Title. - A Psalm for Solomon. - The best linguists affirm that this should be rendered, of or by Solomon. There is not sufficient ground for the rendering for. It is pretty certain that the title declares Solomon to be the author of the Psalm, and yet from Psalm 72:20 it would seem that David uttered it in prayer before he died. With some diffidence we suggest that the spirit and matter of the Psalm are David's, but that he was too near his end to pen the words, or cast them into form; Solomon, therefore, caught his dying father's song, fashioned it into goodly verse, and, without robbing his father, made the Psalm his own. It is, we conjecture, the Prayer of David, but the Psalm of Solomon. Jesus is here, beyond all doubt, in the glory of his reign, both as he now is, and as he shall be revealed in the latter-day glory.

Division. - We shall follow the division suggested by Alexander. "A glowing description of the reign of Messiah as righteous, Psalm 72:1-7; universal, Psalm 72:8-11; beneficent, Psalm 72:12-14; and perpetual, Psalm 72:15-17; to which are added a doxology, Psalm 72:18-19; and a postscript, Psalm 72:20."

Hints to Preachers

Whole Psalm. -

I. He shall.

II. They shall. Ring the changes on these, as the Psalm does.

Psalm 72:1. - The prayer of the ancient church now fulfilled.

I. Our Lord's titles.

1. King, by divine nature.

2. King's Son, in both natures. Thus we see his power innate and derived.

II. Our Lord's authority: Judgments."

1. To rule his people.

2. To rule the world for his people's benefit.

3. To judge mankind.

4. To judge devils.

III. Our Lord's character. He is righteous in rewarding and punishing, righteous towards God and man.

IV. Our loyal prayer. This asks for his rule over ourselves and the universe.

Psalm 72:2. Christ's rule in his church.

I. The subjects.

1. Thy people, the elect, called, etc.

2. Thy poor, through conviction and consciousness of sin.

II. The ruler. He, only, truly, constantly, etc.

III. The rule - righteous, impartial, gentle, prudent, etc. Lesson. Desire this rule.

Psalm 72:3. - Mountains of divine decree, of immutable truth, of almighty power, of eternal grace, etc. These mountains of God are securities of peace.

Psalm 72:4. - The poor man's King, or the benefits derived by the poor from the reign of Jesus.

Psalm 72:5. - The perpetuity of the gospel, reasons for it, things which threaten it, and lessons derived from it.

Psalm 72:6. - The field, the shower, the result. This verse is easily enough handled in a variety of ways.

Psalm 72:7. -

I. The righteous flourish more at one season than another.

II. They flourish most when Jesus is with them, "in his days," etc.

III. The fruit of their growth is proportionally abundant, "and abundance," etc. - G. Rogers.

Psalm 72:7. - "Abundance of peace." Abundant overtures of peace, abundant redemption making peace, abundant pardon conferring peace, abundant influences of the Spirit sealing peace, abundant promises guaranteeing peace, abundant love spreading peace, etc.

Psalm 72:8. - The universal spread of the gospel. Other theories as to the future overturned, and their evil influence exposed; while the benefit and certainty of this truth is vindicated.

Psalm 72:9 (last clause). - The ignoble end of Christ's enemies.

Psalm 72:10. - Christian finance; voluntary but abundant are the gifts presented to Jesus.

Psalm 72:12. - Christ's peculiar care of the poor.

Psalm 72:12. -

I. Pitiable characters.

II. Abject condition, "cry; no helper."

III. Natural resort: "crieth."

IV. Glorious interposition.

Psalm 72:14. - The martyr's hope in life and comfort in death. - G. Rogers.

Psalm 72:14 (last clause). - The martyr's blood.

I. Seen of God when shed.

II. Remembered by him.

III. Honoured by being a benefit to the church.

IV. Rewarded especially in heaven.

Psalm 72:15. - "Prayer shall be made for him." We are to pray for Jesus Christ. Owing to the interest he has in certain objects, what is done for them is done for himself; and so he esteems it. We, therefore, pray for him when we pray for his ministers, his ordinances, his gospel, his church in a word, his cause. But what should we pray for on his behalf?

