在2022年7月，當時在位的英國首相被迫下台，原因是許多人認為他缺乏誠信（但幾個月之後，新任命的首相也下台了！）。事件的起因，是衛生部長在出席一年一度的國家禱告早餐會之後，深感自己缺乏在公眾生活中所需要的誠信，因而引咎辭職。當其他的部長也相繼請辭的時候，首相才覺悟到自己必須下台。這舉世矚目的時刻，全源自一個和平的禱告會。

使徒保羅勸勉基督徒為政治領袖禱告（提摩太前書2章1-2節），而詩篇72篇為此提供了一個很好的指引。這首詩既是論述治理者的職責，也是幫助他們履行職責的禱文。詩人描述一位理想的領導者是公平與正直的人（1-2節），他為困苦人伸冤（4節），幫助窮乏人（12-13節），為受欺壓的人挺身而出（14節）。在他治理的日子，大地一片清明，有如「甘霖滋潤田地」（6節），使全地五穀豐登（3、7、16節）。雖然只有彌賽亞才能完美地承擔這樣的角色（11節），但還有比這更好的領導標準嗎？

一個國家的健全取決於執政者的誠信。請為我們的國家禱告，尋求像詩篇72篇中那樣的領袖，並藉著為他們禱告，幫助他們體現這首詩所描述的特質。

In July 2022, Britain’s prime minister was forced to step down after what many felt were lapses in integrity (the newly appointed prime minister stepped down just months later!). The event was triggered when the country’s health minister attended an annual parliamentary prayer breakfast, felt convicted about the need for integrity in public life, and resigned. When other ministers resigned too, the prime minister realized he had to leave. It was a remarkable moment, originating from a peaceful prayer meeting.

Believers in Jesus are called to pray for their political leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2), and Psalm 72 is a good guide for doing so, being both a ruler’s job description and a prayer to help them achieve it. It describes the ideal leader as a person of justice and integrity (vv. 1-2), who defends the vulnerable (v. 4), serves the needy (vv. 12-13), and stands against oppression (v. 14). Their time in office is so refreshing, it’s like “showers watering the earth” (v. 6), bringing prosperity to the land (vv. 3, 7, 16). While only the Messiah can perfectly fulfill such a role (v. 11), what better standard of leadership could be aimed for?

The health of a country is governed by the integrity of its office-bearers. Let’s seek “Psalm 72 leaders” for our nations and help them to embody the qualities found in this psalm by praying it for them.