May there be an abundance of grain in the land; may it sway atop the hills. May its fruit trees flourish like the forests of Lebanon, and its people like the grass of the field.
Parallel translations
- WEB Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.
- KJV There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
- NKJV There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
- NASB ¶May there be abundance of grain on the earth on top of the mountains; Its fruit will wave like the cedars of Lebanon; And may those from the city flourish like the vegetation of the earth.
- NLT May there be abundant grain throughout the land, flourishing even on the hilltops. May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of Lebanon, and may the people thrive like grass in a field.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Under his reign grain abounds throughout the land and its fruit flourishes like the cedars of Lebanon.
Overview
The image is of overflowing agricultural blessing and vigorous growth even on the mountaintops. Abundance and fruitfulness mark the king's domain. This pictures the fruitful blessing of the messianic kingdom, where Christ's reign brings life and increase to all things (John 15:5).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 23
- 1 Kgs 4:20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.
- Rev 7:9After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
- Acts 1:15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,
- Job 5:25You will know that your offspring will be many, your descendants like the grass of the earth.
- Isa 2:2–3In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
- Ps 92:12–14The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
- 1 Cor 3:6–9I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
- Ps 104:16The trees of the LORD have their fill, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted,
- Job 8:7Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
- Hos 14:5–7I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
- Mark 16:15–16And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
- Acts 4:4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
- Isa 44:3–5For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
- Isa 32:15until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest.
- Ps 72:6May he be like rain that falls on freshly cut grass, like spring showers that water the earth.
- Isa 32:20Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.
- Acts 2:41Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.
- Isa 35:2It will bloom profusely and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.
- Matt 13:31–33He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.
- Isa 30:23Then He will send rain for the seed that you have sown in the ground, and the food that comes from your land will be rich and plentiful. On that day your cattle will graze in open pastures.
- Jer 33:22As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted and as the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so too will I multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister before Me.”
- Isa 29:17In a very short time, will not Lebanon become an orchard, and the orchard seem like a forest?
- Rev 7:14“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 72:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.