Introduction
We continue in Psalm 72, which is David's prayer for his son Shlomo - and in the view of many, also a prophecy concerning Melech HaMashiach. The chapter describes a king who establishes his monarchy on justice and righteousness, through which three things are drawn to him: expansive dominion, great wealth, and immense honor. Let us see how Rashi, Radak, Ibn Ezra, and the Malbim explain the verses.
"May the Righteous Flourish in His Days" - The Flourishing in Shlomo's Era
יִפְרַח בְּיָמָיו צַדִּיק וְרֹב שָׁלוֹם עַד בְּלִי יָרֵחַ׃ - In his days may the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace until the moon is no more.
"In his days may the righteous flourish" - during his days the Jewish people would flourish; "and abundance of peace" - that this peace would be enduring, a great peace. Rashi explains that this prayer was fulfilled, except for this specific matter. Because Shlomo sinned, his kingdom did not continue uninterrupted: "And Hashem raised up an adversary against Shlomo," Ben-Hadad and others. The monarchy was granted to David on the condition that "if your children keep My ways," and the Holy One, Blessed be He, promised that their kingdom would endure; once they veered from the path, the kingdom was divided. Thus, the aspect of "abundance of peace until the moon is no more" was not fulfilled. However, "in his days may the righteous flourish" was certainly fulfilled: the greatest golden era of the Jewish people occurred during Shlomo's reign - "Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore," "And Judah and Israel lived securely, each man under his vine," and this lasted throughout Shlomo's lifetime.
Radak explains that "in his days may the righteous flourish" does not refer to the entirety of Israel, but specifically to the righteous and the good who would flourish in his days. There were generations when the righteous were persecuted, but in his days, it would be the righteous who flourish and receive boundless goodness. And what is meant by "until the moon is no more"? Until a time when there is no moon - and such a time will never be, for the Holy One, Blessed be He, says, "If these ordinances depart," and "If the sun and moon cease from before Me, so too the seed of Israel will cease from being a nation before Me all the days." The Holy One, Blessed be He, promises, "He stirs up the sea so that its waves roar," that the world will endure forever; only if the moon were to vanish would peace, as it were, cease. It turns out, then, that "abundance of peace until the moon is no more" means it will last forever. One possibility is that the verse refers to Shlomo, while a second possibility - says Radak - is that it refers to Melech HaMashiach, in whose era there will be peace for all eternity.
The Malbim, on the other hand, explains that this verse continues the preceding one: "May he descend like rain upon mown grass, like showers watering the earth" - from this mown field the righteous will flourish. The "mown grass" represents the abundance that the king bestows upon them, and the people are like mown grass that is receptive and open to receiving rebuke, ethical guidance, and the path of the fear of Hashem. Through the power of that rain and those showers - through the rebukes - the righteous will flourish: people will act with righteousness on account of the rebukes that descended upon them like rain.
"And May He Rule from Sea to Sea" - Dominion from One End of the Earth to the Other
וְיֵרְדְּ מִיָּם עַד יָם וּמִנָּהָר עַד אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ׃ - And may he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
"From sea to sea" - Rashi explains: the entire Land of Israel, from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, which is the sea in the region of Eilat. Radak explains, as is his approach, that this can be understood as referring to Shlomo or to Melech HaMashiach. If referring to Shlomo - we indeed find: "For he ruled over all the region on this side of the River, from Tifsach even to Gaza." "Veyerd" comes from the root of dominion (rediyah), meaning rulership, that he rules and holds sway over them. And regarding Eretz Yisrael it is said, "And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River" - this is "from sea to sea"; and beyond Eretz Yisrael he adds from the river onward, which is "to the ends of the earth," as it is written of Shlomo that he ruled over all the kingdoms.
Regarding the expression "from Tifsach to Gaza," Chazal present two opinions: some say that Tifsach and Gaza were each at opposite ends of the world, and thus "from Tifsach to Gaza" means from one end to the other. Another opinion holds that they were adjacent to one another, and the meaning is that just as he ruled over Tifsach and Gaza, so he ruled over the entire world. In fact, even if they were adjacent, it can still describe ruling over the entire world, for one can travel "from Tifsach to Gaza" not by the short route, but by the path that encircles the entire globe - via Australia, all the way around the sphere. It follows that even if they are close, one can still describe a ruler of the entire world as ruling "from Tifsach to Gaza."