I. The degree of its resources; that there be always a sufficiency of suitable and able instruments to carry on the work.

II. The freedom of its administration; that whatever opposes or hinders its progress may be removed.

III. The diffusion of its principles; that they may become general and universal.

IV. The increase of its glory, as well as its extent. - W. Jay.

Psalm 72:15. - Prayer for Jesus, a suggestive topic. Daily praise, a Christian duty.

Psalm 72:15. - A living Saviour, a giving people; the connection between the two. Or, Christ in the church fills the exchequer, fosters the prayer-meeting, and sanctifies the service of song.

Psalm 72:16. -

I. A happy description of the gospel; it is "a handful of corn."

II. The places where it is sown.

III. The blessed effects which this gospel, when thus sown, will produce in the world. - J. Sherman.

Psalm 72:16. -

I.Commencement.

II.Publicity.

III.Growth.

IV. Result.

Psalm 72:16. -

I. What? "Corn."

II. How much? "A handful."

III. Where? "In the earth upon the top of the mountains."

IV. Will it grow? "The fruit," etc.

V. What then? "They of the city," etc.

Psalm 72:17. -

I. Christ glorified in the Church, "men shall be blessed," etc.

II. Glorified in the world; "all nations," etc.

III. Glorified in worlds to come, "endure,": "be continued," etc.

IV. Glorified for ever. - G. Rogers.

Psalm 72:17, Psalm 72:18, Psalm 72:19. - The Four Blesseds, their meaning and order.

Psalm 72:18. - "The" clauses may be treated under the following heads.

I. The object of praise.

II. The subject of praise.

III. The duration of praise.

IV. The extent of the praise: and,

V. The echo of the praise. "Amen, and Amen." - G. Rogers.

Psalm 72:18. - "Wondrous things." The unparalleled works of the Lord in providence and grace.

Psalm 72:20. -

I. Prayer should be frequent: "The prayers."

II. Should be individual: "of David."

III. Should be early commenced: "the son of Jesse."

IV. Should be continued till they are no more needed.

Here Endeth the Second Book of the Psalms

Explanatory Notes and Quaint Sayings

Title

"For Solomon." I shall but mention a threefold analogy between Christ and Solomon.

I. In his personal wisdom (1 Kings 4:29, 1 Kings 4:30); so Christ (Colossians 2:3); "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

II. In the glorious peace and prosperity of his kingdom: the kingdom was peacably settled in his hand. 1 Chronicles 22:9; 1 Chronicles 4:24, 1 Chronicles 4:25. And so he fell to the work of building the temple as Christ doth the church; so Christ (Isaiah 9:6); he is the Prince of Peace, the great Peacemaker. Ephesians 2:14.

III. In his marriage with Pharaoh's daughter. Some observe that the daughter of Pharaoh never seduced him: neither is there any mention made of the Egyptian idols. 1 Kings 11:5, 1 Kings 11:7. In his other outlandish marriages he did sin; but this is mentioned as by way of special exception (1 Kings 11:1); for she was a proselyte, and so it was no sin to marry her: and the love between her and Solomon is made a type of the love between Christ and the church. So Christ hath taken us Gentiles to be spouse unto him. Psalm 45. - Samuel Mather (1626-1671), in "The Figures or Types of the Old Testament."

Whole Psalm

The Seventy-second Psalm contains a description of an exalted king, and of the blessings of his reign. These blessings are of such a nature as to prove that the subject of the Psalm must be a divine person. 1. His kingdom is to be everlasting. 2. Universal. 3. It secures perfect peace with God and goodwill among men. 4. All men are to be brought to submit to him through love. 5. In him all the nations of the earth are to be blessed; i.e., as we are distinctly taught in Galatians 3:16, it is in him that all the blessings of redemption are to come upon the world. The subject of this Psalm is, therefore, the Redeemer of the world. - Charles Hedge, in "Systematic Theology." - 1871.

