Psalms 21

13 verses

TL;DR

Psalm 21 celebrates the king’s joy and divine blessing, depicting God’s protection and the defeat of enemies while affirming faith in His sovereignty.

Summary

Psalm 21 opens with the king’s jubilant acknowledgment of God’s strength and salvation. The psalmist declares that God has fulfilled the king’s heart’s desire and placed a crown of pure gold upon his head, symbolizing honor and divine favor. God’s providence extends to granting everlasting life, securing the king’s glory in salvation. Trusting in the LORD, the king remains unshaken, as God’s right hand delivers defeat upon enemies, likening them to a fiery oven. The psalm concludes with a call to exalt God’s strength, leading the people to sing and praise His power.

Outline

Joy and divine blessing of the king
God’s protection and defeat of enemies
Exaltation and communal praise

Themes

faith in divine protectionroyal covenant blessingvictory over adversaries

Keywords

kingsalvationcrownenemiesfirestrengthjoytrust

People

King (implicitly David)LORD/Most High

Places

Things

crown of pure goldlength of days (eternal life)fire and arrowsdivine salvation

Key Verses

Psalms 21:1: Sets the tone of jubilation and acknowledges God’s strength.
Psalms 21:4: Affirms God’s gift of everlasting life.
Psalms 21:9: Illustrates the dramatic defeat of enemies.
Psalms 21:13: Calls for praise and exaltation of God’s power.

Questions

How does Psalm 21 portray the relationship between divine favor and earthly leadership?
In what ways does the imagery of fire and arrows enhance the theme of divine judgment?
What does the psalmist mean by saying the king’s heart’s desire is fulfilled?
How might this Psalm speak to modern believers about trust in God’s protection?

Sentiment

positive
Celebratory, triumphant tone of divine blessing and victory.