Psalm 21

1 O Lord, the king shall rejoice in thy strength; and in thy salvation he shall greatly exult.

2 Thou hast granted him the desire of his soul, and hast not withheld from him the request of his lips. Pause.

3 For thou hast prevented him with blessings of goodness: thou has set upon his head a crown of precious stone.

4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him length of days for ever and ever.

5 His glory is great in thy salvation: thou wilt crown him with glory and majesty.

6 For thou wilt give him a blessing for ever and ever: thou wilt gladden him with joy with thy countenance.

7 For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Highest he shall not be moved.

8 Let thy hand be found by all thine enemies: let thy right hand find all that hate thee.

9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven at the time of thy presence: the Lord shall trouble them in his anger, and fire shall devour them.

10 Thou shalt destroy their fruit from the earth, and their seed from among the sons of men.

11 For they intended evils against thee; they imagined a device which they shall by no means be able to perform.

12 For thou shalt make them turn their back in thy latter end, thou wilt prepare their face.

13 Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thy strength: we will sing and praise thy mighty acts.

Psalm 21 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm was either written by David; and therefore called a "psalm of David"; or it was written, as it may be rendered, "for David," by some other person, on account of his victories and triumphs; or rather "concerning David" {s}; that is, concerning the Messiah, the son of David, as Kimchi says some expound it; or concerning the Messiah, who is called David, Ezekiel 37:24; and Jarchi observes, that their Rabbins interpret it of the Messiah; but, says he, it is right to explain it, moreover, of David himself, for an answer to the heretics (Christians) who err in it; and various passages in this psalm are by the Jewish writers understood of the Messiah; as "the King," in Psalm 20:1 is in the Targum called the King Messiah; Psalm 21:4 is in the Talmud applied {t} to him; Psalm 21:3 are in Zohar {u}, and in the Midrashes {w}, interpreted of him; and many Christian writers understand the whole of him; which is right: though Theodoret thinks it was penned on the account of the health of King Hezekiah, and his restoration from his disease; which is not likely.

{s} dwdl "pro Davide, vel de Davide," Vatablus. {t} T. Bab. Succah, fol. 52. 1. Vid. Nachman. disput. "cum fratre Paulo," p. 36. Ed. Wagenseil. {u} In Numb. fol. 68. 3. 4. {w} Midrash Tillim apud Viccars. in loc. & in Galatin. l. 3. c. 9. Bemidbar Rabba, fol. 212. 4. & 218. 1.