Discovery BoxPsalms 72:2-4 
Context72:2 Then he will judge 1 your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones 2 equitably.
72:3 The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice. 3
72:4 He will defend 4 the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver 5 the children 6 of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
Psalms 72:12-14
Context72:12 For he will rescue the needy 7 when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed 8 who have no defender.
72:13 He will take pity 9 on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
72:14 From harm and violence he will defend them; 10
he will value their lives. 11
1 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
2 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
3 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
4 tn Heb “judge [for].”
5 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
6 tn Heb “sons.”
7 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
8 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
9 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
10 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the
11 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
