The Ideal King

 

 

 

[Psalm 72]

 

 

It is said that there are six types of presidents: ‘Scholar type,’ ‘Administrator type,’ ‘CEO type,’ ‘Politician type,’ ‘Gambler type,’ and ‘Event type.’
Among these, the ideal image of a president is the ‘Scholar type,’ ‘Administrator type,’ and ‘CEO type,’ while the actual image of presidents in reality is the ‘Politician type,’ ‘Gambler type,’ and ‘Event type.’

Looking at representative figures and images of each type:

  • The “Scholar type” includes Jeong Do-jeon, Kim Gu, Lincoln (textbook examples, models, scholars, worthy of emulation, somewhat burdensome).

  • The “Administrator type” includes Ko Gun, Hwang Hoe (prime minister type, capable, administrators, good at handling assigned tasks, ministers).

  • The “CEO type” includes Jin Dae-je, Moon Guk-hyun, Sohn Hak-kyu, Lee Myung-bak (feminine traits, local government leaders, democratic, 2% short, rational conservatives).

  • The “Politician type” includes Daewon-gun, Park Chung-hee, Hitler (realistic, friendly but toxic, unconditional followers, agitators, dictators).

  • The “Gambler type” includes Kim Young-sam (according to Monthly Chosun) and Roh Moo-hyun (fraudsters, gamblers, lacking substance, superficial and frivolous).

  • The “Event type” includes Lee Myung-bak (as seen by supporters of our party) and Roh Moo-hyun (as seen by Gangnam residents) (easily deceived, multi-level marketing, delusional, noisy, pushing forward aggressively).

“Ironically, the most ideal president is the most realistic president recognized by the people themselves” (internet).

Today, focusing on Psalm 72 from the Bible, under the title “The Ideal King,” I want to meditate on two aspects of what an ideal king is and receive the grace given by this reflection.
Especially since presidential elections in the U.S. and Korea are approaching, I hope that you and I can take to heart the lessons taught in today’s Scripture and be able to choose an ideal president.

First, the ideal king judges with the Lord’s judgment.

Look at Psalm 72:1:
“O God, give your judgment to the king, and your righteousness to the king’s son.”

The psalmist, King Solomon, prayed to God for the Lord’s judgment and righteousness.
The reason was to judge the Lord’s people with righteousness (verse 2).
Here, “the Lord’s righteousness” refers to righteous conduct that conforms to God’s standard (Park Yoon-sun).
In other words, King Solomon wished to judge the Lord’s people justly according to God’s standard (verse 2).
Why did he do so?
Because when he judged the Lord’s people justly according to God’s standard, he knew God would grant them peace (verse 3).

In modern terms, the ideal president is one who governs righteously according to the standard of God’s word, thereby giving peace to the citizens.
If citizens in a country do not enjoy peace, it is because the president (and other leaders) fail to govern righteously according to God’s word.

Dr. Park Yoon-sun said this:
“True politics that bring peace and order are theocratic. That is, politics based on the truth given by God.”

Then, how does one judge the Lord’s people justly according to God’s standard?
The answer can be found in Psalm 72:4:
“He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.”

(1) The ideal king who judges the Lord’s people justly according to God’s standard defends the poor and saves the children of the needy.

In today’s passage, Psalm 72:12-14, King Solomon explains this more specifically:
“He will rescue the poor who cry out, the oppressed who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.”

The ideal king, who judges the Lord’s people with the Lord’s judgment, not only has compassion in his heart for the poor and helpless but also brings them actual salvation (Park Yoon-sun).
Therefore, he gives freedom and peace to the Lord’s people.
However, an evil king or bad leader practices wicked politics and eventually deprives people of their freedom. Stalin did that, and Hitler as well.

(2) The ideal king who judges justly according to God’s standard breaks the oppressors who oppress the Lord’s people.

Look at Psalm 72:4:
“He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.”

The ideal king saves the poor and helpless Lord’s people by judging and punishing those who oppress them.
Therefore, even the enemies of the Lord’s people ultimately humbly show respect to the ideal king chosen by the Lord (verse 9).

Second, the ideal king judges with the righteous judgment of the Lord, thus giving satisfaction to the Lord’s people.

What kind of satisfaction does he give?

(1) The ideal king gives satisfaction by bestowing the grace of salvation upon the Lord’s people.

Look at Psalm 72:4 in today’s passage:
“He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.”
Because the ideal king judges the enemies of the Lord’s people with the righteous judgment of the Lord and ultimately saves his people, God’s people are satisfied.
Why does the ideal king save the Lord’s people from their enemies?
Because the Lord’s people are very precious to the ideal king.
Look at verse 14:
“He will redeem their lives from oppression and violence; their blood will be precious in his sight.”

(2) The ideal king gives satisfaction by granting peace to the Lord’s people.

Look at Psalm 72:3 and 7 in today’s passage:
“May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness” (v.3);
“In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more” (v.7).
Here, the original Hebrew word for “peace” has two meanings (Calvin): “peace” and “prosperity.”
In the end, God’s people enjoy the blessings of peace and prosperity because of the ideal king.
In other words, because of the ideal king, God’s people experience “flourishing” and “abundance” along with peace (v.16).

How do the Lord’s people who enjoy this satisfaction respond to the ideal king?

(1) The Lord’s people fear God.

Look at Psalm 72:5 in today’s passage:
“They fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.”
Because the ideal king fears God and governs the Lord’s people with righteous judgment, the people under his rule also fear God.

(2) The people of the Lord serve the ideal king.

Look at Psalm 72:11 in today’s passage:
“All kings shall fall down before him, and all nations shall serve him.”
Of course, it is not only the people of the Lord who serve the ideal king. Because God is with the ideal king who judges with the Lord’s justice and puts him to rule the world (v. 8), all nations serve the ideal king. Though they serve, the kings who are under the rule of the ideal king bring him gifts (v. 10).

(3) The people of the Lord always pray for the ideal king.

Look at Psalm 72:15 in today’s passage:
“Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.”
The people of the Lord always prayed to God to continue blessing their ideal king. They especially prayed for his long life (“long may he live”) and also for peace and prosperity for him. When they do so, the people of the Lord can continue to enjoy peace. Also, the people of the Lord praised the ideal king all day long. In other words, they continually blessed the ideal king.

(4) Ultimately, the people of the Lord praise God.

Look at Psalm 72:18-19 in today’s passage:
“Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.”
Ultimately, the people of the Lord do not end with praising the ideal king, but in the end, they praise God who established and blesses the ideal king.

What does the Bible say about the people who have an ideal king who judges and rules the Lord’s people with righteous judgment? Look at verse 17:
“May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.”
The people who serve the ideal king are blessed through him, and all nations say, “Blessed is the ideal king.”
That ideal king is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. Only Jesus, the King of kings, can be our ideal king. He judges with His righteous judgment, punishes the wicked, and saves us. Because He rules over us, we enjoy peace and blessings. Only He can satisfy us. Therefore, we fear Him, serve Him, pray to Him, and praise Him forever.

 

 

 

Longing for the kingdom of God and the coming of Jesus Christ, the King of kings,

 

 

Pastor James Kim
(Praying for an ideal president)