When it says that he was a ruler, this should not be understood as direct governing rule. Just as people say today of a monarch that he "rules over Australia" - meaning not an active administrative government, but that Australia is subordinate, pays tribute, and recognizes him as sovereign over them, though they were not necessarily under his direct daily control. If we apply this to Melech HaMashiach, the matter is even clearer, for then his reign will truly be absolute over the entire world. Ibn Ezra explains "from sea to sea" - from the southern sea known as the Red Sea to the northern sea which is the Ocean; "and from the river" - the river that flows out of Eden, which is the beginning of the east, "to the ends of the earth" - the end of the west.
The Malbim explains that through the king executing justice, as seen in the previous verses, he firmly establishes his kingdom, and he then merits widespread dominion to subjugate nations beneath him. "And he shall rule" (*veyerd*) is an expression of dominion, forceful rule; "from sea to sea" - from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines.
"Before Him Shall Desert Dwellers Bow"
לְפָנָיו יִכְרְעוּ צִיִּים וְאֹיְבָיו עָפָר יְלַחֵכוּ׃ - Before him shall desert dwellers bow, and his enemies shall lick the dust.
The Malbim explains that *tziyim* are desert dwellers. Rashi, on the other hand, explains it as "troupes of demons (*shedim*)," which seems astonishing - what do demons have to do with this context? Furthermore, Rashi cites the Targum: "and their factions will be freed from the Romans," where *si'an* means factions or groups - how does that connect to demons? Indeed, Rav Mazuz in his commentary *Emet Keneh* emends the text: not *shedim* (demons), but *sarim* (princes or ministers) - a scribal error confusing the letters *dalet* and *resh*. According to this, it fits beautifully: "Before him shall *tziyim* bow" - ministers and dignitaries will bow before him. This explains the Targum's words, meaning that factions of distinguished and noble men will come from Rome to serve the king and prostrate themselves before him.
The Radak explains along the lines of the Malbim: *tziyim* are dwellers of the arid wilderness (*tziyah*), desert nomads such as the Kedarites and others - the Bedouins of the desert. Even though they live far from civilization, they will bow before him; and all the more so those living within settled society, who recognize his sovereignty. "And his enemies shall lick the dust" - those who might wish to be his enemies will be unable to oppose him, having no choice out of dread of him but to lick the dust at his feet. Ibn Ezra, meanwhile, explains that *tziyim* refers to shipmasters, which is why the next verse immediately mentions "the kings of Tarshish and the isles" - maritime islands reached by fleets (*tziyim*, from the root for a fleet of ships).
"The Kings of Tarshish" - Tribute and Gifts
מַלְכֵי תַרְשִׁישׁ וְאִיִּים מִנְחָה יָשִׁיבוּ מַלְכֵי שְׁבָא וּסְבָא אֶשְׁכָּר יַקְרִיבוּ׃ - The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall render tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
"The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall render tribute" - as it appears in the Book of Kings: "For the king had a fleet of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram; once every three years the fleet of Tarshish would come." He would send ships to bring corals, silver, gold, and precious stones from all over the world to the Land of Israel. "Ships of Tarshish" (*oniyot Tarshish*) - ships whose destination was Tarshish, a well-known place referred to in ancient texts as Tarsus. "The kings of Sheba" - Rashi explains that this refers to the Queen of Sheba; and Seba is the name of a kingdom. "Gifts" (*eshkar*) - Rashi defines this as a gift (*doron*), and the Radak writes that there is no other word like it in the entire Tanach; rather, its meaning is derived from its context, as a synonym for tribute.
As noted previously, the way the early commentators determined the meaning of a word was through textual comparison. They carried a concordance in their minds, not in a printed book. When encountering an unfamiliar word, they scanned where it appeared throughout Tanach, and based on the context in the other occurrences, deduced its meaning here. For example, if one does not know the meaning of *rash*, seeing in another verse, "Deliver the poor, needy, and destitute (*rash*)," clarifies that *rash* denotes a form of poverty - Scripture itself illuminates the definition. The difficulty arises with a word that has no parallel in Scripture, leading the Rishonim to note, "There is nothing like it in all of Scripture" or "I have found no parallel for it." Here we have such an example: the word *eshkar* appears nowhere else, and there is no related form - neither in plural forms like *eshkarim* or *eshkarot*, nor anything similar. In such a situation, one must deduce the meaning strictly from the context: "The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall render tribute (*minchah*); the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer *eshkar*" - clearly, this must be a form of tribute or offering, especially since it says "shall offer" (*yakrivu*), an offering brought before him. Perhaps one could suggest an etymology related to an intoxicating beverage (*shikur*), but that is not necessary; it simply denotes a gift brought before him. This is what the Radak meant: there is no equivalent in Scripture, but its meaning is understood from its context.
