PSALMS 21

READING CYCLE THREE(see “Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT
PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means
that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of
us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are
priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3).
Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above.
Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original
author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has
one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Psalm 20 and 21 may be connected. Psalm 20 is the liturgical
prayer for victory in battle and Psalm 21 is a liturgical welcoming of the
King and soldiers home in victory.

B. Notice the possible strophes. By comparing the strophe divisions
from various English translations a person can ascertain how many main
truths are expressed in a psalm.

1. NASB  – 2

2. NKJV – 5

3. NRSV – 4

4. NJB – 6

Obviously it is difficult to be certain of how to identify strophes. There
is often no textual marker. Modern students must

1. check the parallelism

2. check the Hebrew beat pattern

3. check related subject matter (every strophe has one major subject)

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 21:1-6
 ¹O
Lord, in Your strength the king will be glad,
 And in Your salvation how greatly he
will rejoice!
 ²You
have given him his heart’s desire,
 And
You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.
 ³For You meet him with
the blessings of good things;
 You
set a crown of fine gold on his head.
 ⁴He
asked life of You,
 You
gave it to him,
 Length of
days forever and ever.
 ⁵His
glory is great through Your salvation,
 Splendor
and majesty You place upon him.
 ⁶For
You make him most blessed forever;
 You
make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

21:1 Note the synonymous parallelism between
“in Your strength” and “in Your salvation.”

The term (BDB 447, feminine singular)
translated salvation has several possible connotations.

1. prosperity – Job 30:15

2. deliverance/help – 2 Sam. 10:11; 1 Chr. 19:12; Ps. 22:1

3. salvation – Gen. 49:18; Ps. 3:2,8; 14:7; 35:3; 53:6; 62:2;
and many more

4. victory – Exod. 15:2; Ps. 20:6; 21:1,5; 44:4; 68:20-21;
118:14,15,21

YHWH is our great hope and there is no other! In light of this, faithful
followers (in this context, the King) will continue to

1. be glad – BDB 970, KB 1330, Qal imperfect,
cf. Ps. 9:2

2. rejoice – BDB 162, KB 189, Qal imperfect,
cf. Ps. 9:14

21:2 This verse seems to link to Ps. 20:4
and is connected to the King’s prayer for military victory.

Notice the two parallel perfect verbs (i.e.,
completed action).

1. has given — BDB 678, KB 733, Qal perfect

2. has not withheld — BDB 586, KB 602, negated, Qal
perfect

NASB, NKJV,
NRSV“request”
NJB“prayer”
LXX“wish”
NEB“ask”

The word (BDB 77, KB 92) is found only here in the OT. It seems, in
context, to refer to a ritual liturgical prayer before a battle, possibly
in the tabernacle/temple.

▣ “Selah” See note at Ps.
3:2 and Introduction to Psalms, VII. Some commentators feel it denotes a
point in the liturgy where there is a transition to another liturgical act
(i.e., praise, song, sacrifice, another liturgy read, bowing, etc.).

21:3-6 These are the actions of YHWH on
behalf of the King.

1. meet him with the blessings of good things (i.e., YHWH Himself
welcomes the victorious king)

2. set a crown of fine gold on his head (i.e., a reaffirmation of
kingship or the liturgical transfer of the battle helmet for the royal
crown)

3. gave him his prayer for life (i.e., victory in battle)

4. placed upon him

a. splendor (BDB 217)

b. majesty (BDB 214) — these are descriptions of YHWH (cf. 1
Chr. 16:27; Ps. 45:3; 96:6; 104:1; 111:3), but because of YHWH’s image in
mankind, they share these attributes (cf. Ps. 8:5)

5. make him blessed for a long life (‘olam must be
interpreted in context, see Special Topic at Ps. 9:5; a literary parallel
would be “long live the king,” cf. 1 Sam. 10:24; 1 Kgs.
1:25,31,34,39; Dan. 2:4; 3:9)

