A common misinterpretation views this verse solely as a literal description of King Solomon's earthly successes, overlooking its prophetic messianic context within a psalm praying for an ideal Davidic king; others might take 'lick the dust' as endorsing brutal violence or conquest, rather than idiomatic biblical language for abject surrender and defeat, as seen in similar phrases like Micah 7:17, thus missing the emphasis on willing or inevitable homage under divine sovereignty.
Psalms 72:9
King James Version (1769)
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
Psalms 72:9 portrays the majestic reign of the ideal king, often interpreted as the Messiah, where even the nomadic desert dwellers 'bow before him' and enemies 'lick the dust,' symbolizing total submission and homage from all peoples, even the most remote and hostile, illustrating the universal scope and unchallenged authority of his righteous rule that brings peace and justice to the earth.