And why does the verse say "shall render" (*yashivu*, literally "return")? This is a difficult phrasing, for returning implies giving back something previously taken - so what kind of returning is meant here? The Radak explains that the expression of *hashavah* here denotes recurrence, time and again. *Heishiv* does not necessarily mean returning something taken, but rather rendering a gift not just once, but repeatedly and consistently - from the root *shuv* (to return or repeat). The Malbim explains similarly that the bulk of the king's wealth would come from the kings of Tarshish and the isles, who would bring him tribute time and time again, just as "the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts" - repeatedly. He supports this from the verse, "and he rendered (*veheishiv*) to the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs," referring to an annual tribute given year after year. Thus, *yashivu* denotes a regular, recurring tribute paid time and again.
Returning the Gifts and the Honor - The Sefat Emet
Nevertheless, the Sefat Emet cites the Yalkut Shimoni: Why does the verse say "they shall return" (*yashivu*)? Because they will return all the gifts that Yaakov gave to Eisav! This refers to the coming of the Mashiach, when the nations will restore all the gifts Yaakov presented to Eisav. This is a literal restitution - "and he shall return the stolen object." Moreover, this refers not only to the material gifts, but also to the honor Yaakov showed Eisav by bowing down before him; from the word *yashivu*, we learn that this honor will be returned as well. One might ask: if boundless bounty will already exist here, why would we need the tribute they offer? Did Solomon really need their gifts? With such legendary wealth, Israel certainly has no need for their offerings. Rather, says the Sefat Emet, the true meaning is that they will restore the honor taken back then - when Yaakov bowed to Eisav and called him "my lord," for which Yaakov was held accountable. In the future, they are destined to return that honor, coming themselves to prostrate before Israel.
"All kings shall bow down to him" - Abundant Honor
וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ כָל מְלָכִים כָּל גּוֹיִם יַעַבְדוּהוּ׃ - All kings shall bow down to him; all nations shall serve him.
The Radak notes that this can be explained as referring to King Solomon or to the King Messiah. Rashi explains "all nations shall serve him" in that the entire earth would bring tribute to Solomon, each bringing his gift. The Malbim explains that this is the third aspect mentioned here: abundant honor. Kings will bow down to him as they recognize his wisdom and noble virtues, and this will lead the nations to serve him willingly. For when a ruler is lowly, one is forced to serve him against his will; but when someone is truly exalted, one feels privileged to serve him, and does so gladly, sensing that this is an elevated individual to whom one wishes to attach oneself. This is the meaning of "all nations shall serve him" - willingly.
"For he will rescue the needy when he cries out" - The King Rescues Personally
כִּי יַצִּיל אֶבְיוֹן מְשַׁוֵּעַ וְעָנִי וְאֵין עֹזֵר לוֹ׃ - For he will rescue the needy when he cries out, and the poor who has no helper.
And why will all the nations love and serve him? Because they see that he is a righteous king who rescues the poor and destitute who have no helper, extending a helping hand to them. The Malbim explains that the three virtues we enumerated - dominion, wealth, and honor - are attained through the conduct described earlier, by acting with justice. This is why it was stated earlier, "He shall judge the poor of the people" - and where is this seen? "He will rescue the needy when he cries out."
At first glance, one might ask: Does he only rescue the one who cries out? That would seem to be a shortcoming, for one ought to rescue a needy person even if he does not cry out; is it praise if he only rises to save him once he hears his desperate cries? The Malbim explains the meaning of "and he has no helper": if the oppressed cries out for justice against those who wrong him, the king will rescue him personally. He will not leave it to the judges stationed in every city; rather, he himself will save the crying destitute. And "and the poor" - the description "crying out" applies to him as well: a crying destitute person and a crying pauper who has no one to help him, the king will rescue them personally. This applies whether we refer to Solomon or to the King Messiah. For this reason, he will merit to rule from sea to sea, so that he may continually watch over all who are under his leadership, and thereby merit to lead great and mighty nations.