6. make him joyful in Your presence

It is not just the King who is the recipient of YHWH’s actions, but
through him all the covenant people.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 21:7-13
 ⁷For
the king trusts in the Lord,
 And through the lovingkindness of
the Most High he will not be shaken.
 ⁸Your
hand will find out all your enemies;
 Your
right hand will find out those who hate you.
 ⁹You will make them as a
fiery oven in the time of your anger;
 The
Lord will swallow them up in His wrath,
 And fire will devour them.
 ¹⁰Their offspring You
will destroy from the earth,
 And
their descendants from among the sons of men.
 ¹¹Though they intended
evil against You
 And
devised a plot,
 They will
not succeed.
 ¹²For
You will make them turn their back;
 You
will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.
 ¹³Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength;
 We will sing and praise Your power.

21:7 “the king trusts in the Lord“ This is an affirmation of the
king’s faith orientation (BDB 105, KB 120, Qal active
participle, cf. Ps. 4:5; 9:10; 13:5; 22:4,5,9; and many more). The
king has strength, joy, and deliverance only through YHWH.

▣ “the lovingkindness of the Most High”
The special covenant term, “lovingkindness” (hesed, BDB
338, see
Special Topic:
Lovingkindness) means YHWH’s covenant loyalty. YHWH is
always faithful, the King and the nation will be also, if they continue to
“trust” (BDB 105, KB 120) in Him (cf. Ps. 125:1). Nehemiah 9 is
a record of YHWH’s faithfulness and Israel’s unfaithfulness!

For “Most High” (Elyon, BDB 751) see
Special Topic:
Names for Deity.

NASB, LXX,
JPSOA“he
will not be shaken”
NKJV, NRSV“he
shall not be moved”
TEV“he will
always be secure”
NJB“will keep
him from falling”

The verb (BDB 556, KB 555, Niphal imperfect) means “totter,” “shake,”
or “slip.” It can be used in several senses.

1. place on the throne

2. security in life

3. godly lifestyle

To see the different senses see Ps. 10:6; 15:5; 16:8; 21:7; 30:6; 62:2,6;
112:6; Pro. 10:30; 12:3. There is stability in YHWH but not in a fallen
world.

21:8-12 These verses describe what YHWH
(i.e., through the king’s army) will do if the king and people stay
faithful.

1. power over your enemies

2. your enemies will be destroyed

3. your enemies and their descendants will be cut off and disappear

4. your enemies will not succeed in their plans (i.e., to plan
against YHWH’s king and covenant people is to plan against Him, cf. Ps.
21:11a; Ps. 2:1-3; 83:1-5)

5. your enemies will retreat in battle

Some scholars (AB) see these verses as describing YHWH’s actions in battle
on behalf of His covenant king and people.

▣ “hand” This is a Hebrew
idiom of the power to act. See SPECIAL
TOPIC: HAND.

21:9 “The Lord
will swallow them up” This verb
(BDB 118, KB 134, Piel imperfect) is an
idiom for complete destruction (cf. Job 2:3; 10:8; Lam.
2:2,5,8).

21:13 This verse concludes the Psalm with
commanded praises of YHWH.

1. Be exalted – BDB 926, KB 1202, Qal imperative, cf. 2 Sam. 22:47; Ps. 18:46; 46:10;
57:5,11; 108:5

2. We will sing – BDB 1010, KB 1479, Qal cohortative

3. We will praise – BDB 274, KB 273, Piel cohortative

▣ “Your strength” This
mantra begins the Psalm (cf. Ps. 21:1) and closes (cf. Ps. 21:13) the
Psalm. God is the chief character of the Bible. It is His book; it is
about Him!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means
that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of
us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are
priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the
major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. How are Psalm 20 and 21 related?

2. Does Ps. 21:4 imply eternal life?

3. List the military imagery in Ps. 21:7-13.

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