Psalms – Chapter 71

Old Testament20 Verses

1A psalm on Solomon.

2Give to the king thy judgment, O God, and to the king's son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.

3Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.

4He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.

5And he shall continue with the sun and before the moon, throughout all generations.

6He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.

7In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away.

8And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

9Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.

10The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:

11And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.

12For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.

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

14He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.

15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.

16And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.

17Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.

18Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things.

19And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.

20The praises of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

Reflection for Today

Sacred Scripture presents Psalms Chapter 71 as a unique stage in salvation history, not merely as background to other books.

St. Augustine and other Fathers of the Church meditated on texts like this one, seeing in them instruction for the spiritual life. the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589). The passage calls believers to grasp that God invites us to bring all our emotions to Him.

Consider praying with this chapter again at day's end, offering God gratitude for one insight received. The Church encourages daily contact with Scripture (CIC 302) so that Christ's mind may be formed in us.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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