Whole Psalm

This Psalm was penned by a king, it is dedicated to a king, and is chiefly intended concerning him who is "King of kings." - Joseph Caryl, in a Sermon entitled "David's Prayer for Solomon."

Whole Psalm

Two Psalms bear Solomon's name in their titles. One of these is the Hundred and Twenty-seventh, the other is the Seventy-second; and here the traces of his pen are unequivocal. A mistaken interpretation of the note appended to it, "The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended," led most of the old commentators to attribute the Psalm to David, and to suppose that it is a prayer offered in his old age "for Solomon," as the peaceful prince who was to succeed him on the throne. However, it has long been known that the note in question refers to the whole of the preceding portion of the Psalter, much of which was written by Asaph and the sons of Korah; and there can be no doubt that the title can only be translated, "of Solomon." So clear are the traces of Solomon's pen that Calvin, whose sagacity in this kind of criticism has never been excelled, although he thought himself obliged, by the note at the end of the Psalm to attribute the substance of it to David, felt Solomon's touch so sensibly, that he threw out the conjecture that the prayer was the father's, but that it was afterwards thrown into the lyrical form by the son. This is not the place for detailed exposition; I will, therefore, content myself with remarking that, properly speaking, the Psalm is not "for Solomon" at all. If it refers to him and his peaceful reign, it does so only in as far as they were types of the Person and Kingdom of the Prince of Peace. The Psalm, from beginning to end, is not only capable of being applied to Christ, but great part is incapable of being fairly applied to any other. - William Binnie.

Whole Psalm

This is the fourth of those Psalms which predict the two natures of Christ. This Psalm admonishes us that we believe in Christ as perfect God, and perfect Man and King. - Psalter of Peter Lombard ( - 1164).

Whole Psalm

1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Psalm 72:1

"Give the king thy judgments, O God." The right to reign was transmitted by descent from David to Solomon, but not by that means alone: Israel was a theocracy, and the kings were but the viceroys of the greater King; hence the prayer that the new king might be enthroned by divine right, and then endowed with divine wisdom. Our glorious King in Zion hath all judgment committed unto him. He rules in the name of God over all lands. He is king "Dei Gratia" as well as by right of inheritance. "And thy righteousness unto the king's son." Solomon was both king and king's son; so also is our Lord. He has power and authority in himself, and also royal dignity given him of his Father. He is the righteous king; in a word, he is "the Lord our righteousness." We are waiting till he shall be manifested among men as the ever-righteous Judge. May the Lord hasten in his own time the long-looked-for day. Now wars and fighting are even in Israel itself, but soon the dispensation will change, and David, the type of Jesus warring with our enemies, shall be displaced by Solomon the prince of peace.

Psalm 72:2

"He shall judge thy people with righteousness." Clothed with divine authority, he shall use it on the behalf of the favoured nation, for whom he shall show himself strong, that they be not misjudged, slandered, or in any way treated maliciously. His sentence shall put their accusers to silence, and award the saints their true position as the accepted of the Lord. What a consolation to feel that none can suffer wrong in Christ's kingdom: he sits upon the great white throne, unspotted by a single deed of injustice, or even mistake of judgment: reputations are safe enough with him. "And thy poor with judgment." True wisdom is manifest in all the decisions of Zion's King. We do not always understand his doings, but they are always right. Partiality has been too often shown to rich and great men, but the King of the last and best of monarchies deals out even-handed justice, to the delight of the poor and despised. Here we have the poor mentioned side by side with the king. The sovereignty of God is a delightful theme to the poor in spirit; they love to see the Lord exalted, and have no quarrel with him for exercising the prerogatives of his crown. It is the fictitious wealth which labours to conceal real poverty, which makes men cavil at the reigning Lord, but a deep sense of spiritual need prepares the heart loyally to worship the Redeemer King. On the other hand, the King has a special delight in the humbled hearts of his contrite ones, and exercises all his power and wisdom on their behalf, even as Joseph in Egypt ruled for the welfare of his brethren.

