To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
Verse 1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! 2 Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
King David begins this Psalm with acknowledgement that the LORD has provided him with joy because the LORD has been the source of David’s strength, of David’s salvation both from his natural enemies and from spiritual enemies, and has answered David’s prayers and cries for help.
Application: Why did God give King David the desires of his heart? Because David’s desires were not selfish in nature. His desire was to survive the attacks of King Saul and of other enemies challenging his position as anointed king over Israel, to serve the LORD as both a warrior and as king, and to lead the people of Israel in righteousness. He was the shepherd king. Did King David make mistakes along the way? Yep. But when he did, he sought the LORD in repentance and desired forgiveness and restoration in his relationship with the LORD, and because he was sincere, God granted him forgiveness and continued to be with him in everything that transpired during his lengthy reign as king of the nation Israel.
Verse 3-4 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
The Hebrew word translated as “preventest” is “qadam” and it means to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before, or to lead. The LORD was always going before King David in physical battle, in decision making, in his personal life, and in every aspect of David’s life. King David followed the LORD because the LORD was in front of him, making a way and leading him on the path he was supposed to go down. The LORD made David king, saved his life multiple times when in danger from others, and gave him a reign over Israel that was about 50 years in length.
Application: The LORD never changes, and just as He went before King David and led Him through his earthly life, so He goes before all of His children today and leads them through this earthly life. In every trial and tribulation a child of God encounters, the LORD has already been there first. There is nothing that will come against a Christian believer that the LORD doesn’t already know about and have a plan for. He goes before His people and leads them through the wilderness of this life just as He led the Hebrew children from Egypt to Palestine and as He led King David during his reign as king of Israel.
Verses 5-6 His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. 6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
King David was/is one of Israel’s most beloved kings and he is referenced today by both Jews and Christians. So in a way, he is a source of blessing for ever to those who read about his life and who read his Psalms. David states that he as king was very glad of the presence of the LORD, the word ‘countenance’ meaning presence.
Application: These verses are prophetic of Jesus Christ. He has great glory and His name means ‘Jehovah is salvation’. He deserves honor and majesty and He is a blessing to all who follow Him in faith. Although He suffered and died a terribly torturous death at the hand of His enemies, the Jews (“Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men.” 1 Thessalonians 2:15), He was glad to do so because He knew that His death would provide a way for people to be saved from sin, death, and Hell.
Verse 7 For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
King David trusted the LORD and believed by faith that he would not be overcome by enemies, foreign or domestic. The Hebrew word translated as “trusteth” is “batach” and it means to trust, to have confidence, to be secure, and to feel safe. The ‘eth’ ending in the King James Bible means that the action is ongoing. So King David continually trusted in the LORD, not just when things were difficult in his life, but every minute of every day. The Hebrew word translated as “mercy” is “checed” and it means goodness, kindness, and faithfulness. The Hebrew word translated as “most High” is “elyown” and it means high, upper, exalted above monarchs, and is another name of God. The Hebrew word translated as “moved” is “mowt” and it means to totter, shake, slip, or to be overthrown.
Application: Every converted Christian believer has the same LORD as King David and He never changes. He is still God who shows mercy to His people each and every day and who leads His people so that they will not be moved. He can be trusted. He is the most High God.
Verses 8-9 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. 9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
King David states here that the LORD shall destroy His enemies and so David knows that his enemies will be destroyed also as those who hated him and rebelled against him were also enemies of the LORD and were rebelling against His anointed servant and king.
Application: Here again is prophetic Scripture regarding the LORD Jesus Christ. When here on Earth the first time Jesus came as a servant even though He was LORD. But King David is prophesying His second coming when He will judge and condemn all of His enemies and therefore the enemies of His children, the Israel of God which is made up of both the New Covenant Church and the Old Covenant saints. Right hand refers to power and authority. Only Jesus Christ is qualified to judge because as man or flesh He kept His Law and was the only man to do so. As God, He is the potter (Creator) and has the right, the power, and the authority to break the pots (sinful and rebellious mankind) into pieces according to His righteous judgment. The fire is the Lake of Fire that burns forever and from which there is no escape for all eternity. The “time of thine anger” is the specific time that Jesus Christ returns to this Earth bringing judgement and gathering His saints to be with Him. It is the Last Day as time will be no more.
Verses 10-12 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. 11 For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform. 12 Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
Here King David is seeing and prophesying about what will happen to the wicked, to the work of their hands or their fruit, and to their children or dynasty of evil family members. Everything will be judged that the wicked did, are doing, and will do from Cain who killed his brother Abel to current times in which wicked people, at the behest of Satan, are attempting to usurp God Almighty and have a one world system in which they rule.
Application: Prophetically, when Jesus Christ returns to this Earth the second and last time, He will cleanse it by fire and destroy all the wicked along with all their gathered material riches and all their schemes. The righteous on the Earth at this time will be gathered unto Him in the air and shall not be touched by His wrath. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7 Perhaps this Earth will become part of the Lake of Fire. Just a thought.
Verse 13 Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power. (Psalm 21)
King David closes this Psalm with a praise. Why? Because God inhabits the praises of His people and David knew this very well. So he states that “we will” sing and praise the power of the LORD God Almighty.