Bird's-eye view
Psalm 72:20 is not a prayer itself, but a postscript, a subscription added by the editor of the Psalter. It functions as a colophon, marking the conclusion of a major section of the book, specifically the end of Book Two. This verse, "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended," serves as a structural hinge in the entire collection of Psalms. It signals to the reader that a particular compilation of Davidic prayers has been completed, preparing the way for the psalms of corporate lament and crisis that characterize much of Book Three. While seemingly a simple editorial note, it is freighted with theological significance. It invites us to look back at the glorious reign of David described in the preceding psalms, a reign that ultimately points to Christ, and to look forward to the questions that arise when that kingdom seems to be in jeopardy. It is a divinely inspired table of contents, guiding our journey through the prayer book of God's people.
The use of the humble title "son of Jesse" is deliberate, reminding us of David's lowly origins and God's sovereign grace in choosing him. And the declaration that his prayers "are ended" is not a statement that David wrote no more psalms, but that this specific collection is now closed. In a deeper sense, all of David's prayers for the security and prosperity of his kingdom find their ultimate and final "Amen" in the person and work of his greatest Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose kingdom shall have no end.
Outline
- 1. A Divine Colophon (Ps 72:20)
- a. The Subject: The Prayers of David (Ps 72:20a)
- b. The Author's Identity: The Son of Jesse (Ps 72:20b)
- c. The Conclusion: They Are Ended (Ps 72:20c)
Context In Psalms
The book of Psalms is not a haphazard collection of religious songs. It is a carefully structured anthology, divided into five distinct "books," each ending with a doxology (Ps 41:13; 72:18-19; 89:52; 106:48; 150:6). This verse, 72:20, comes immediately after the doxology that concludes Book Two. Book One (Psalms 1-41) is dominated by the prayers of David in his conflict with Saul. Book Two (Psalms 42-72) continues with Davidic themes, focusing on the establishment and nature of his reign. This verse, therefore, acts as the formal conclusion to this major Davidic section of the Psalter. It is a seam in the garment of Scripture, intentionally placed by the Holy Spirit. The fact that more psalms attributed to David appear later in the Psalter (e.g., Psalm 86, 101, 103) is not a contradiction. It simply means that this verse marks the end of an earlier, well-known collection called "the prayers of David" which the final editor incorporated as a whole into this spot. This verse is the editor's note telling us that one volume is finished and we are about to begin another.
Key Issues
- The Structure of the Psalter
- The Meaning of "Ended"
- The Significance of "Son of Jesse"
- The Relationship Between David's Prayers and Christ's Reign
- The Function of Editorial Notes in Scripture
A Hinge in the Psalter
We should think of this verse as a signpost. After traveling through seventy-two psalms, the majority of them penned by David, the Holy Spirit puts up a marker that says, "You have now completed the main collection of the prayers of David." This is not an afterthought; it is part of the inspired architecture of the book. The psalms that follow in Book Three take a different turn, dealing with the Asaphite psalms and the crisis of the Assyrian invasion and later the Babylonian exile. The confidence of the Davidic kingdom celebrated in Book Two gives way to confusion and lament in Book Three. This verse is the hinge on which that door swings. It closes the door on one era of Israel's worship and opens the door to another, showing us how to pray in times of stability and victory, and also how to pray in times of crisis and apparent defeat.
Verse by Verse Commentary
20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are completed.
We should break this down into its three constituent parts. First, we have the subject: "The prayers of David." The psalms are not just theological treatises or historical poems; they are prayers. They represent the lifeblood of a relationship, the cries of a man after God's own heart. They are raw, honest, and visceral. They teach us that true piety is not a stoic detachment but a full-throated engagement with the living God in every circumstance of life, from the throne room to the battlefield, from the heights of praise to the depths of despair.
Second, we have the author's designation: "the son of Jesse." This is a title of humility. At the height of the Psalter's celebration of the Davidic monarchy, right after a glorious psalm about the reign of his son, the editor reminds us where this great king came from. He was the son of a farmer from Bethlehem. He was not a man born to royalty; he was a shepherd boy chosen by grace. This title keeps us grounded. It reminds us that the entire Davidic covenant, and the Messianic hope that flows from it, is not a product of human achievement but of God's sovereign, electing grace. God did not choose David because he was the son of a king; God made him a king because He chose the son of Jesse. This points us directly to the greater Son of David, who was born in a stable and had no place to lay His head, yet was the King of kings.
Third, we have the declaration: "are completed." As noted earlier, this does not mean David never wrote another psalm. It means that this specific, curated collection is finished. It is a literary boundary marker. But there is a deeper, theological sense in which David's prayers are indeed ended. What was the great burden of David's prayers? It was for the establishment of his throne, the defeat of his enemies, and the blessing of his people under a righteous king. Psalm 72, which immediately precedes this verse, is a magnificent prayer for the reign of his son, Solomon, but it bursts the seams of any earthly king. It describes a universal, everlasting kingdom of peace and justice. In other words, it is a prayer for the Messiah. When Jesus Christ came, lived, died, rose, and ascended to the right hand of the Father, the prayers of David, the son of Jesse, were answered definitively. They are "completed" in Christ. Every petition for victory, every plea for justice, and every hope for a righteous king finds its ultimate fulfillment in Him.
Application
First, this verse teaches us to read our Bibles with attention to detail and structure. God did not just dump a pile of religious writings into our lap. He gave us a book, a library of books, carefully arranged and edited under the inspiration of His Spirit. The seams and signposts, like this verse, are there for our instruction. They help us understand the flow of redemptive history and the unfolding message of the gospel.
Second, we are reminded of the humility that must always accompany true authority. David is remembered here not as "the mighty king," but as "the son of Jesse." All our gifts, all our positions, all our successes are gifts of grace. We are all sons of somebody from somewhere, and whatever we become is by the sheer mercy of God. This is a necessary corrective to the pride that so easily besets successful Christian leaders.
Finally, and most importantly, this verse pushes us to see Christ as the fulfillment of all the Old Testament hopes and prayers. David's prayers are ended because Jesus' reign has begun. The kingdom David prayed for is the kingdom we now inhabit by faith. His enemies are being made His footstool, and His name will indeed endure forever. We no longer pray "How long, O Lord?" in the same way David did. We pray as those who know the King has come and has won the decisive victory. Our prayers are not the prayers of the son of Jesse, which are ended, but the prayers of the sons of God, which continue until our King returns to make all things new.