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Psalms 21:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Thanksgiving for prayer answered.

Close connection between this and the previous psalm—that a prayer for the king; this a thanksgiving that the prayer has been answered. The people speak to God (); then () they speak to the king; then in they speak again to God. The occasion of the psalm has been disputed. Some think it is a birthday ode; some, a coronation hymn; and others, a thanksgiving for victory in battle. Let us take it first—

I. AS A BIRTHDAY ODE. "He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever."

1. This notwithstanding his sin. Which was thought in the Hebrew mind to forfeit length of days. His long life, therefore, was a special act of God' s salvation (, , ).

2. His long life had been made a prosperous one. (.) His heart' s desire had been granted him. How few can say this of a long life! How few feel that they have grasped the greatest good in life!

II. A CORONATION HYMN. (, .) "Thou forestallest, or surprisest him with choicest blessings; thou settest a crown of gold upon his head." "Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him."

1. This highest earthly honour was to represent God. He was God' s vicegerent to the nation. The Lord' s anointed, who stood on earth for God in heaven; the image of the invisible King. This ought to be the idea still of all the highest earthly offices—king, statesman, teacher.

2. But the grandest crown is that of supreme moral influence. That is Christ' s crown; he is King of men, not by physical force, but by spiritual power. And this is our brightest crown when we can influence men supremely for their good.

III. THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY IN BATTLE. (.) This may be the bearing of the whole strain of the psalm. Then from his previous victories it is prophesied in the eighth and following verses that he shall gain the victory in all future battles.

1. Trust in God is the source of all our strength in our conflicts. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith—not a passive, but an active faith.

2. Former victories show us that we can, if we will, conquer in all future conflicts. By taking unto us "the whole armour of God."—S.

Psalms 20

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Psalms 22

Psalms 21 - psalms-21 - worlddic.com

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Matthew Henry on Psalms 21:1-6Psalms 21:1-6 · Matthew Henry Concise CommentaryHappy the people whose king makes God's strength his confidence, and God's salvation his joy; who is pleased with all the advancements of God kingdom, and trusts God to support him in all he does for the service of it.…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13Psalms 21:1-13 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION Psalms 21:1-13 is generally regarded as a companion composition to Psalms 20:1-9, being the thanksgiving after the victory for which the preceding psalm was the supplication. It consists of three parts:The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1Psalms 21:1 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe king shall joy. The future is used to give the idea of continuance, "The king rejoices, and will go on rejoicing." In thy strength, O Lord; i.e. in the strength that thou puttest forth to help and protect him (comp.…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13Psalms 21:1-13 · The Pulpit CommentaryA royal thanksgiving for answers to prayer. (For a day of national thanksgiving.) We fail to see, in the structure of this psalm, sufficient indications of its being the counterpart of the preceding one, to lead us to c…The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13Psalms 21:1-13 · The Pulpit CommentaryLet the children of Zion be joyful in their King. This psalm concerns the king. But the question is which king? It may have been David. There is much that might apply to him. Perhaps on his recovery from some sickness,…
commentaryMatthew Henry on Psalms 21:1-6Happy the people whose king makes God's strength his confidence, and God's salvation his joy; who is pleased with all the advancements of God kingdom, and trusts God to support him in all he does for the service of it.…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13EXPOSITION Psalms 21:1-13 is generally regarded as a companion composition to Psalms 20:1-9, being the thanksgiving after the victory for which the preceding psalm was the supplication. It consists of three parts:Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1The king shall joy. The future is used to give the idea of continuance, "The king rejoices, and will go on rejoicing." In thy strength, O Lord; i.e. in the strength that thou puttest forth to help and protect him (comp.…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13A royal thanksgiving for answers to prayer. (For a day of national thanksgiving.) We fail to see, in the structure of this psalm, sufficient indications of its being the counterpart of the preceding one, to lead us to c…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:1-13Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. This psalm concerns the king. But the question is which king? It may have been David. There is much that might apply to him. Perhaps on his recovery from some sickness,…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:2The triumph of victory. "Thou hast given him his heart' s desire." We seem to hear in this psalm the trumpets and harps and shawms of the temple, and jubilant voices of Levites praising God for some great victory. Joy-b…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:2Thou hast given him his heart' s desire (comp. Psalms 20:4, "Grant thee according to thine own heart"). And hast not withholden the request of his lips. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." The delive…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 21:3For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness; i.e. thou givest him blessings before he asks, and more than he asks.. "The blessings of goodness" is pleonastic, since a blessing cannot be otherwise than a good.…Joseph S. Exell and contributors