Fourth Tuesday in Great Lent
Kathisma 10 (Psalms 70-76)
“And blessed is the Name of His glory for ever, and unto the ages of ages. And all the earth shall be filled with His glory. So be it. So be it.” (Psalm 71)
King David’s son and heir, Solomon, was the inspiration for this Psalm. Solomon would be king after David, and David fills this Psalm with prayers and hopes and prophetic promises for his son’s future reign.
If you read through this Psalm, it doesn’t take long to see that the things King David wrote go far beyond anything that could be reasonably applied to his son, Solomon. There are things that are easy enough to hear in reference to King Solomon: give him judgment and righteousness, he will judge the people, nations will bow before him. These things aren’t unreasonable, and they actually happened to Solomon. His rule was a time of peace and prosperity. He had countless wives and concubines, the seals of a thousand treaties and alliances. He received tribute from kings and nobles near and far, and his wisdom in judgment was legendary.
For all of that, King David writes some things that go way beyond anything that can reasonably be attributed, or even could have been hoped for, for his son, Solomon. The Psalm describes a king who would fill the very earth with peace and righteousness. His rule would last longer than the moon. He would rule the entire planet, and all the kings of the earth would worship this king. The name of this king would be blessed forever.
And that is where King David seems to identify this king about whom he writes, a king far greater than his son, Solomon, could ever hope to be. He writes, “All the nations shall call Him blessed,” and then he makes the connection for us, “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone doeth wonders.”
This Psalm is about Solomon, but it is also about one greater than Solomon. It is about the Lord Himself. Jesus Christ our Lord and God called Himself “one greater than Solomon (Matt 12:42).” He is the eternal King who brings peace and righteousness to the earth, and the prophet Isaiah said that under His rule, “the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters fill the sea (Isaiah 11:9).”
Read this Psalm again and then read the prophesy of Isaiah about the descendant of David who was yet to be born: Christ our Lord. You can find it in Isaiah 11. See His magnificence, and fulfill in your own person the prophecy of King David: “all the day long shall they bless Him.” So be it! So be it!
