Psalm 21
June 29, 2025 Father, in this song we read that you are King David’s strength, that he delights in your salvation, how you have not withheld what he has requested, how you give him rich blessings and have put a crown on his head. He trusts in your steadfast love. And we hear David marvel at how you exercise your power in the face of all your enemies, how they will be consumed in the fire of your presence, how your wrath will destroy them and their offspring, how you, O God, will thwart their pernicious plans. There will be nowhere to hide for you possess all power and authority. You are indeed David’s strength.
But even on a first reading of this Psalm we cannot help hearing David’s words as referring to King Jesus Messiah. Line by line it all fits, how you gave him length of days forever and ever, how you gave him splendor and majesty. And yes, we know you have made Jesus a victorious king, the victorious king, whose enemies are a footstool. You put a crown on his head, a crown of thorns, then a crown of glory and honor, and through your steadfast love he will not be moved. And in a way that is counterintuitive to our way of thinking you unraveled the plans of the enemy through Messiah Jesus’ death and resurrection and in the final day he will be swallowed up in wrath and fire will consume him.
Father, it is good for us to hear in this Psalm how you establish King David, how you made him a great king and a blessing to your people. We hear no depression, no wondering, no fear, only confidence that you are his unwavering strength and defender in what was often terrifying circumstances. And in parallel we hear how you exalted King Jesus Messiah and gave him glory and honor and wisdom and strength and power over the enemy.
Father, we believe that you have raised Jesus Messiah from the dead; we confess him as Lord and king of the world, that you have established his thrown forever and ever. In the face of world events that are increasingly disconcerting, even threatening, we put our trust and confidence in you. There is nothing that can thwart your promise of rescue and vindication. We remain your servants through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and we look forward to the resurrection and the amazing future we have in the new heaven and the new earth.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen