Psalms 21:1-7

1 To victory, the psalm of David. Lord, the king shall be glad in thy virtue; and he shall full out have joy greatly on thine health. (To victory, the song of David. Lord, the king shall be glad for thy strength, or thy might; and he shall have great joy in thy victory.)

2 Thou hast given to him the desire of his heart; and thou hast not defrauded him of the will of his lips. (Thou hast given him his heart's desire; and thou hast not denied him what he asked for with his lips.)

3 For thou hast before come him in the blessings of sweetness; thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stone. (For thou hast come before him with the blessings of goodness; thou hast set upon his head a crown of pure gold.)

4 He asked of thee life, and thou gavest it to him; the length of days into the world, and into the world of world. (He asked for life from thee, and thou gavest it to him; yea, length of days forever and ever.)

5 His glory is great in thine health; thou shalt put glory, and great fairness, on him. (His glory is great because of thy help/Thy salvation hath brought him great glory; thou shalt put honour, and majesty, upon him.)

6 For thou shalt give him into blessing into the world of world; thou shalt make him glad in joy with thy cheer. (For thou shalt make him blessed forever and ever; thou shalt make him glad with joy before thee.)

7 For the king hopeth in the Lord; and in the mercy of the highest he shall not be moved. (For the king trusteth in the Lord; and by the love of the Most High, he shall not be moved, or shaken.)

Psalms 21:1-7 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.