"He will have pity on the impoverished and the needy" - Salvation of Body and Soul
יָחֹס עַל דַּל וְאֶבְיוֹן וְנַפְשׁוֹת אֶבְיוֹנִים יוֹשִׁיעַ׃ - He will have pity on the impoverished and the needy, and save the souls of the needy.
Corresponding to what was said earlier, "he will save the children of the needy," it says here that he will have pity on the impoverished and destitute to provide them with food and sustenance. Yet this is not only physical salvation, but also "the souls of the needy" - the salvation of the soul, teaching proper conduct and ethics to one whose inner soul is deficient. There are those who may lack no money, yet their soul is impoverished.
A story is told of a Rebbe whose wealthy visitors would enter his room and remain for a long time, while the poor would enter only briefly and leave. On one occasion, the poor voiced their grievance and complained: "Why does the Rebbe receive the rich for a long time and the poor for only a short moment?" The Rebbe replied, "Let me explain, for the matter is quite simple. When a poor man arrives, both he and I know his problem immediately. I give him a blessing and strive to draw down divine bounty upon him, so that the Holy One, blessed be He, will lift him out of poverty. But when a wealthy man arrives, I must sit with him for a full hour just so he realizes that he has a problem at all, and only from there can we begin trying to see how to repair it. The rich man is convinced that everything with him is fine and wonderful. With the poor man, the finger is already on the wound and one can address it right away; with the wealthy man, one must begin excavating the abscess and all that lies festering within just to show him the predicament he is in and that he needs Hashem's salvation." This is "and save the souls of the needy" - there is a person who has money, but he is destitute in understanding; his soul is a needy soul, and he must be taught proper conduct and ethics. For such needy individuals as well, he will save their souls.
Parenthetically, regarding evyon (needy), dal (impoverished), ani (poor), rash (destitute), and other terms denoting poverty, the Malbim explains the distinctions between them elsewhere, and there is no need to delve into that here. It suffices to note that evyon is related to longing for everything, which is a lower state than an ani: an ani simply lacks, whereas an evyon craves and longs for everything. This is from the root avah (desire), as in "my levir does not wish" (lo avah), an expression of desire; likewise avyonah denotes appetite and desire.
"From fraud and from violence he will redeem their soul" - Overt Violence and Hidden Fraud
מִתּוֹךְ וּמֵחָמָס יִגְאַל נַפְשָׁם וְיֵיקַר דָּמָם בְּעֵינָיו׃ - From fraud and violence he will redeem their soul, and precious shall their blood be in his eyes.
The Malbim explains: Corresponding to what was said earlier, "and crush the oppressor," that the king will crush those who oppress the poor, it says here, "From fraud and violence he will redeem their soul," ensuring that their money and possessions will not be stolen. Why does it double the phrasing, saying "from fraud (*toch*) and from violence (*chamas*)"? The Malbim explains that there are two kinds of theft: overt violence and hidden fraud. When someone comes and robs or extorts by force, that is overt violence (*chamas*). But when someone approaches you and says, "Listen, there is an incredible investment here, an extraordinary opportunity, you cannot miss it" - and you give the best of your money, and in the end he tells you one story today and another tomorrow until you have lost all your money - this is called *toch*, hidden fraud, related to the word *techachim* (schemes). He did not just grab your money and flee, which is overt *chamas*; rather, he did it through schemes and deception, as though including you in an investment, until he stripped you of your wealth. And why is it called *toch* (literally "inside")? Because this theft is hidden within something; it is not overt. The Radak explains similarly: *toch* is deception without awareness - when one is deceived without realizing it; whereas deceit with awareness and robbery with awareness are called *chamas*. Thus, the Malbim's words here are based on the Radak.
Regarding this, it says, "He will redeem their soul." Redemption (*geulah*), the Malbim explains, always stems from closeness: wherever a redeemer (*go'el*) is mentioned - "for the man has no redeemer," "and he is our redeemer" - it always refers to a close relative. He will redeem them because he views the poor as close to him; the pauper is like his brother. "And precious shall their blood be in his eyes" - the life of the poor person is cheap in the eyes of the oppressor, but in the eyes of the king, as in the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is precious. Someone who kills a poor person will not be saved by his wealth; rather, "precious shall their blood be in his eyes," and he will execute decisive justice upon him - as the Malbim says - by shedding the blood of the murderer. The blood of the pauper is precious in his eyes, so he will take the life of the one who spilled the pauper's blood and will not settle for a light punishment, as someone might if the pauper's blood were not precious to him. In return for this, he will merit the tremendous honor we have seen, with kings bowing before him.
