Psalms 72:15 · Bible study
Psalms 72:15 Commentary: Who Is the 'He' That Lives? Tribute, Prayer and Blessing
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Who receives gold, prayer, and blessing in Psalm 72:15? The king or the rescued poor? Explore the debate and the verse’s messianic hope.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The kingdom under a righteous king produces life, costly tribute, and constant prayer and blessing.
- Key words: “live” (Hebrew jussive, a prayer for life); “gold of Sheba” (precious tribute from distant lands); “pray continually” and “bless all day long” (unceasing devotion).
- Main debate: Whether “he” is the rescued poor person giving thanks or the king himself receiving honor.
- Theological theme: The ideal Davidic king, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, whose reign evokes gratitude and worship.
- Best use: Read messianically as a prayer for Christ’s kingdom and a model for intercessory prayer for leaders.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He will live; and Sheba’s gold will be given to him. Men will pray for him continually. They will bless him all day long.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they shall live; and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: And men shall pray for him continually; They shall bless him all the day long.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And he liveth, and giveth to him of the gold of Sheba, And prayeth for him continually, All the day he doth bless him.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he shall live; and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba; and prayer shall be made for him continually: all the day shall he be blessed.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y vivirá, y darásele del oro de Seba; y oraráse por él continuamente; todo el día se le bendecirá.
E ele viverá; e lhe darão ouro de Sabá, e continuamente orarão por ele; o dia todo o bendirão.
Ils vivront, et lui donneront de l’ or de Séba;
Er wird leben, und man wird ihm von Gold aus Reicharabien geben. Und man wird immerdar für ihn beten; täglich wird man ihn segnen.
En hij zal leven; en men zal hem geven van het goud van Scheba, en men zal geduriglijk voor hem bidden; den gansen dag zal men hem zegenen.
Egli vivrà; e a lui sarà dato dell’oro di Sceba, e la gente pregherà per lui tuttodì, lo benedirà del continuo.
I będzie żył, a dawać mu będą złoto sabejskie, i ustawicznie się za nim modlić będą, cały dzień błogosławić mu będą.
Но если бы я сказал: "буду рассуждать так", - то я виновен был бы пред родом сынов Твоих.
他們要存活。示巴 的金子 要奉 給他；人要常常 為他 禱告，終 日 稱頌他。
May he have long life, and may gold from Sheba be given to him: may prayers be made for him at all times; may blessings be on him every day.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 72:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 72:15 portrays the flourishing of the kingdom under a righteous king. The gold of Sheba, a region famed for its wealth (cf. 1 Kings 10, the Queen of Sheba’s visit), represents the tribute of distant nations. The prayers and blessings offered “continually” and “all day long” express the people’s recognition of the king’s benevolent rule. Yet the identity of the “he” who “lives” is genuinely debated. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible read it as the rescued poor person from verses 12, 14: that person now lives, brings gifts, and prays for the king. Keil and Delitzsch also shift the subject, seeing the poor man receiving gifts from the king and then responding with intercession. By contrast, Matthew Henry, Wesley, and Adam Clarke take “he” as the king himself, whose life is prolonged and who receives tribute and adoration, prefiguring Christ’s eternal reign. Both readings underscore that the righteous king’s reign produces life, costly offerings, and ceaseless prayer and blessing.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- King-centered reading: The king (Solomon/Messiah) is the subject of 'live,' receiving tribute and prayer as the people’s response to his righteous rule (supported by Matthew Henry, Wesley, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
- Poor-man-centered reading: The rescued poor person from verses 12–14 is the subject, who lives, gives gifts, and prays for/blesses the king (supported by Barnes, Cambridge Bible, Keil and Delitzsch).
