Psalms 21:11

For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, [which] they are not able [to perform].

For they intended {H5186} evil {H7451} against thee: they imagined {H2803} a mischievous device {H4209}, which they are not able {H3201} to perform.

for they intended evil against you; but despite their scheme, they won't succeed.

Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.

For they intended evil against thee; They conceived a device which they are not able to perform.

Commentary

Psalms 21:11 KJV declares the ultimate futility of wicked intentions against God's anointed. This verse highlights the contrast between the malicious schemes of enemies and the unshakeable power of God, who ensures their plans will never come to fruition. It serves as a powerful declaration of divine protection and sovereignty over human evil.

Context

Psalm 21 is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise, celebrating the Lord's deliverance and blessing upon the king. Following the king's victory (likely King David, or prophetically, the Messiah), the psalm extols God's strength and salvation. Verse 11 specifically addresses the defeated enemies, explaining why their schemes failed. It underscores that the king's triumph is not due to his own might alone, but to God's steadfast love and divine intervention, which consistently frustrates the designs of the wicked.

Key Themes

  • The Futility of Evil Intentions: This verse profoundly illustrates that no matter how meticulously evil plans are conceived, they are doomed to fail when they stand against God's will. Human malice and wicked devices are ultimately powerless before divine sovereignty.
  • God's Sovereign Protection: The verse implicitly assures the righteous and God's anointed of divine protection. Even when facing dire threats and elaborate plots, the believer can rest in the knowledge that God is their shield and defender, capable of thwarting any adversary.
  • Divine Justice and Judgment: While not explicitly stated as judgment, the inability of the enemies to perform their evil implies a divine hand of justice at work. God's intervention prevents harm to His people and ensures that wickedness does not prevail, setting the stage for their eventual downfall as described in subsequent verses of the psalm.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "imagined" (ื—ึธืฉึทืื‘ - chashav) can mean "to think," "to devise," or "to plot." It suggests a deliberate and calculated effort to cause harm. "Mischievous device" (ืžึฐื–ึดืžึธึผื” - mezimmah) refers to a wicked scheme, an evil plot, or a malicious design. The phrase "are not able to perform" (ืœึนื ื™ื•ึผื›ึธืœื•ึผ - lo yukhalu) carries a strong sense of inability or failure, emphasizing that their efforts are utterly ineffectual. This highlights God's absolute power to nullify any human or demonic plot that opposes His purposes, as seen in Proverbs 21:30: "There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD."

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalms 21:11 offers immense comfort and encouragement. It reminds us that even when we face opposition, slander, or schemes from those who wish us harm, our ultimate trust is in God. We are called to rely on God's divine protection, knowing that He has the power to dismantle any "mischievous device" formed against us. This verse fosters an attitude of confidence in God's sovereignty, encouraging us not to fear human threats but to continue living righteously, trusting that God will ultimately ensure the triumph of good over evil. It assures us that no weapon formed against those who walk with God will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 10:2

    The wicked in [his] pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

  • Psalms 2:1

    ยถ Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

  • Jeremiah 11:18

    ยถ And the LORD hath given me knowledge [of it], and I know [it]: then thou shewedst me their doings.

  • Jeremiah 11:19

    But I [was] like a lamb [or] an ox [that] is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

  • Matthew 2:16

    ยถ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

  • Isaiah 7:6

    Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, [even] the son of Tabeal:

  • Isaiah 7:7

    Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
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