FRAMEWORKS:
Psa 21
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for meditation. To focus each verse we have also added a subheading
summary as a description of what is happening)
FRAMEWORKS:
Psalm 21
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
[Preliminary
Comments: This psalm is complementary to the previous
one. Again a psalm to be sung in two main parts. The first [v.1-6]
is prayer to the Lord, the second [v.8-12] are declarations to
the King, David. At the end of each part is a summary verse, first
David can be utterly confident in God's love for him [v.7], second
that for all this the Lord is worthy of our praise.]
v.1-6
Sung Prayer: talking directly to the Lord [the
‘You' is the Lord]
v.1
David rejoices because you Lord have given him strength &
victories
v.1
The
king rejoices in your strength, Lord
.
How great is his joy in the victories
you give!
v.2.
You have blessed him with answers to the requests of his heart
v.2
You have granted him his heart's desire
and have not withheld the request of
his lips.
v.3
You are the One who has blessed him and made him king
v.3
You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his
head.
v.4
You spared his life when he cried to you, eternal life
v.4
He
asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.
v.5
David has been exalted because of the triumphs you gave him
v.5
Through
the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on
him splendor and majesty.
v.6
His supreme blessing is the joy he has being in your prersence
v.6
Surely
you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your
presence.
v.7
The Consequence: the king can trust the Lord
v.7
This is all summed up by, you bless him because he trusts you
v.7
For
the king trusts in the Lord
;
through the unfailing love of the Most
High
he will not be shaken.
v.8-12
Sung Assurances sung to the king [the
‘you' is the king]
v.8
In the light of the earlier truths, David will triumph over all
his enemies
v.8
Your
hand
will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will
seize your foes.
v.9
When he goes into battle the Lord will bring down all his enemies
v.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.
v.10
Their destruction will be complete and they will not come back
at you
v.10
You will destroy their descendants from the
earth,
their posterity from mankind.
v.11
They may plot & scheme against you but are doomed to failure
v.11
Though
they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot
succeed.
v.12
They will turn and flee from your might
v.12
You will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them
with drawn bow.
v.13
The Consequence: Praise to God
v.13
With all this in mind, we sing praises to the Lord who is exalted
v.13
Be
exalted in your strength, Lord
;
we will sing and praise your might.
[Additional Thoughts:
The two ‘directions' of this psalm – v.1-6 to God, v.8-12
to David – distinguish between prayer and testimony. Having said
that, the prayers of v.1-6 also testify to what the Lord HAS done
for David and as such are also forms of praise. Thus in those first
six verses we have prayer, testimony and praise all wrapped up in
one and together they go to form the foundation of the assurances
that come in verses 8 to 12. When we pray, building in testimony
and praise
into our prayers, it releases faith which builds assurance for us.]
Continue
to Psa 22