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Dialogue with Trypho
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Chapter 34: Psalm 72 Does Not Apply to Solomon, Whose Failures Make Christians Tremble.
TO FURTHER CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE SCRIPTURES: I'll remind you of another psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit and spoken to David, which you claim refers to Solomon, who was also your king.
However, it also refers to our Christ. You confuse yourselves with ambiguous language. For where it states, ‘The law of the Lord is perfect,’ you interpret it as the law given by Moses, not the one to come after Moses, even though God declared He would establish a new law and covenant.
When it says, ‘O God, give Your judgment to the king,’ you insist this psalm refers to Solomon because he was king, but the words clearly indicate the everlasting King, meaning Christ. Christ is King, Priest, God, Lord, angel, man, captain, stone, a Son born, first suffering, then ascending to heaven, and returning in glory with an everlasting kingdom, as proven by all Scriptures. To clarify, I'll quote the Psalm: ‘O God, give Your judgment to the king and Your righteousness to the king’s son to judge Your people with righteousness and the poor with justice.
The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills righteousness. He will judge the poor and save the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor. He will endure as long as the sun, and as long as the moon through all generations. He will come down like rain on mown grass, like showers watering the earth. In His days, righteousness will flourish, with abundance of peace until the moon is no more. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.
Ethiopians will bow before Him, and His enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and the distant isles will bring tribute; the kings of Arabia and Seba will offer gifts; all kings will bow down to Him and all nations will serve Him; for He delivers the needy who call out, the afflicted with no one to help. He takes pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, and His name will be honored before them.
Long may He live! May gold from Arabia be given to Him and people pray for Him continually; may they bless Him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May His name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through Him, and they will call Him blessed.
Praise be to the Lord God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to His glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.’ The Psalm concludes with, ‘The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.’ While Solomon was a famous and great king who built the Jerusalem temple, none of the psalm's predictions apply to him. No kings worshipped him; he did not rule to the earth's ends; his enemies did not bow and lick the dust before him.
Furthermore, I dare to mention what's written in the book of Kings—that he, influenced by a woman, worshipped the idols of Sidon, something which the Gentiles who know God through Jesus refuse to do, enduring torture and death rather than worship idols or eat food offered to them.