The last psalm of Book II “concludes the prayers of David, son of Jesse”, per verse 20 of this psalm. Other psalms by David exist (i.e., 86, 101, 103, 109, 110, 122, 124, 131, 133, 138-145, Hezekiah’s collection, etc.), which apparently were not considered prayer-psalms by those who assembled the book of Psalms. The prayer is for the coronation of the king of Israel.
Though verse 20 states that this prayer-psalm was written by David, the title is “Of Solomon”, David was to old to pen the psalm himself. As David instructed Solomon on being a king, something he had told the Lord he would do in the previous psalm (71:18), Solomon wrote down his father’s words on paper. The psalm was a prayer and direction of Solomon, who had just been crowned king.
Solomon’s reign would be built on righteousness (1,2). That righteousness would flow down to the Lord’s afflicted ones like mountain streams bringing abundant prosperity, producing fruit in the valleys below (3). The king’s righteousness would benefit needy children and crush the oppressor. Many wars in David’s time created many children without fathers and sometimes even mothers. Wars produced orphans who were preyed upon by evil people. Solomon’s reign would be judge righteously, as seen in his first case, where two mothers claimed the same baby as theirs
Jesus’ reign is perfect. He reigns his people now and forevermore. He is coming soon. The oppressors will be judged and punished forever. Their victims will live forever in righteous freedom.
