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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 21:1–6.
David here speaks for himself in the first place, professing that his joy was in God's strength and in his salvation, and not in the strength or success of his armies. He also directs his subjects herein to rejoice with him, and to give God all the glory of the victories he had obtained; and all with an eye to Christ, of whose triumphs over the powers of darkness David's victories were but shadows. 1. They here congratulate the king on his joys and concur with him in them (Psa 21:1): "The king rejoices, he uses to rejoice in thy strength, and so do we; what pleases the king pleases us," Sa2 3:36. Happy the people the character of whose king it is that he makes God's strength his confidence and God's salvation his joy, that is pleased with all the advancements of God's kingdom and trusts God to bear him out in all he does for the service of it. Our Lord Jesus, in his great undertaking, relied upon help from heaven, and pleased himself with the prospect of that great salvation which he was thereby to work out. 2. They gave God all the praise of those things which were the matter of their king's rejoicing. (1.) That God had heard his prayers (Psa 21:2): Thou hast given him his heart's desire (and there is no prayer accepted but what is the heart's desire), the very thing they begged of God for him, Psa 20:4. Note, God's gracious returns of prayer do, in a special manner, require our humble returns of praise. When God gives to Christ the heathen for his inheritance, gives him to see his seed, and accepts his intercession for all believers, he give him his heart's desire. (2.) That God had surprised him with favours, and much outdone his expectations (Psa 21:3): Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness. All our blessings are blessings of goodness, and are owing, not at all to any merit of ours, but purely and only to God's goodness. But the psalmist here reckons it in a special manner obliging that these blessings were given in a preventing way; this fixed his eye, enlarged his soul, and endeared his God, as one expresses it. 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 us with them. Nothing indeed prevented Christ, but to mankind never was any favour more preventing than our redemption by Christ and all the blessed fruits of his mediation. (3.) That God had advanced him to the highest honour and the most extensive power: "Thou hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head and kept it there, when his enemies attempted to throw it off." Note, Crowns are at God's disposal; no head wears them but God sets them there, whether in judgment to his land or for mercy the event will show. On the head of Christ God never set a crown of gold, but of thorns first, and then of glory. (4.) That God had assured him of the perpetuity of his kingdom, and therein had done more for him than he was able either to ask or think (Psa 21:4): "When he went forth upon a perilous expedition he asked his life of thee, which he then put into his hand, and thou not only gavest him that, but withal gavest him length of days for ever and ever, didst not only prolong his life far beyond his expectation, but didst assure him of a blessed immortality in a future state and of the continuance of his kingdom in the Messiah that should come of his loins." See how God's grants often exceed our petitions and hopes, and infer thence how rich he is in mercy to those that call upon him. See also and rejoice in the length of the days of Christ's kingdom. He was dead, indeed, that we might live through him; but he is alive, and lives for evermore, and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; and because he thus lives we shall thus live also. (5.) That God had advanced him to the highest honour and dignity (Psa 21:5): "His glory is great, far transcending that of all the neighbouring princes, in the salvation thou hast wrought for him and by him." The glory which every good man is ambitious of is to see the salvation of the Lord. Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him, as a burden which he must bear, as a charge which he must account for. Jesus Christ received from God the Father honour and glory (Pe2 1:17), the glory which he had with him before the worlds were, Joh 17:5. And on him is laid the charge of universal government and to him all power in heaven and earth is committed. (6.) That God had given him the satisfaction of being the channel of all bliss to mankind (Psa 21:6): "Thou hast set him to be blessings for ever" (so the margin reads it), "thou hast made him to be a universal blessing to the world, in whom the families of the earth are, and shall be blessed; and so thou hast made him exceedingly glad with the countenance thou hast given to his undertaking and to him in the prosecution of it." See how the spirit of prophecy gradually rises here to that which is peculiar to Christ, for none besides is blessed for ever, much less a blessing for ever to that eminency that the expression denotes: and of him it is said that God made him full of joy with his countenance.
