Morning Pages: Psalm 21
I had a hard time getting excited by this psalm initially. Unfortunately, some days are just like that. We can struggle reading the Bible for many reasons—it's intimidating, we don't understand it, we don't see how it applies, and it says hard things that make us uncomfortable. But we can also struggle because of weariness, distraction, waking up on the wrong side of the bed, or lack of time to ponder and pray over a text until it settles into our hearts and minds.
These psalm reflections make me slow down and wrestle with the text, whereas I might typically just read it, and if the passage doesn't immediately resonate, I close the Bible and move on about my day. For this reason alone, the process has been worthwhile—even when my comprehension or connection to the text is lacking.
Psalm 21, thought to be a continuance of Psalm 20, is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving for God's past deliverance (vs. 1-7), but it is also a psalm that is still expectantly waiting for God's future deliverance (vs. 8-12).
David begins,
Vs. 1-7 "O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults! You have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold upon his head. He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved."
In this section, the king (David) exalts the King (Yahweh) for his provision and protection. Eleven times David makes “you” statements either implicitly or explicitly:
…in your strength
…in your salvation
…you have given
…(you) have not withheld
…you meet him
…you set
…you gave
…through your salvation
…you bestow
…you make
…through (your) steadfast love
These types of passages are often my favorite because of how rhythmically they read—the resounding drum beat falling each time the word "you" or "your" is used. Go back and re-read verses 1-7 aloud, and each time you see "you" or "your," emphasize them and see how much that elevates your emotional engagement with the psalm and stirs your heart toward praise.
David fully comprehends that all is from the Lord; none is by his own hand. But David also seems to understand the value of cultivating gratitude and explicitly naming the ways Yahweh has blessed him. In these same seven verses, David praises Yahweh for the many ways he has been generous toward him:
—the Lord’s strength
—salvation
—given David his heart's desire
—has not withheld David’s requests (answered his prayers)
—provided him with rich blessing
—set a crown of gold on his head
—given him life and length of days
—given him glory
—bestowed splendor and majesty on him
—blessed him
—made him glad
—granted him His presence
—given him steadfast love
These are indeed rich blessings upon David. And from these verses, it would be easy to think that David's life was easy. But that would be untrue. David suffered immensely throughout his reign—military defeats, betrayals, his own sin, loss of children, and constant threat from his enemies. David's life was marked with suffering in all the same ways as ours. But, despite suffering, and maybe even because of suffering, David seems to understand the importance of regularly remembering and recounting God's faithfulness.
Cultivating gratitude is an essential spiritual discipline. Especially if it does not come naturally to you. I more naturally understand the language of lament. But if we don't regularly cultivate gratitude, godly lament can become woe-is-me or woe-is-we despair. My husband, on the other hand, is more naturally grateful and doesn't often make room for legitimate lament. But if we don't allow room for suffering and lament (whether our own or that of others), we can miss an opportunity to experience God's comfort and grow in empathy for others.
God invites us into intimate communion with him through both gratitude and lament. And in both gratitude and lament, the practice of naming is essential. Naming clarifies the joy or loss and makes it more concrete. Ultimately, gratitude and lament help spiritually and emotionally orient us in God's story of goodness and faithfulness.
David now shifts his focus toward the Lord's enemies and his expectant hope in God's future deliverance:
Vs. 8-12 "Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them. You will destroy their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from among the children of man. Though they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed. For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows."
In verses 8-12, David highlights the stark contrast between Yahweh's rich blessing on him versus the harsh consequences for those who hate the Lord. David says those that hate the Lord plan evil against him and devise mischief. The original language conveys their malicious acts in a much more offensive way. They plan evil against the Lord with intentionality and aforethought. They aren't your garden variety sinners. They genuinely hate the Lord. And in verse 8, David says the Lord’s hand will find them. They (and their deeds) will not escape the Lord’s wrath. He will bring them to account for their wicked schemes:
—He will make them a blazing oven.
—He will swallow them up in his wrath.
—Fire will consume them.
—He will wipe their descendants and offspring from the face of the earth.
—He will ensure their evil plans will not succeed forever.
—And, ultimately, they will flee before him.
All of which leads David to conclude this psalm with a declaration of praise,
Vs. 13 “Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.”
This psalm provides the perspective we need when faced with the atrocities of this broken world—shootings, wars, human trafficking, modern-day slavery, violence, and abuse. The wicked may prosper for a time, but they will not escape the Lord’s wrath. He is fully aware and in complete control. And, as his people, his steadfast love sets us securely in place. Therefore, though sin and brokenness surround us and threaten to overtake us, we shall not be moved.
A day is coming when we will see the enemy flee! And that alone is why we sing and praise God for his power.
Until next week.
Love,
CC
Psalm 21 by Poor Bishop Hooper: