The Meaning of Psalms 72:2 Explained

Psalms 72:2

KJV: He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

YLT: He judgeth Thy people with righteousness, And Thy poor with judgment.

Darby: He will judge thy people with righteousness, and thine afflicted with judgment.

ASV: He will judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with justice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He shall judge  thy people  with righteousness,  and thy poor  with judgment. 

What does Psalms 72:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 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 72:2 mean?

He will judge Your people with righteousness and Your poor with justice
יָדִ֣ין עַמְּךָ֣ בְצֶ֑דֶק וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ בְמִשְׁפָּֽט

יָדִ֣ין  He  will  judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דֹּון 
Sense: to judge, contend, plead.
עַמְּךָ֣  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בְצֶ֑דֶק  with  righteousness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ  and  Your  poor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
בְמִשְׁפָּֽט  with  justice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.