In singing this we should rejoice in his joy and triumph in his exaltation.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Friends of David also delivered this psalm, as if he were now pleased for the salvation that was born from his seed for the world; this was a glorious crown for him, and length of days and glory and magnificence, and delight and joy and hope and unshakeable grace.
I think that these words had been prophesied by those who had spoken long before David. Since David had learned from the lofty oracles that those words were looking not only at the strength of his own salvation but also that which was going to come forth from his seed, concerning which he said he would rejoice and praise with enthusiasm. Having been assured of those things and the enemies having been thoroughly subjugated with mighty power, to you, God, the author of the victory, he grants the prize of his victory. And he rejoices and praises as he is snatched from the snares of the enemies, nor does he rejoice so much in his own deliverance as in that salvation sent from you. As he seeks your deliverance with lofty vows from his own lips, he will entreat you often for the advent of his deliverance; his prayer frequently uttered, he never fails in hope, nor will his request be in vain.
"O Lord, the King shall rejoice in Your strength" [Psalm 21:1]. O Lord, in Your strength, whereby the Word was made flesh, the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. "And shall exult exceedingly in Your salvation." And in that, whereby Thou quickenest all things, shall exult exceedingly.
Our belief that there are two natures in Christ the Lord, one divine and one human, is a matter of salvation. These two natures endure without change in one person for ever. This statement of faith bears frequent repetition, because, when it is frequently heard and believed, it brings life. In the initial narrative of this psalm, the words of the prophet are directed toward God the Father concerning the Lord’s incarnation. The second part describes his diverse virtues and glory, describing his life from the point at which he suffered until he attained the height and peak of all things by the Father’s gracious gift. In the third, the same prophet turns to the Lord Christ, and here in the manner of those who make wishes, he asks that what he knows is to come will be done at the judgment.
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Summary
Psalm 21:1 opens with a triumphant declaration of King David's profound and unbridled joy, which is rooted not in his own regal authority or military might, but exclusively in the divine strength and saving power of the LORD. This verse functions as a foundational statement within a psalm of thanksgiving, likely composed in the aftermath of a significant victory or deliverance, affirming that the ultimate source of royal success and personal exultation is God's active intervention and unwavering faithfulness. It sets a tone of humble dependence and overflowing gratitude, highlighting the king's deep spiritual insight into the true wellspring of his kingdom's prosperity and his own profound delight.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 21 stands in profound literary dialogue with Psalm 20, forming a pair that vividly illustrates the arc of prayer and answered petition. Whereas Psalm 20 is a fervent intercessory prayer offered before a battle or a period of national crisis, seeking God's favor and victory for the king, Psalm 21 is a jubilant psalm of thanksgiving and praise, offered after the divine intervention has occurred and the requested salvation has been graciously granted. This sequential relationship underscores God's faithfulness in responding to the prayers of His people and their anointed leader. The superscription, "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David," not only attributes the psalm's authorship to King David but also indicates its liturgical purpose, signifying its intent for public worship and musical performance under the direction of the temple choirmaster. This suggests it was a communal expression of gratitude, not merely a private royal reflection.
Historical & Cultural Context
Composed by King David, this psalm provides a window into the life and reign of an anointed monarch in ancient Israel. In the broader ancient Near East, kings frequently boasted of their own inherent strength, strategic brilliance, and military prowess, attributing victories to their personal might or the power of their national deities. However, David, as Israel's divinely chosen king, consistently distinguished himself by acknowledging Yahweh as the ultimate source of his authority, protection, and triumphs. This verse, therefore, operates within a cultural framework where kingship was divinely ordained, yet it powerfully subverts typical human-centric boasts by placing all glory and credit squarely on God. The "salvation" referenced likely pertains to specific military victories or deliverances from formidable enemies, which were absolutely crucial for the stability and survival of the kingdom of Israel in a volatile geopolitical landscape.