What is clear: The verse describes a joyful response—life, costly offerings, prayer, and blessing—directed to or arising from the righteous king’s reign, which ultimately points to Christ’s eternal kingdom.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'he who lives' | The verse is about a response to the righteous king’s reign. | Some (Barnes, Cambridge, Keil & Delitzsch) argue the subject is the rescued poor person who now lives and brings gifts. Others (Matthew Henry, Wesley, Adam Clarke) see the king himself living perpetually and receiving tribute. |
| Meaning of 'gold of Sheba' | It represents costly tribute from foreign nations. | Is this literal wealth from Solomon’s historical empire, or a spiritual symbol of the best we offer to God’s king? Both readings coexist. |
| Nature of 'pray for him' and 'bless him' | These are ongoing actions of devotion toward the king. | For the king: intercession for his welfare. For Christ: prayer directed to him as divine. The Hebrew 'עַל' (for/on behalf of) can mean either 'on behalf of' or 'to.' The Prayer Book version rendered it 'prayer shall be made to him,' which is grammatically possible but rejected by most modern commentators (e.g., Cambridge Bible calls it 'quite inadmissible'). |
| Historical reference vs. messianic prophecy | The psalm draws on Solomon’s golden age as a pattern. | Some read it strictly as a prayer for Solomon’s reign; others see it as a direct prophecy of Christ, with Solomon as a type. Calvin and Matthew Henry bridge the two, viewing the description as ideal and ultimately fulfilled in Christ. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Hebrew verb “live” (יְחִי) is a jussive, a wish or prayer, echoing the ancient acclamation “Let the king live!” (1 Samuel 10:24; 1 Kings 1:39). This was a standard cry at a coronation or during a royal procession, expressing hope for the monarch’s long and prosperous life. Sheba, located in southwest Arabia or possibly Ethiopia, was a source of gold and spices; the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:1, 4, 9) illustrates the kind of tribute envisioned here. The phrase “pray for him” (יִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדוֹ) reflects an ancient practice of interceding for the king in public worship. Adam Clarke notes that in some conquests, subject peoples were required to pray for the emperor as a sign of loyalty. In Israel, prayers for the king were part of temple liturgy (1 Kings 8:44, 45, where Solomon prays for the people to be heard when they pray toward the city). The phrase “bless him all day long” (יְבָרֲכֶהוּ) likely includes both praise of the king and petition for his welfare. The psalm’s superscription, “Of Solomon,” ties it to the golden age of Israel’s monarchy, though the language soars beyond any historical reign and points to an ideal, lasting kingdom, a hope that later readers identified with the Messiah.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 72:15. The Hebrew text is stable across the manuscript traditions cited. The main difficulty is syntactical, specifically, identifying the subject of the verbs, but this is an interpretive issue, not a textual one.
Reception History
Psalm 72 has been read as a royal psalm for the Davidic king since its origin. Jewish tradition connected it to Solomon and later to the Messiah. The Talmud (Bava Batra 14b) attributes the psalm to David, referring to Solomon. In the Septuagint and Vulgate, the heading “For Solomon” reinforced a messianic reading. Christian interpreters from the early church onward, including Augustine and Chrysostom, saw the psalm as directly prophesying Christ’s universal reign. Verse 15, with its language of life, gifts, prayer, and blessing, was understood as the response of the redeemed to the saving king. The phrase “pray for him” was sometimes taken as prayer directed to Christ (as in the Prayer Book version), though modern scholarship generally reads it as intercession for the king. The verse has been sung in hymns that echo the longing for the kingdom of justice and peace.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Life from the King: The king’s justice delivers the needy from death (vv.12, 14); now the rescued live. Whether “he” is the king or the poor man, life itself is the first gift of the kingdom.
- The Tribute of a Grateful Heart: “Gold of Sheba” represents the most costly offering. The people respond to the king’s goodness with their best, not out of compulsion, but joy.
- Continual Prayer and Praise: The response is not a one-time event. “Pray for him continually” and “bless him all day long” picture a life shaped by intercession and gratitude for the king’s rule.
Five-point outline
- The King’s Character: He delivers the poor and needy (vv.12, 14). His reign is defined by righteousness and compassion.
- The Promise of Life: “He will live” echoes the coronation cry. Under this king, life flourishes.
- Costly Offerings: The gold of Sheba signals that people bring their most precious treasures in homage.
- Unceasing Intercession: “Pray for him continually” shows that the king’s welfare is woven into the daily prayer of the people.
- Daily Blessing: “Bless him all day long” means every day is marked by praise and petition for the king and his kingdom.
Illustration hooks
- A child who has been rescued by a neighbor brings a homemade gift to thank them, and then keeps the neighbor in their prayers every night. The gift and the ongoing prayers mirror the response of the rescued people to the king.
- In many cultures, citizens stand for the national anthem or pray for the ruler at public events. This verse envisions such honor offered freely and daily, not perfunctorily.
- Imagine a community whose leader saved their lives from an oppressor. They would not only celebrate once but would include that leader in their daily blessings. That sense of ongoing gratitude fills this verse.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Should I pray for my political leaders every day? What does that look like?
