Thank you for joining me in this reflection on Psalm 21. I try each week to write a reflection on a psalm following the reading plan in the Seeing Jesus Together Journal, which is a resource that we use as a church to foster discipleship and Bible reading. Every day, we reflect on a portion of Scripture taken from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and on Saturdays we spend time in the Psalms. If you want to find out more or follow the reading plan through the week, then please click here.
God is the faithful rock on which we can build our lives. He is the one on whom we can depend even as all other things are shaking and faltering. Each Christian experiences the power and faithfulness of God in salvation and we have the privilege to see Him at work every day of our lives as He continues to sanctify us and make us holy.
But God doesn’t just save us from our sin - as great as that is - He also continues to provide and care for His people. The Psalms are full of examples of deep, heart-felt prayers to God to provide as well as songs of praise when God has shown His faithfulness to His people.
Psalm 21 forms the second part of a two-psalm structure with Psalm 20. In Psalm 20, as we saw last week, David cries out to God to save him, full of confidence in the power and grace of God to save His people. Psalm 21 is in response to the saving work of God in rescuing David. It’s split into two parts, with the first focusing on the past, saving work of the Lord and the second focusing on the future, saving work of the Lord.
David recounts how God has saved Him and provided for him. He recalls the goodness of God in his life. He sees that God has given him his heart's desire and fulfilled all his plans.1 God has given him rich blessings and strengthened his kingdom.2 God has gifted him life.3 Through the saving work of God, David has been lifted up and given glory, splendour, and majesty.4 In the presence of His God, David has been blessed and is glad.5
David is taking stock of all of the ways that he has been blessed and he can see that God has been consistently and superabundantly good to him. In looking back, David is strengthened, ready to go forward through the plans the Lord has for him. Because of God’s past faithfulness, David can say that, “The king trusts in the Lord and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.”6
How has God been good to you? He saved you from the judgement due to you for your sin! You have seen His goodness through your salvation. Where else have you seen God’s faithful provision and care? Have you seen God provide abundantly in your finances or your friendships? Have you seen God break in with power into your life and deal with sin? Have you seen relationships restored by the grace of the gospel? We can trust Him! We can rely on Him. He has provided for you and protected you at every step. We can trust that His steadfast love always has hold of us. Take a moment to look back and see His goodness! Before you read any further, stop and take a minute just to think with joy on the goodness of God in your life.
By looking backwards, we can also trust going forwards, confident in the power of our God to protect us, to love, and to provide for us. David does this in the second half of the psalm. He declares the powerful faithfulness of God to protect His people by destroying their enemies.7 David declares upon his enemies the righteous wrath of God.8 He speaks over his enemies that they will have no lasting impact on the Earth, but they will be cut off.9
God, in His powerful faithfulness, will not see His enemies prevail against His people. Although they may have well-detailed plans, or even if they work together against His chosen people, they will not succeed because the most powerful, most faithful God is working against them. Who then is the people of God? The Church throughout all ages and in all places! Despite the innumerable persecutions and enemies, the Church has never been destroyed because she is protected by her Lord.
We can then join in praise with David, knowing that God is faithful and powerful to deliver His people, His Church. Even though it might look like the Church is embattled on every side, God is powerful and faithful to triumph. Even though the Church is persecuted throughout the world, God is powerful and faithful to win. Our story is not one of defeat but one of victory. The story of the Church is the story of the faithful God who will never stop fighting for her, dealing with her sin, and rescuing her from her enemies.
So God deals with and not only conquers our sin and defends and provides for individual believers but also His Body and His Bride, He will protect His people so that they might be a radiant and beautiful example of His love, His power, and His faithfulness throughout all ages. It is then in praise of our mighty God that we can sing with David: “Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power!”10 It is not our power to save ourselves or provide for ourselves but Him at work. All praise be to Him!
Almighty God,
We come to You as our provider and salvation. We have seen Your faithfulness in the past and we trust You as we go into the future. Remind us of Your faithfulness and steadfast love so that You may be exalted over all names and may You be glorified in all places through the name of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
Psalm 21:2
Pslam 21:3
Psalm 21:4
Psalm 21:5
Psalm 21:6
Psalm 21:7
Psalm 21:8
Psalm 21:9
Psalm 21:10
Psalm 21:13