Psalm 72:3

"The mountains shall bring peace to the people." Thence, aforetime, rushed the robber bands which infested the country; but now the forts there erected are the guardians of the land, and the watchmen publish far and near the tidings that no foe is to be seen. Where Jesus is there is peace, lasting, deep, eternal. Even those things which were once our dread, lose all terror when Jesus is owned as monarch of the heart: death itself, that dark mountain, loses all its gloom. Trials and afflictions, when the Lord is with us, bring us an increase rather than a diminution of peace. "And the little hills, by righteousness." Seeing that the rule of the monarch was just, every little hill seemed clothed with peace. Injustice has made Palestine a desert; if the Turk and Bedouin were gone, the land would smile again; for even ill the most literal sense, justice is the fertilizer of lands, and men are diligent to plough and raise harvests when they have the prospect of eating the fruit of their labours. In a spiritual sense, peace is given to the heart by the righteousness of Christ; and all the powers and passions of the soul are filled with a holy calm, when the way of salvation, by a divine righteousness, is revealed. Then do we go forth with joy, and are led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills break forth before us into singing.

Psalm 72:4

continued...

8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river Unto the ends of the earth.

9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

Psalm 72:8

"He shall have dominion also from sea to sea." Wide spread shall be the rule of Messiah; only the Land's End shall end his territory: to the Ultima Thule shall his sceptre be extended. From Pacific to Atlantic and from Atlantic to Pacific, he shall be Lord, and the oceans which surround each pole shall be beneath his sway. All other power shall be subordinate to his; no rival nor antagonist shall he know. Men speak of the Emperor of all the Russias, but Jesus shall be Ruler of all mankind. "And from the river unto the ends of the earth." Start where you will, by any river you choose, and Messiah's kingdom shall reach on to the utmost bounds of the round world. As Solomon's realm embraced all the land of promise, and left no unconquered margin; so shall the Son of David rule all lands given him in the better covenant, and leave no nation to pine beneath the tyranny of the prince of darkness. We are encouraged by such a passage as this to look for the Saviour's universal reign; whether before or after his personal advent we leave for the discussion of others. In this Psalm, at least, we see a personal monarch, and he is the central figure, the focus of all the glory; not his servant, but himself do we see possessing the dominion and dispensing the government. Personal pronouns referring to our great King are constantly occurring in this Psalm; he has dominion, kings fall down before him,: and serve him; for he delivers; he spares, he saves, he lives, and daily is he praised.

Psalm 72:9

"They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him." Unconquered by arms, they shall be subdued by love. Wild and lawless as they have been, they shall gladly wear his easy yoke; then shall their deserts be made glad, yea, they shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. "And his enemies shall lick the dust." If they will not be his friends, they shall be utterly broken and humbled. Dust shall be the serpent's meat; the seed of the serpent shall be filled therewith. Homage among Orientals is often rendered in the most abject manner, and truly no sign is too humiliating to denote the utter discomfiture and subjugation of Messiah's foes. Tongues which rail at the Redeemer deserve to lick the dust. Those who will not joyfully bow to such a prince richly merit to be hurled down and laid prostrate; the dust is too good for them, since they trampled on the blood of Christ.

Psalm 72:10

"The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents." Trade shall be made subservient to the purposes of mediatorial rule; merchant princes, both far and near, shall joyfully contribute of their wealth to his throne. Seafaring places are good centres from which to spread the gospel; and seafaring men often make earnest heralds of the cross. Tarshish of old was so far away, that to the eastern mind it was lost in its remoteness, and seemed to be upon the verge of the universe; even so far as imagination itself can travel, shall the Son of David rule; across the blue sea shall his sceptre be stretched; the white cliffs of Britain already Own him, the gems of the Southern Sea glitter for him, even Iceland's heart is warm with his love, Madagascar leaps to receive him; and if there be isles of the equatorial seas whose spices have as yet not been presented to him, even there shall he receive a revenue of glory. He has made many an islet to become a Holy Isle, and hence, a true Formosa. "The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts." Agriculture and pasturage shall contribute their share. Foreign princes from inland regions, as yet unexplored, shall own the all-embracing monarchy of the King of kings; they shall be prompt to pay their reverential tribute religious offerings shall they bring, for their King is their God. Then shall Arabia Felix be happy indeed, and the Fortunate Isles be more than fortunate. Observe, that true religion leads to generous giving; we are not taxed in Christ's dominions, but we are delighted to offer freely to him. It will be a great day when kings will do this: the poor widow has long ago been before them, it is time that they followed; their subjects would be sure to imitate the royal example. This free-will offering is all Christ and his church desire; they want no forced levies and distraints, let all men give of their own free will, kings as well as commoners; alas! the rule has been for kings to give their subjects' property to the church, and a Wretched church has received this robbery for a burnt offering; it shall not be thus when Jesus more openly assumes the throne.

Psalm 72:11

"Yea, all kings shall fall down before him." Personally shall they pay their reverence, however mighty they may be. No matter how high their state, how ancient their dynasty, or far-off their realms, they shall willingly accept him as their Imperial Lord. "All nations shall serve him." The people shall be as obedient as the governors. The extent of the mediatorial rule is set forth by the two far-reaching alls, all kings and all nations: we see not as yet all things put under him, but since we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour in heaven, we are altogether without doubt as to his universal monarchy on earth. It is not to be imagined that an Alexander or a Caesar shall have wider sway than the Son of God. "Every knee shall bow to him, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Hasten it, O Lord, in thine own time.

12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

Psalm 72:12

"For he shall deliver the needy." Here is an excellent reason for man's submission to the Lord Christ; it is not because they dread his overwhelming power, but because they are won over by his just and condescending rule. Who would not fear so good a Prince, who makes the needy his peculiar care, and pledges himself to be their deliverer in times of need? "When he crieth." He permits them to be so needy as to be driven to cry bitterly for help, but then he hears them, and comes to their aid. A child's cry touches a father's heart, and our King is the Father of his people. If we can do no more than cry it will bring omnipotence to our aid. A cry is the native language of a spiritually needy soul; it has done with fine phrases and long orations, and it takes to sobs and moans; and so, indeed, it grasps the most potent of all weapons, for heaven always yields to such artillery. "The poor also, and him that hath no helper." The proverb says, "God helps those that help themselves;" but it is yet more true that Jesus helps those who cannot help themselves, nor find help in others. All helpless ones are under the especial care of Zion's compassionate King; let them hasten to put themselves in fellowship with him. Let them look to him, for he is looking for them.

Psalm 72:13

"He shall spare the poor and needy." His pity shall be manifested to them; he will not allow their trials to overwhelm them; his rod of correction shall fall lightly; he will be sparing of his rebukes, and not sparing in his consolations. "And shall save the souls of the needy." His is the dominion of souls, a spiritual and not a worldly empire; and the needy, that is to say, the consciously unworthy and weak, shall find that he will give them his salvation. Jesus calls not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He does not attempt the superfluous work of aiding proud Pharisees to air their vanity; but he is careful of poor Publicans whose eyes dare not look up to heaven by reason of their sense of sin. We ought to be anxious to be among these needy ones whom the Great King so highly favours.

Psalm 72:14

"He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence." These two things are the weapons with which the poor are assailed: both law and no law are employed to fleece them. The fox and the lion are combined against Christ's lambs, but the Shepherd will defeat them, and rescue the defenceless from their teeth. A soul hunted by the temptations of Satanic craft, and the insinuations of diabolical malice, will do well to fly to the throne of Jesus for shelter. "And precious shall their blood be in his sight." He will not throw away his subjects in needless wars as tyrants have done, but will take every means for preserving the humblest of them. Conquerors have reckoned thousands of lives as small items; they have reddened fields with gore, as if blood were water, and flesh but manure for harvests; but Jesus, though he gave his own blood, is very chary of the blood of his servants, and if they must die for him as martyrs, he loves their memory, and counts their lives as his precious things.

