Psalms21

Psalm 21 is a psalm of thanksgiving, celebrating the LORD's abundant blessings upon the king. It recounts how God has granted the king's desires, bestowed glory and eternal life, and established his reign. The psalm also declares God's sure judgment against the king's enemies, concluding with a call to praise the LORD's strength.
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Thanksgiving for the King's Deliverance

1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! ​
2
Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
3
For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. ​
4
He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. ​
5
His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
6
For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
7
For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. ​

Confidence in Future Victory over Enemies

8
Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. ​
9
Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. ​
10
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. ​
11
For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
12
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. ​

A Final Doxology

13
Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power. ​

Study Notes for Psalms 21

Verse 1

Psalms 21 is a royal psalm of thanksgiving, likely recited after a major military victory or deliverance, serving as a counterpart to the prayer offered in Psalm 20.

Verse 3

The Hebrew word translated 'preventest' means 'to meet or anticipate.' God anticipated the king’s needs with blessings, affirming his divine appointment by setting a crown upon him.

Verse 4

The phrase 'length of days for ever and ever' refers primarily to the promise of an enduring dynasty (2 Samuel 7:16), though Christian tradition applies this verse messianically to Christ, the ultimate Davidic King.

Verse 7

The stability and security of the king are rooted not in his own military might, but in his unwavering trust in the covenant faithfulness ('mercy') of the Most High (El Elyon).

Verse 8

The focus shifts from past blessings to the powerful assurance of future judgment against those who oppose the king and, by extension, God’s rule.

Verse 9

The metaphor of the 'fiery oven' denotes complete and consuming destruction, emphasizing that the judgment comes directly from the fierce, inescapable wrath of the LORD.

Verse 10

Destroying the 'fruit' (offspring) and 'seed' signifies total annihilation of the enemy's lineage, ensuring they leave no physical or historical trace among the living.

Verse 12

This vivid war imagery depicts the enemies turning their back (fleeing) as God prepares his judgment, indicating a complete rout initiated by divine intervention.

Verse 13

This concluding verse shifts the focus back from the celebrating human king to the glorious source of all power, calling the gathered community to perpetual worship of YHWH's strength.

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