Leadership Should Lead Efforts Regarding Poverty - Psalms 72-74

Psalms 72:12-14 (ESV)

For he delivers the needy when he calls,

the poor and him who has no helper.

He has 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.

Psalm 72 is a prayer of Solomon’s asking God to give him, the king, justice in his leadership.  The he in the above passage (as throughout this prayer) is not God, but rather the king; the earthly leader.    The attributes that Solomon is praying for, however, are the attributes of God.   The above three verses are asking God to provide the king with the ability to rescue the poor and the needy.  This is something God does and is concerned about in human governance.    We have a lot of talk in our country over this very topic.   It could well be imagined what it was like in Solomon’s day.   He could very well have walked the streets of Jerusalem and see the poor and the needy.   His home, however, was filled with silver, ivory and gold.   In fact, the scripture states that there was so much sliver in his day it had very little value.   There was certainly then, as now, a disparity between the haves and the have-nots.   God wants us to recognize that among our society and wants to equip leaders who think this way.  The Bible is very clear about how the poor are taken care of.   That is not the topic of this prayer, however.  Here we learn that those responsible to care for the poor start with the leadership of the land.   We can debate how to do all we want, but leadership is to want to do it and lead the efforts.