Psalm 21

In Psalm 20 the king is prayed for; in Psalm 21 God is praised because He has granted the king’s desires.  It is hard not to see the Messiah in these Psalms as He is the King of kings, God’s Anointed, the greatest Son of David who will rule on David’s throne.  But it is not solely Messianic.  This is the prayer and praise that should be part of every king of Israel.  One can imagine these Psalms as part of the regular worship of God’s people as they pray for their king.  And by application it speaks to the believer today as will be readily apparent.

The meat this song recites the blessings of God upon the king (v3-12).  In the words of v2 these are “his heart’s desire … the request of his lips.”  In v3-6 the king has been blessed with goodness, long life, honor and majesty.  In v8-12 there is confidence that the king will destroy all his enemies. 

In the middle of that passage (v7) is the reason for the king’s success: he trusts in the LORD and His mercy.  Think about this!  This is the king we are talking about, the one who can marshal an army from any able-bodied man in the nation.  He has access to all the national treasuries.  He has great resources.  But the key to his success is “mercy” from God.  This is checed, the deep love and kindness of God.  The king is not dependent on his own resources, no matter how great they are considered to be.  He depends on God!   He is a man of faith in God.

This is the point of the Psalm.  The stage is set in v1-2 where the “joy” of the king is bound up “in Your strength, O LORD; and in Your salvation.”  The two references to “joy” are different Hebrew words but together emphasize the deep, heart satisfaction and exultation of the king.  It is bound up in what God Himself gives and does not withhold (v2).  That is the reason why, when you come to the end of the Psalm that the exaltation is not of the king but of the LORD (v13).  

Give this serious consideration today.  Like the king, you may be a very capable person, recipient of many compliments on your accomplishments.  But trust determines the object of worship and praise.  Do I depend on myself?  If so I will thrive on the praise of men!  I will never cry for mercy.  My joy will be bound up in my strength.  And when I fail I will need to blame others lest I lose the satisfaction of self-actualization.  In the end, experience proves and common sense predicts that, I will be disappointed.  I will come to the end of myself.  

May we be as the king who trusts in the LORD, who humbly depends on His mercy!  Live life so God is exalted.  He will meet you with His good blessings.