Whatever your opinions on the monarchy, the occasions for singing “God Save the King” certainly are rather thin on the ground these days. In my lifetime, the royal anthem has generally appeared at Remembrance Day ceremonies and not much more.
The psalmist lived in a different time and a different place. Most monarchs’ constitutional roles have evolved somewhat since the psalmist delivered this prayer (the Magna Carta was a long way off!). We might not ask a king to rule with righteousness these days, although we may still ask that he reign so.
But the psalmist is not just asking for blessings on a temporal king. He calls ahead to another king, one who will “defend the cause of the poor of the people, [and] give deliverance to the needy.” (verse 4) Reading these words, we recall God’s promise to “loose the bonds of injustice…to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke.” (Isaiah 58:6) We remember the humble king, crowned with thorns but raised to sit on the throne of glory, who is still at work accomplishing what was prayed for and promised.
God, bring us to sing your praises together in abounding peace. Amen. —