BLESSED

The 72nd Psalm has been given the subtitle, A Psalm for Solomon’. Indeed, the expressions are aspirations for Solomon’s reign. And while several of these aspirations could describe Solomon’s rule we are left with the sense that there is yet to come a fuller realization of the proclamation in this Psalm. We are looking for a ‘greater than Solomon’.

The Psalm looks beyond the days of Solomon to the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ in His millennial kingdom when ‘He shall have dominion also from sea to sea’, v. 8, and ‘all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him’, v. 11.

He shall be called ‘blessed’. What a contrast to that description in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 13, ‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree’. In order for Him to truly bless all the nations of the earth, He had to be ‘made a curse for us’.

Earthly monarchs and politicians fall desperately short of this glorious reign of our Lord Jesus Christ. His righteousness, His peace, His compassionate care for the needy, His power to protect the powerless will combine to bless all men. The wonderful character of our Saviour that men now reject will hold sway in that future day.

For the believer in Christ we know the Blessed One today. Paul the apostle writes, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ’, Eph. 1. 3. Not just some blessings, but all. Do we enjoy, in a practical way, these riches which are ours in Christ? In that day, ‘all nations shall call him blessed’, v. 17. The believer calls Him’Blessed’ today. As Johnson Oatman advised us in his hymn, ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one’.

But as magnificent as the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ will be, it will not be the end of all things. There will yet be an even brighter day, when He will bring in the new heaven and the new earth and in that sphere He shall reign for ever and ever.