Psalms 72:9-12
Context72:9 Before him the coastlands 1 will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust. 2
72:10 The kings of Tarshish 3 and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba 4 and Seba 5 will bring tribute.
72:11 All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
72:12 For he will rescue the needy 6 when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed 7 who have no defender.
1 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
2 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
3 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
4 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
5 sn Seba was located in Africa.
6 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
7 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.