Psalm 21
1 The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!
2 You have granted him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.
5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.
8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
9 When you appear for battle,
you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and his fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.
11 Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.
13 Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
we will sing and praise your might.
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What struck me in this psalm was the first line, the statement that the king rejoices in the strength of the Lord. The king finds joy in the Lord’s strength and in the results of that strength, His victory.
The first part of the psalm (1-7) is addressed to God. The assembly is praising God for His goodness to the king. Then verses 8-12 speak to the king of the confidence that he can have in the face of his enemies because of the Lord’s strength. Tying both together we have a powerful song of joy and trust in the Lord in the face of struggles and trials.
What does this mean for me today? It is a call to rejoice in the Lord’s strength, even though there are still enemies around. The Lord’s victory will sustain and go with me in whatever “battles” lie ahead. Spiritual warfare is a serious matter. The enemy is real and dangerous. And yet we rejoice. We sing praise, because although we may still be in a battle, the ultimate victory is assured because it depends on the Lord’s strength.
This is pertinent and relevant in these days of pandemic. We face struggles and challenges each day in living with the changes. Our world faces not only the virus, but all the economic, emotional, social, and cultural fallout as well. But our God is stronger. Through it all He is at work, and this gives us joy in the middle of the hard times.
So I pray for the joy and faith in the struggles that I face, that I may rejoice in the Lord’s strength, and trust in His presence in ever struggle.
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