Psalm 21

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Psalm 21

Troy Gessler

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord;

And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

2 You have given him his heart’s desire,

And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

3 For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;

You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

4 He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—

Length of days forever and ever.

5 His glory is great in Your salvation;

Honor and majesty You have placed upon him.

6 For You have made him most blessed forever;

You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.

7 For the king trusts in the Lord,

And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.

8 Your hand will find all Your enemies;

Your right hand will find those who hate You.

9 You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;

The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,

And the fire shall devour them.

10 Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,

And their descendants from among the sons of men.

11 For they intended evil against You;

They devised a plot which they are not able to perform.

12 Therefore You will make them turn their back;

You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

13 Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!

We will sing and praise Your power.

The utter dependence of this king upon God is encouraging and convicting. It allows us to see what a life abiding in Christ is like. “For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.” All of the king’s wants and needs are fulfilled in God. The king’s length of days, blessings, crown, heart’s desires, glory, honor, majesty, gladdness and steadfast footing all come from God. This king asked these things from God. He sees that God does not have to answer these requests and the king is completely thankful for God’s lovingkindness to still bestow upon him all of these excellent gifts.  The LORD, in His most excellent mercy, sustains this king and the king is completely reverent of God and in awe of his great mercy toward him. 

Adam’s desendants have always found these things in other places. For centuries we have sought glory and riches, strength and honor, blessings and salvation all apart from God. We have found these temporary spoils in dark, damp, and stale places. We have descended deeper and deeper into sin to discover the width, length, depth, and heigth of our depravity. It is this we have called glory. It is this which we have called riches. 

There is coming a day in which the veil will be taken away from all men. The light will shine bright and all men will see that Jesus is Lord and all will exalt Him. God will descend and completely purify the earth. The wicked will perish in a flash and the Lord Jesus will set up his eternal kingdom forever. Those who abide in Jesus, like the king, will forever find a seat at His table of true blessing and honor. Sing and praise God for allowing you to enter into such a blessed eternal hope. All glory, honor, and praise to Him, the King of kings.