15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

16 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.

17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

Psalm 72:15

"And he shall live." Vive le Roi! O King! live for ever! He was slain, but is risen and ever liveth. "And to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba." These are coronation gifts of the richest kind, cheerfully presented at his throne. How gladly would we give him all that we have and are, and count the tribute far too small. We may rejoice that Christ's cause will not stand still for want of funds; the silver and the gold are his, and if they are not to be found at home, far-off lands shall hasten to make up the deficit. Would to God we had more faith and more generosity. "Prayer also shall be made for him continually." May all blessings be upon his head; all his people desire that his cause may prosper, therefore do they hourly cry, "Thy kingdom come." Prayer for Jesus is a very sweet idea, and one which should be for evermore lovingly carried out; for the church is Christ's body; and the truth is his sceptre; therefore we pray for him when we plead for these: The verse may, however, be read as "through him," for it is by Christ, as our Mediator that prayer enters heaven and prevails. "Continue in prayer is the standing precept of Messiah's reign, and it implies that the Lord will continue to bless. "And daily shall he be praised." As he will perpetually show himself to be worthy of honour, so shall he be incessantly praised: -

"For him shall constant prayer be made,

And praises throng to crown his head;

His name, like sweet perfume, shall rise

With every morning's sacrifice."

Psalm 72:16

"There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains." From small beginnings great results shall spring. A mere handful in a place naturally ungenial shall produce a matchless harvest. What a blessing that there is a handful; "except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah;" but now the faithful are a living seed; and shall multiply in the land. "The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon." The harvest shall be so great that the wind shall rustle through it, and sound like the cedars upon Lebanon: -

"Like Lebanon, by soft winds fann'd,

Rustles the golden harvest far and wide."

God's church is no mean thing; its beginnings are small, but its increase is of the most astonishing kind. As Lebanon is conspicuous and celebrated, so shall the church be. "And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth." Another figure. Christ's subjects shall be as plentiful as blades of grass, and shall as suddenly appear as eastern verdure after a heavy shower. We need not fear for the cause of truth in the land; it is in good hands, where the pleasure of the Lord is sure to prosper. "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." When shall these words, which open up such a vista of delight, be fulfilled in the midst of the earth?

continued...

18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory: Amen, and Amen.

20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Psalm 72:18, Psalm 72:19

As Quesnel well observes, these verses explain themselves. They call rather for profound gratitude, and emotion Of heart, than for an exercise of the understanding; they are rather to be used for adoration than for exposition. It is, and ever will be, the acme of our desires, and the climax of our prayers, to behold Jesus exalted King of kings and Lord of lords lie has done great wonders such as none rise can match, leaving all others so far behind, that he remains the sole and only wonder-worker; but equal marvels yet remain, for which we look with joyful expectation. He is the Blessed God, and his name shall be blessed; his name is glorious, and that glory shall fill the whole earth. For so bright a consummation our heart yearns daily, and we cry "Amen, and Amen."

Psalm 72:20

"The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended." What more could he ask? He has climbed the summit of the mount of God; he desires nothing more. With this upon his lip, he is content to die. He strips himself of his own royalty and becomes only the "son of Jesse," thrice happy to subside into nothing before the crowned Messiah. Before his believing eye the reign of Jesus, like the sun, filled all around with light, and the holy soul of the man after! God's own heart exulted in it, and sung his "Nunc dimittis:" "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation!" We, too, will cease from all petitioning if it be granted to us to see the day of the Lord. Our blissful spirits will then have nothing further to do but for ever, to praise the Lord our God.