord. “With you I will shatter nations and destroy many kingdoms.
• Isaiah 9:4For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
• Isaiah 51:12“I, yes I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear?
• Daniel 2:34As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits.
• Zechariah 9:8I will guard my Temple and protect it from invading armies. I am watching closely to ensure that no more foreign oppressors overrun my people’s land.

Commentaries on Psalms 72:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4He shall judge the poor of the people - The afflicted; the down-trodden; the needy. He would vindicate their cause against their oppressors; his reign would be one of impartial justice, under which the rights of the poor as well as of the rich would be respected. See the notes at Isaiah 11:4. He shall save the children of the needy - Those in humble life; those most likely to be oppressed by others; those who have no natural protectors. And shall break in…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. 4A just ruler will defend the poor against injustice, rescue them from violence, and bring their oppressors to account for their wrongdoing.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. That peace, including prosperity, as an eminent characteristic of Christ's reign (Is 2:4; Is 9:6; 11:9), will be illustrated in the security provided for the helpless and needy, and the punishment inflicted on oppressors, whose power to injure or mar the peace of others will be destroyed (compare Is 65:25; Zec 9:10). children of the needy--for the needy (compare sons of strangers, Psa 18:45 [Margin]).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 72:4

• Church
• Gentiles
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judge
• King
• Oppression
• Poor
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Fall
• Judgment
• Lick
• Psalms
• Bible, the
• Christ, Offices of
• Intercession
• King, Christ As
• Korahites; Sons of Korah
• Literature, Sub-Apostolic

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