A Prayer for a Leader

Give the king your justice, O God. – Psalm 72:1a (NRSV) 

I am deeply grateful for the timeless wisdom of our faith and especially for today’s psalm. Written 30 centuries ago for the coronation of a king, Psalm 72 is a prayer for any leader at any time.  

“Give the leader your justice, O God,” the psalm begins—or as Eugene Peterson’s The Message translates it, “Give the gift of wise rule.” The psalm continues its prayer: May this leader advocate for the poor, provide rescue to those in need, save anyone at risk from violence, be compassionate to those who are alone, and crush the oppressors. (“Come down hard on cruel tyrants,” in Peterson’s version.) 

The psalmist affirms that a leader must exercise their power with gentleness and consideration, “like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth” (72:6). Throughout a leader’s term of office, the psalmist prayers, may there be an abundance of goodness and peace. The psalmist ends by encouraging the people to pray for the leader “without ceasing.”  

I agree. In this fraught and messy time, we need to pray for our leaders—whoever they are. Psalm 72 is a good place to start. 

Prayer
God of all nations, help us heed your psalm. Give our leaders—and us—your justice, your compassion for the poor, and your passion for peace. Amen.

About the Author
Talitha Arnold is Senior Minister of the United Church of Santa Fe (UCC), Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is the author of Mark Parts 1 and 2 of the Listen Up! Bible Study series and Worship for Vital Congregations.