My Devotional and Prayer in Atlanta, March 9, 2026
Today, I had the rare privilege of serving as Chaplain of the Day for the Georgia House of Representatives, an invitation initiated by Rep. Sam Park, who introduced me very kindly. It was truly an honor to serve in this role, and an eye-opening experience to join the throngs in the Georgia Capitol. My assignment was to write and deliver a nonpartisan devotional thought and to offer prayer for the gathered community of legislators and guests. At the last minute the Speaker of the House, Rep. Jon Burns, asked me to offer specific prayers for a list of specific legislators facing health and family concerns, along with other prayer concerns, which I did. Here is the text that I spoke from today.
It is indeed a high honor to have the chance to address you this morning. Thank you for your commitment to public service in our state.
There is a psalm that I find fascinating. It is incredibly relevant to the work that you do. This is Psalm 72. It is widely regarded by scholars as a coronation prayer for King Solomon, who may have been as young as 12 and not older than 20 when he was crowned. Picture the occasion – the pomp and circumstance – the grandeur of an Israelite king being installed. Think of the pressure on the royal psalmist to puff the new king up, to flatter him, to increase the sense of awe in the crowd: Behold your king!
But what the psalmist does is very different. Mainly what he does is to ask for God to bless the young king – but only as he does the work of justice. Listen to how this prayer reads.
1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy,
and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may righteousness flourish
and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold of Sheba be given to him.
May prayer be made for him continually,
and blessings invoked for him all day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
may it wave on the tops of the mountains;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure for ever,
his fame continue as long as the sun.
May all nations be blessed in him;
may they pronounce him happy.
18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
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What do you hear in this inauguration psalm? This is what I hear:
Bless the king – if he does justice.
Which means: defending the cause of the poor, giving deliverance to the needy, and defeating the oppressor.
Bless us with a just king – because if the king does justice God is pleased and the people flourish.
Bless us with a king who delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.
Such a king would be worthy of long life, broad dominion, national and international honor, a blessing not just to his own people, but to territories beyond.
Such a king would be a wonderful gift from God.
While Psalm 72 was about an Israelite king, its message can also apply in a democracy to the representatives the sovereign citizens have elected. May you be blessed, as you do justice for those who need it most. And as you do, God will be pleased and bring blessing.
Let us pray. O God, give these our elected leaders your justice. May they lead and judge with righteousness. May they deliver the needy and the poor. May they protect the people from oppression and violence and do justice for those who have been harmed. May their hearts bend to the cries of those who have no helper, those who depend upon them for justice, safety, and survival. May You, O Lord, bless them and their work this day, and every day. Amen.