"And may he live, and give him of the gold of Sheba"
וִיחִי וְיִתֶּן לוֹ מִזְּהַב שְׁבָא וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדוֹ תָמִיד כָּל הַיּוֹם יְבָרְכֶנְהוּ׃ - And may he live, and give him of the gold of Sheba, and pray for him continually; all the day he shall bless him.
Rashi explains: "And may he live" - may Shlomo live; "and give him of the gold of Sheba" - the Holy One, blessed be He, will give him of the gold of Sheba. And so it indeed was for Shlomo: both wealth and honor, like none before him or after him. And "and pray for him continually" - this seems difficult at first glance: would the Holy One, blessed be He, pray for him, and to whom would He pray? Rashi explains that "prayer" here is an expression of blessing, meaning that He will bless him continually; and when the Holy One, blessed be He, says to a person, "May you be blessed," this is phrased as a prayer, an expression of blessing.
The Radak explains differently: "And may he live" - may he live with him, as in "and your brother shall live with you." For we are speaking here of the pauper - "He will pity the poor and needy," "he will save the souls of the destitute," "From fraud and violence he will redeem their soul," "and precious shall their blood be in his eyes" - and therefore "and may he live" means that the pauper will live alongside him. This is the meaning of "and give him of the gold of Sheba": the king will give the pauper from the wealth that Hashem gave him, from the gold that they will bring him from Sheba, as we saw in the verse, "The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer tribute." The gold brought from Sheba is what the king will give to the poor and destitute. And "and pray for him continually" - this still refers to the king, unlike Rashi who interpreted it as referring to the Holy One, blessed be He; rather, the pauper will pray for the king continually and bless him all his days, saying, "You are the only king who came to my aid and assistance against those who pursued me and against my enemies."
What creates a difficulty in understanding the verse according to the Radak is that usually, when a verse speaks of an unnamed subject in the third person, it speaks of that same subject throughout; yet here, the roles switch: "and give him" refers to the king giving, while "and pray for him" suddenly refers to the pauper praying. If "and give him of the gold of Sheba" means that the king gives, seemingly "and pray for him" would also refer to the king. However, one can explain that the pauper also appeared here as an unnamed subject, for it says "and give *him*" - to whom? To the pauper. He will give the pauper from the gold of Sheba, and the pauper will pray for him continually. Thus it makes sense: the text refers to the one previously mentioned implicitly - the pauper - and he will pray for him continually.
"*Yevarechenhu* (he shall bless him)" - the Radak notes that the letter *nun* here is an extra *nun*, just as in *yadrichenhu* and other places where a *nun* is added: instead of *yevarechehu*, it is *yevarechenhu*; instead of *yadrichehu*, it is *yadrichenhu*. The Malbim explains: "And may he live" - the pauper, whom you redeem from the hands of his oppressors, will thereby gain life. And corresponding to what was said, "and precious shall their blood be in his eyes," it now says let the pauper live - his blood is precious in Shlomo's eyes, so he will ensure he has life. And corresponding to what was said, that he will redeem their soul from fraud and violence, it now says that not only will he save him from fraud and violence, but he will also give him of the gold of Sheba brought to him as tribute, as mentioned. In return for this - and here the Malbim follows the approach of the Radak - the pauper will pray for him continually and bless him all day long.
In summary:
These verses describe the flourishing of the righteous in the days of the king, whether Shlomo or Mashiach, and an endless peace. Through the power of justice and righteousness, the king merits three virtues: dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth; wealth - the tribute of the kings of Tarshish, Sheba, and Seba brought time after time; and honor - that all kings will bow to him and all nations will serve him willingly out of recognition of his greatness. At the root of it all lies the king's conduct toward the vulnerable: he personally rescues the crying pauper who has no helper, pities him with sustenance, and saves the souls of the destitute through moral leadership and instruction. He redeems them from fraud and violence - from hidden deceit and overt robbery - and their blood is precious in his eyes. Therefore, he gives him of the gold of Sheba, and the pauper prays on his behalf and blesses him all day long; and in the future to come, the nations will restore to Israel not only the gifts, but also the honor they once stripped away.