“The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.”
Psalm 72:20 ESV
Through the Bible: 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72
There is an odd quirk to Psalm 72. It begins with the superscription “Of Solomon.” However, it ends by saying, “The prayers of David, son of Jesse, are ended.” So who wrote it: David, or Solomon?
In Hebrew, the superscription לִשְׁלֹמֹה (li-Shelomoh), can mean:
- By Solomon (authorship)
- For Solomon (dedication), or,
- About Solomon (subject matter).
For this blog, let’s go with option two, and look at Psalm 72 as David’s coronation prayer for his son. And it’s more than a father’s hope—it’s a Spirit-inspired vision of what a godly leader—and by extension, a godly life—can be.
If you knew you were nearing the end of your life and you had one last chance to pray over your child, what would you ask God for?
I imagine David in his old age, his body weary from battles, his heart worn from family troubles, and his mind sharp enough to know his time is short. Solomon, his chosen son, is about to take the throne. The nation is watching. The kingdom will rise or fall based on this young man’s leadership.
And David doesn’t write Solomon a list of royal policies. He doesn’t give him a political strategy. He gives him a prayer.
Parents, grandparents, spiritual parents—this psalm gives us a blueprint for how to pray for our children.
1. Pray for Their Character Before Their Success
“Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!” (v. 1)
David’s first request isn’t for victory over enemies, or wealth, or political stability. It’s for justice and righteousness—God’s justice and God’s righteousness.
We tend to pray for our kids’ safety, success, and happiness—and those aren’t wrong—but David’s prayer starts deeper. He knows a just heart will produce a just reign. Think about Solomon’s reign—when he walked in righteousness, the kingdom flourished; when his heart turned, the kingdom cracked.
Application: Pray first for who your children are, not just what they do. Success without righteousness is a disaster waiting to happen.
2. Pray They Will Be a Blessing to Others
“May he defend the cause of the poor… give deliverance to the children of the needy” (v. 4)
David prays for a king who will not use power for himself, but for the good of the vulnerable.
Parents, in a world where one point on the ACT can make the difference between who gets a scholarship and who doesn’t, this is countercultural. We’re often tempted to want our kids to “get ahead” at any cost. First string, first chair, first place. But David prays for Solomon to serve the needy.
What would happen if your prayers for your children were less about them climbing ladders and more about them washing feet? Do you pray for God to make their lives easier, or to make their lives useful?
Application: Pray that your kids will notice the overlooked, speak for the voiceless, and step in where others step back. Pray that they will serve, and not just succeed.
3. Pray for Faith That Outlasts You
“May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!” (v. 5)
There’s that line from Hamilton again: “Legacy… is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” King David knows he won’t live forever. Solomon will outlive him. David wants his son’s faith to endure long after he’s gone. So he prays, “May they fear you as long as the moon endures, throughout all generations.”
Parents, your influence has an expiration date. Pray that your children will walk with God even when you are gone.
4. Pray They Will be Always Have People Praying for Them
“May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day.” (v. 15b)
Moms and dads, pray that you will never be the only one praying for your child. Pray that they would both seek out community and immerse themselves in to a community of faith. Pray they find a band of brothers or a sorority of sisters. At every stage of their lives, from youth group to campus ministry to a young adult Sunday school class to an accountability group, pray they will be part of a group of people that prays for them.
5. Pray With the Kingdom in View
“May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!” (v. 11)
“May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed.” (v. 20)
This is the point where David’s prayer stops being specifically about Solomon and becomes messianic. No matter how many ambitions David might have for his son, Solomon would never be able to rule every nation or be a blessing to all peoples. So this has to be read as an extension of God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis.
Parents, God’s dream for the nations is bigger than your dream for your children. So let your prayers for your children be kingdom-minded. Pray that their lives connect to God’s mission in the world.
In the end, Psalm 72 reminds us that the greatest legacy we can leave our children isn’t money, a home, or even a respected family name. It’s a life of prayer that shapes their hearts toward God. We can’t guarantee our children will make the right choices any more than David could be assured Solomon would always follow the Lord. But we can place them daily in the hands of the one who sees beyond our present and into eternity. The same God who heard David’s final recorded prayer still bends his ear toward the prayer of every mother and father who lays their children before Him.
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