The Bible: Psalms Chapter 21: with Audio and Commentary.

Version: World English Bible.

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Psalms Chapter 21 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

1 The king rejoices in your strength, LORD! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation!

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 fine gold on his head.

4 He asked life of you and you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.

5 His glory is great in your salvation. You lay honour and majesty on him.

6 For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence.

7 For the king trusts in the LORD. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved.

8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them.

10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from amongst the children of men.

11 For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.

12 For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face.

13 Be exalted, LORD, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.

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Version: World English Bible

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Psalms Chapter 21 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Guide

The battle is over, the victory is won, and the assembled people sing the song of victory. This song, while it celebrates one victory, runs beyond it and praises Jehovah for all He has done for the king. They had prayed, "Grant thee thy heart's desire" (20:4). The prayer is answered and now they sing, 'Thou hast given him his heart's desire" (21:2). They had sung of victory because their trust was in the name of Jehovah (20:7,8). Victory has been won and now they celebrate it (21:7-12).

The contrast is very vivid between the king trusting in Jehovah and therefore sustained, supplied, and led in triumph; and the enemies who intended evil against Jehovah and who are swallowed up and destroyed and utterly overcome. From the experience of the king the whole nation learns its lesson. The opening declaration, "The king shall joy in Thy strength," issues in the final prayer, "Be Thou exalted, O Jehovah, in Thy strength: so will we sing and praise Thy power."

Again let us remember our conflict is spiritual and still the ancient hymn is ours, for our King also triumphed through the strength of Jehovah and to our final victories we follow in His train.

From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.

Psalms Chapter 21 Commentary

Chapter Outline

  1. Thanksgiving for victory. -- (1-6)
  2. Confidence of further success. -- (7-13)

Verses 1-6

Happy the people whose king makes God's strength his confidence, and God's salvation his joy; who is pleased with all the advancements of God kingdom, and trusts God to support him in all he does for the service of it. All our blessings are blessings of goodness, and are owing, not to any merit of ours, but only to God's goodness. But when God's blessings come sooner, and prove richer than we imagine; when they are given before we prayed for them, before we were ready for them, nay, when we feared the contrary; then it may be truly said that he prevented, or went before us, with them. Nothing indeed prevented, or went before Christ, but to mankind never was any favour more preventing than our redemption by Christ. Thou hast made him to be a universal, everlasting blessing to the world, in whom the families of the earth are, and shall be blessed; and so thou hast made him exceeding glad with the countenance thou hast given to his undertaking, and to him in the prosecution of it. The Spirit of prophecy rises from what related to the king, to that which is peculiar to Christ; none other is blessed for ever, much less a blessing for ever.

Verses 7-13

The psalmist teaches to look forward with faith, and hope, and prayer upon what God would further do. The success with which God blessed David, was a type of the total overthrow of all Christ's enemies. Those who might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him and fought against him, shall find the remembrance of it a worm that dies not. God makes sinners willing by his grace, receives them to his favour, and delivers them from the wrath to come. May he exalt himself, by his all-powerful grace, in our hearts, destroying all the strong-holds of sin and Satan. How great should be our joy and praise to behold our Brother and Friend upon the throne, and for all the blessings we may expect from him! yet he delights in his exalted state, as enabling him to confer happiness and glory on poor sinners, who are taught to love and trust in him.

From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.