Key Themes
Psalm 21:1 introduces and encapsulates several foundational themes that resonate throughout the Psalms and the broader biblical narrative. Central among these is the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Dependence, emphasizing that the earthly king's success and well-being are entirely contingent upon God's power and direct intervention, rather than human strength, military might, or strategic brilliance. This profound recognition fosters a spirit of Gratitude and Exuberant Praise, as the king's joy is not merely a quiet contentment but an overflowing, demonstrative delight in God's saving acts, a theme echoed in the call to "rejoice in the Lord always" found in Philippians 4:4. Furthermore, the theme of God as the Sole Source of Salvation is paramount, underscoring that true deliverance, victory, and prosperity come exclusively from the LORD. This concept of God as the ultimate deliverer is a recurring motif, evident from the grand narrative of the Exodus from Egypt to countless personal deliverances throughout Israel's history, and ultimately foreshadows the comprehensive salvation offered in Christ, as highlighted in passages like Isaiah 12:2.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word signifies a deep, exuberant, and often demonstrative gladness, frequently expressed through vivid physical actions like spinning around, leaping, or shouting. It is not a quiet or reserved contentment but an overflowing, ecstatic delight that bubbles up from within, a powerful emotional response to God's goodness and power. In the context of divine deliverance, it reflects an uncontainable and publicly expressed joy.
This term refers to God's inherent might, power, and absolute ability to act decisively. It denotes not merely human fortitude or military might, but the divine, supernatural, and unassailable power of the Almighty. David's joy is profoundly rooted in the recognition that God's strength is absolute and unfailing, providing an unshakeable foundation for the king's security and success, as echoed in Psalm 18:1.
This rich and multifaceted term encompasses deliverance, victory, welfare, prosperity, and rescue. It denotes God's active intervention to save, protect, and bring well-being in various forms. Significantly, this is the same linguistic root from which the name "Jesus" (Yeshua) is derived, connecting the Old Testament concept of divine rescue from peril to the ultimate, comprehensive salvation found in the Messiah. Here, it refers to God's specific acts of deliverance for the king and his people from their adversaries.
Verse Breakdown
"¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David."
This superscription provides essential metadata regarding the psalm's origin and purpose. It attributes authorship to David, designates its genre as a "Psalm" (a sacred song or poem), and indicates its intended use in public worship, under the direction of the "chief Musician" or choirmaster, suggesting a musical and congregational context for its performance and reception.
"The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD;"
This clause immediately establishes the singular source of the king's profound joy: not his own power, accomplishments, or the might of his army, but exclusively the strength of the LORD. The direct address "O LORD" (Yahweh, God's covenant name) emphasizes a deeply personal and relational connection. The "king" here is David, representing the anointed ruler whose well-being, security, and success are entirely dependent on God's divine might. His joy is a direct and overflowing response to experiencing God's enabling and sustaining power.
"and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!"
This second clause functions as a powerful parallel to the first, reinforcing and intensifying the central message through synonymous parallelism. The king's "great" rejoicing is specifically in God's "salvation" – His concrete acts of deliverance, victory, and preservation. The adverbial phrase "how greatly" conveys an overflowing, boundless, and almost inexpressible delight, indicating that the salvation received was profound, comprehensive, and deeply impactful, eliciting an extraordinary and demonstrative response of gratitude and praise.