- Is this verse about Solomon or about Jesus? How do we decide?
- What does it mean to “bless” someone? Is that the same as praising God?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 72 is a prayer for the king, but its language bursts the banks of any historical reign. Verse 15 sits at the climax, where the response of the people reaches its peak. But who is the “he” being prayed for, and what kind of life do they receive? Your group will explore these questions and connect them to how we pray for leaders and how we worship Christ.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Look at verses 12, 14. What does the king do for the needy, the poor, and the oppressed? What do these actions say about the kind of ruler he is?
- Interpretation: Verse 15 begins “He will live.” Based on the surrounding verses, who do you think “he” refers to: the king or the rescued poor person? What clues in the text support each reading?
- Interpretation: The gold of Sheba is a specific, costly gift. In the context of the whole psalm (especially vv.10, 11), what does this gift represent? Is it just wealth, or something more?
- Interpretation: The people “pray for him continually” and “bless him all day long.” What kind of relationship does this imply between the king and his subjects? How does this compare with how earthly rulers are often treated?
- Application: The early church applied this psalm to Christ (Hebrews 1:8, 9 alludes to Psalm 72:8, 11). How does it shape our worship to think of Jesus as the king who delivers the needy and receives our prayers and praise?
- Application: How can we “pray continually” for our own leaders, in government, church, or family? What practical habits help us do that without it becoming empty ritual?
- Application: “Bless him all day long” suggests that gratitude for good leadership can fill our daily lives. When have you felt that kind of ongoing thankfulness for someone who led you well?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 10:14 | Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, |
| II Chronicles 2:11 | Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, “Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them.” |
| II Chronicles 2:12 | Huram continued, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who would build a house for Yahweh and a house for his kingdom. |
| II Chronicles 9:1 | When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great caravan, including camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. When she had come to Solomon, she talked with him about all that was in her heart. |
| II Chronicles 9:4 | the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, their clothing, his cup bearers and their clothing, and his ascent by which he went up to Yahweh’s house, there was no more spirit in her. |
| II Chronicles 9:8 | Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you and set you on his throne to be king for Yahweh your God, because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever. Therefore he made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.” |
| II Chronicles 9:23 | All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. |
| II Chronicles 9:24 | They each brought tribute: vessels of silver, vessels of gold, clothing, armor, spices, horses, and mules every year. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a striking contrast: typical conquerors demand submission through stamped currency and compelled prayers, but this king gives conquered peoples equal rights and gentle treatment. Because he rules with kindness rather than force, his subjects genuinely praise him every day.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes a key ambiguity: whether "he shall live" refers to the Messiah's perpetual reign or to the redeemed poor person who lives to serve him; he favors the latter. He then clarifies that "prayer made for him" means prayer for the success of his kingdom, and that those he saves will daily praise him and bring their most precious offerings.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that this psalm, though written about Solomon's reign, ultimately points beyond him to the Messiah. The description of the king's glory and the happiness of his subjects fits Christ far more perfectly than it ever fit Solomon, showing that the Holy Spirit was directing David's prayer toward the greater King to come.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary treats verse 15 not as a continuation of the previous thought but as the start of a series of concluding prayers for the king. It reads the words as a royal acclamation like "God save the king," a wish that the king may live and receive gifts and blessings.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Yea, he shall liue, and vnto him shall they giue of the golde of Sheba: they shall also pray for him continually, and dayly blesse him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill offers two possible subjects for each clause: the redeemed believer or Christ himself. The poor and needy live and receive gold, but these blessings also describe Christ who lives forever and receives prayer and praise. Both readings are presented as valid, with spiritual meaning either way.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the king's extended life is marked by the continual flow of tribute from the wealthy and the persistent intercession and praise of his people. Their devotion does not fade over time but remains steady throughout his reign.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlight the king's condescension: he rescues the poor, gives them gold from Sheba, and restores them to life. In return, the rescued poor person prays unceasingly for the king and blesses him always. The commentary notes that this reciprocal dynamic, while imprecise by Western standards, fits the lyrical Oriental style.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley finds a dual meaning in the passage: it describes Solomon's prosperous reign in literal terms, but points ultimately to Christ's eternal life and spiritual kingdom. Even the gold given to Solomon, when applied to Christ, is understood not materially but spiritually.