Leadership is a theme that stretches across the entire width of the witness of the Hebrew Bible, from the patriarchs to the prophets, from judges to kings.  To be clear, when poets, psalmists and prophets talk about leadership in the Hebrew Bible, they are not referring to snappy CEO-style management strategies of the 21st century.  Rather, the notion of good leadership in general has to do with ancient Hebraic virtues such as wisdom, integrity, faithfulness, and justice.  

The book of Psalms, of course, is no exception, since this collection of ancient prayers, songs and liturgical poetry reflects in a real sense the voice of the people of Israel.  There are a number of Psalms, including Psalm 2, 18, 21, 45, and 61, that speak directly of Israel’s king and his responsibilities both to God and to the people.  Psalm 72 fits into this category; this psalm is essentially an intercessory prayer for Israel’s king, that he would live up to the ideals of faithful leadership as defined in the Torah (see Deut. 17:14-20) and the books of I-II Samuel and I-II Kings.  

The opening words of the psalm ring out with prophetic power: “Give the king your justice, O God… May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice” (72:1-2).  The psalmist offers a vision of a king who reigns not with his own best political interests in mind, but rather one who willingly gives himself to others, lending his wisdom and sound judgment to all people, regardless of their net worth.  The psalmist goes on to pray that the king would “defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor” (v. 4).  The king is called not only to render impartial judgments that include the possibility of reaching justice for the poor (a radical statement in itself), but to defend them against oppression and to deliver them from under the crushing weight of poverty.  The king is called to embody the liberation of all God’s people, rich and poor alike.  

Only after establishing these parameters of godly kingship does the psalmist go on to pray for his long life and peaceful flourishing.  This pattern is reiterated in verses 11-12.  Why does the psalmist pray that “all kings” would “fall down before him”?  It springs from neither nationalist pride nor self-righteous arrogance, but from the knowledge that a king worthy of long life and great power is one who invariably “delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper” (v. 12).  A worthy king is characterized by his “pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.  From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight” (v. 13-14).  The psalmist envisions – in rhetoric that should make even our best public servants tremble – a king who does all in his power to save life, to make peace, to defend the rights of the most disadvantaged, to enact justice, and to liberate the oppressed.

BY CHRIS LIU BEERS, PROGRAM ASSOCIATE

NC COUNCIL OF CHURCHES