Psalm 21: meaning of the sacred word
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Do you know the meaning of Psalm 21? This is one of the most known and powerful psalms. It is a Psalm of David, which says that a greater King – in Jesus Christ – exists and protects us. Check out the meaning of these verses from the holy scriptures in WeMystic interpretation.
Get to know Psalm 21
Before examining the meaning of this mighty psalm, we invite you to a reflective reading of the sacred words. Read below:
” 1 The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!2 You have granted him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, forever and ever.
5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
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.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.
11 Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.13 Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
we will sing and praise your might.”
Interpretation of Psalm 21
Psalm 21 can be divided into 4 instants, which facilitate interpretation in the Bible study:
- Declaration of the glory of God by the king (v. 1 and 2)
- Analysis of the blessing of God upon the king (v. 3 to 7)
- Expectation of the definitive destruction of all the enemies of the king (v. 8 to 12)
- Renewed commitment of the people to praise God (v.13)
Verses 1 and 2
Kings in ancient times used to rejoice over their power and strength. But king David was wise, and pleased the Almighty, for he knew that He alone could provide salvation. The salvation David meant was spiritual salvation.
God granted David the deliverance from all the pressure that a king suffered from being the ruler of everything and everyone, and this made him able to reign without embarrassment, without the pressure to be divine. The Lord grants his children the aspirations and glories when there is within them a will to honor His name, to respect and fear the divine order.
Verses 3 to 7
King David, in the words of Psalm 21, believes that everything he possesses is a gift from God: his crown, his goods, his reign, but mainly the gift of life. He stresses that this is the greatest gift God has given him, both life on earth and eternal life.
In return, for so many graces bestowed upon him, David trusts blindly in the Lord. He knows that he is putting his trust in something right, because he sees that God unloads his blessing on all his children who praise him with faith. David emphasizes that everyone, from the plebs to the nobility, carries within themselves the blessing of true royalty when we put our trust in God.
Verse 8 to 12
These verses of strong and intense words reinforce that all those who go against the word of God, disrespect also the king. The wicked who intend to do evil to the Lord will not pass away, for He will triumph, none will escape His wrath.
Verse 13
The final exclamation, unlike the last verses, returns to the tone of joy that begins this Psalm 21. The promise of victory tied to the worship of God marks the end of these words, giving faith and hope to the Christian people that if God is with you, he will never be alone and he has nothing to fear.
The words of this Psalm 21 reflect how we all need to seek the Lord. If even a king, who had all the facilities of being powerful and haughty by birth, was inclined to the power of God, we must do the same. Because only He is able to bring us salvation, eternal life and the answers we seek in this life.
The Psalm gives us the confidence that by following God, we need not fear anything. As long as we praise His name, God will act in our protection and lead us to the path of Heavens. There is no intent that will prosper against a person who does everything according to the will of the Lord. Even if people can do us wrong, the Lord will change our history with blessings, we only need to have faith and never doubt God.
You may also like:
- Psalm 1: biblical study and interpretation
- Psalm 23: ward off falsity and attract security
- Psalm 27: ward off fears, false friends and intruders
- Psalm 34: the praise of David to the mercy of God
- Ho’oponopono prayer: to forgive and be reconciled
- Powerful prayer to purify negative karma
