The Meaning of Psalms 72:6 Explained

Psalms 72:6

KJV: He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

YLT: He cometh down as rain on mown grass, As showers -- sprinkling the earth.

Darby: He shall come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.

ASV: He will come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He shall come down  like rain  upon the mown  grass: as showers  [that] water  the earth. 

What does Psalms 72:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Psa 72:1-11 - "king Of Kings"
Solomon's reign opened as a morning without clouds. Much of the imagery of this royal ode is derived from the circumstances of his life. Compare Psalms 72:1-4 with his prayer for the listening heart, 1 Kings 3:9; the anticipations of peace, Psalms 72:3; Psalms 72:7, with his name, "the peaceful one;" the rule from sea to sea, Psalms 72:8, with 1 Kings 4:24; the presents from Sheba, Psalms 72:10, with 1 Kings 10:1-29. But Solomon's failure to realize his ideals compelled men to anticipate with great desire the advent of a greater Prince of Peace. Of Jesus alone is this psalm true in its details.
Notice the foundations of Jesus' reign, Psalms 72:1-4; the perpetuity of His kingdom, Psalms 72:5-7, and its universality, Psalms 72:8-11. The poor are His care. The peace He gives is in abundance and it passes understanding. Sun and moon may fail, but His love is unaffected by the flight of ages. The rain on mown grass and the distilling of the dew are not more gentle than His work in human souls that lie open to His approach. Take this glorious psalm and claim it, verse by verse, as true for you. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psa 72

1  David, praying for Solomon, shows the goodness and glory of God's kingdom
18  He blessed God

What do the individual words in Psalms 72:6 mean?

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass Like showers [that] water the earth
יֵ֭רֵד כְּמָטָ֣ר עַל־ גֵּ֑ז כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים זַרְזִ֥יף אָֽרֶץ

יֵ֭רֵד  He  shall  come  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
כְּמָטָ֣ר  like  rain 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גֵּ֑ז  the  mown  grass 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּז  
Sense: a shearing, mowing.
כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים  Like  showers 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural
Root: רְבִיבִים  
Sense: copious showers, heavy showers.
זַרְזִ֥יף  [that]  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זַרְזִיף 
Sense: drip.
אָֽרֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.