Literary Devices
Psalm 21:1 masterfully employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey its message of profound joy and divine dependence. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically Synonymous Parallelism, where the second line reiterates and amplifies the thought of the first. "The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD" is beautifully mirrored by "and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!", with "strength" and "salvation" serving as parallel concepts of divine attributes and "joy" and "rejoice" as synonymous verbs, intensifying the expression of delight. Apostrophe is clearly present in the direct address "O LORD," which creates a sense of intimacy and direct communication with God, drawing the listener into the king's personal relationship with the divine. The phrase "how greatly shall he rejoice!" functions as a form of Hyperbole, emphasizing the immense, overflowing, and almost immeasurable nature of the king's joy, suggesting it is beyond ordinary human measure. Finally, the concepts of "strength" and "salvation" can be seen as Metonymy or Symbolism, standing not just for abstract ideas but for God's active, powerful, and delivering presence and intervention in the king's life.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalm 21:1 profoundly articulates a core biblical truth: the ultimate source of human joy, security, and success lies not in self-reliance, worldly power, or personal accomplishment, but exclusively in the strength and saving acts of God. This principle transcends the specific historical context of an ancient king, establishing a universal theological paradigm for all believers across all generations. It teaches that true and lasting rejoicing stems from a humble recognition of God's absolute sovereignty, His active and providential involvement in human affairs, and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people. When we acknowledge God as our strength and the sole source of our salvation, our joy becomes rooted in an immutable and eternal reality, rather than the fleeting and often unpredictable circumstances of life. This psalm invites us to cultivate a posture of humble dependence, profound gratitude, and exuberant praise, understanding that every deliverance, every provision, and every triumph is a direct testament to His mighty hand and boundless grace.
Reflection and Application
Psalm 21:1 offers a timeless and transformative invitation to reorient the very source of our deepest joy and confidence. In a world that persistently encourages self-sufficiency, the pursuit of happiness through personal achievement, or the accumulation of material gain, this verse powerfully reminds us that our most profound, enduring, and authentic delight is to be found solely in God's majestic character, His omnipotent power, and His redemptive work on our behalf. When we face our own "battles" – whether they manifest as spiritual struggles against sin, overwhelming personal challenges, or external pressures and anxieties – our first and most vital inclination should not be to rely on our limited strength or finite resources, but to turn in humble dependence to the unfailing strength of the LORD. This verse calls us to cultivate a heart of intense and demonstrative gratitude for every instance of God's "salvation" in our lives, recognizing His sovereign hand in our deliverance from sin, our healing from sickness, our miraculous provision, and His unwavering guidance through life's most difficult circumstances. It encourages us to make our praise public, exuberant, and unreserved, reflecting the "greatness" of the joy that flows from truly knowing and experiencing the living God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "king" in this verse, and how does it apply to believers today?
In Psalm 21:1, "the king" refers specifically to King David, God's anointed ruler over Israel. His joy in God's strength and salvation highlights the unique relationship between God and His chosen leader, emphasizing that even a powerful monarch is utterly dependent on divine favor for success and well-being. For believers today, this concept applies in several profound ways. Firstly, we are called to pray for our leaders, that they too might acknowledge God as their ultimate strength and source of salvation, as exhorted in 1 Timothy 2:1-2. Secondly, in a spiritual and redemptive sense, every believer in Christ is part of a "royal priesthood" and a "holy nation," as described in 1 Peter 2:9. Therefore, the principles of humble dependence on God's strength and exuberant rejoicing in His salvation apply directly to our lives. Our victories, whether over sin, temptation, or life's myriad challenges, are ultimately His doing, and our joy should be found in Him alone, recognizing His sovereign hand in all things.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalm 21:1 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true and eternal King, the Son of David who reigns forever. While King David rejoiced in God's strength and salvation for specific earthly victories and deliverances, Christ, as the perfect King and Messiah, embodies and perfectly fulfills this psalm's declaration in a cosmic and redemptive sense. His entire life and ministry were characterized by absolute dependence on the Father's strength, culminating in the ultimate act of salvation on the cross and His triumphant resurrection from the dead. The "strength" of the LORD was perfectly displayed in Christ's power over sin, death, and the grave, as seen in passages like Colossians 2:15. Furthermore, Jesus Himself is the very embodiment of "salvation" (Yeshua), as proclaimed by the angel in Matthew 1:21 and definitively by Peter in Acts 4:12. The joy of the King in Psalm 21:1 foreshadows the profound joy of Christ, who, "for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame," as articulated in Hebrews 12:2. This ultimate salvation and strength, now fully realized in Christ, is the source of the deepest, most enduring joy available to all who believe in Him. Our salvation, our strength, and our deepest joy are found in Him, the King of kings, who perfectly exemplified dependence on God and brought about the ultimate, eternal deliverance for all humanity.