Psalm 21

For the king trusts in Yahweh, and through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken. Your right hand will find out all your enemies…their offspring You will destroy from the earth…Be exalted, O Yahweh, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power.

The first 7 verses of this 13 verse psalm focus on Yahweh and the king, the following 5 verses focus on Yahweh and those who hate Him, the final verse mirrors the opening verse with an acknowledgment of God’s strength and power.

Psalm 21 reminds us of Psalm 2 in that we see Yahweh, we see those who hate Yahweh and plot against Him, and we see Yahweh’s king, the One upon whom Yahweh bestows His blessings. The victory of Yahweh and His King over their enemies is also portrayed in both psalms. Also consider these words of the preceding psalm, “Now I know that Yahweh saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven…” 20:6.

The following psalm, Psalm 22, pictures God’s faithful One in the deepest depths when all appears lost and ends with affirmation of victory and praise. Psalm 23 follows with 6 verses that encapsulate our pilgrimage as no other piece of literature has ever done, and Psalm 24 trumpets a crescendo echoed from the Throne Room to earth and back again to the Throne Room. Do we see the ebb and flow of Psalms? Do we see Yahweh and His King? Do we see ourselves as those who follow the King, who are indeed joint-heirs with Him? Do we see the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the forces of the enemy? Do we see that life is not a group hug?

We can trust in the lovingkindness of the Most High, knowing that in Him we will not be shaken to the point of collapse; we can see the end from the beginning and we can trust in a secure and eternal future in our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. The promises to the king of Psalm 21 are promises that we inherit with the King (Romans 8:14ff) as joint-heirs with Him; and yes, we are indeed called to suffer with Him, but that is that we may be glorified together with Him (Romans 8:17). 

Take the time to read and mediate on Psalm 21, to compare it to Psalm 2, and to see the flow of Psalms 20 - 24.

Be exalted O Yahweh, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power, (21:13).