Psalms 21

Psalms 21:1-13

Christ appearing in His glory. To the chief musician: a psalm of David. The third psalm of this intermediate series now pictures Christ in His glory; although, when we look first at it in this light, there is natural disappointment. The view is still Jewish and the glory, while indeed heavenly, or it would not be His, is seen, however, from an earthly stand-point. As in the Lord’s words to Nathanael, Israel sees heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending [in attendance] upon the Son of man. A blessed thing to see, and which many Christians scarcely reach, and yet which is not entrance into those opened heavens themselves. But there is the joy of seeing One on whom the angels wait, who is still “Son of man,” who speaks of Himself in this way, is not ashamed of it, not ashamed of human “brethren” in those who are sanctified by His blood! Is it not true that hazy, indistinct views of Christ as man in heaven cause many to lose how much of such joy as this? Yet upon this depends the distinct realization of our place in Him, which cannot be as God but as Man only. Of this place “in Him” also the Psalms (along with the Old Testament generally) make no explicit mention. (Ephesians 3:4-6.) It is here the Anointed King, King of Israel and the earth, -a glorious thing, too, to contemplate! to have the whole world obedient to Him, and the precious fruits of the obedience found. We too can sing with Israel here, and ought to be able to take a note above them. As to the structure of the psalm, there are three parts in it: two of three verses each which show us His higher glory and then a third and longer one of seven which speaks of His manifestation upon earth, which is the day of manifestation also as to the earth itself, and of putting things straight the wicked, His enemies, being rooted out of it.

1. The first section speaks of His might, which is that of Jehovah also. He joys in Jehovah’s strength, and exults in His salvation. We see that His manhood is still insisted on, all judgment being committed to Him because He is the Son of man. (John 5:27.) He has given in Himself the perfect pattern of obedience, and thus has moral title to receive obedience. He requires no more than He yields; nay, He has yielded more than He ever requires. His path to the throne has been by the way of the Cross.

The thorns gathered out of man’s path have made a crown for Him. He has not sought exaltation for Himself, who needed it not, but has stooped with infinite condescension to accept the government which is laid upon His shoulders, and which He takes that He may minister in it to the needs of men His creatures, and fulfill the Divine counsel of grace and blessing. Thus the might of God is His. He knows the secret of power, and has acquired it as we also, in our measure, may acquire it. For who can lack power whose simple and supreme desire is to do the will of God in the conviction of its absolute goodness, and to glorify Him? Alas, we seek power, and make impossible the attainment of it by reason of the motive for which we seek it. If we had it, and used it not for Him, we should use it against Him, -use it therefore for mischief every way, and for misery to ourselves. Why then should He who is as wise as good impart it to us? Would we put the energy of steam into an engine off the track? Is He less wise than we? But here is One fully proved and perfectly trustworthy “the desire of His heart hast Thou given Him, and hast not denied Him the request of His lips.” Nothing simpler possible than that! “If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7.) That is positive enough, and simple a perfect account of prevailing prayer. His words form the desires and govern the heart; the will is perfect and so the prayer prevails. Christ the Lord, even upon the throne, is an Example for us, exceptional only as His perfection is exceptional. It is this satisfaction of His desires that we see, therefore, in the third verse. He is met on God’s part with blessings that are really such: a crown of pure gold is set upon His head. What is this but the glory of God, which it is His, as now enthroned, to accomplish? for this was the desire of His heart, and this is what the figure naturally means: (figure, of course, it must be, as a prophecy of Christ). This is in fact the very meaning of His reign, that as by man sin had entered to His dishonor, so by man also shall the evil be undone, to His eternal praise. Thus too shall His work in creation be vindicated, and the creation itself be linked to God forever. Christ is thus the “Father of eternity.” 2. The second part insists on this dependent place which He has assumed as man. Gone down into death, even life itself He receives as the gift of God; a life eternal, which becomes thus the portion of the new creation, to which He is Head. “His salvation” becomes in the same way a true salvation of myriads of people, by which it becomes great indeed, and great His glory. And these eternal blessings find their consummation in the presence of God which He for them enters, and to which they find access also in Him. Thus, in this second part, the effects are seen of that dependent place which He has taken: for all these, unlike those of the first section, are shared blessings, blessings which are such to Him in the very fact that they are earned for others. And though this is left for us to discover, and not plainly interpreted; yet in the light of the New Testament interpretation is easy. In all these things He is the Representative of others; and to be this -the Saviour of multitudes who shall adore Him forever. -this without question is that wherein “His glory is great in Thy salvation.” We pass on now to what is very different from all this. 3. Yet even in His appearing in glory we are kept in mind of the place He has taken, a dependent place, of which He is not ashamed. His unchanging stability of glory is the answer to that trust in Jehovah’s steadfastness which in the depths to which He descended never for a moment wavered. As He believed, so is it done to Him. His sure faith finds the Rock it rests on, and is answered, as one may truly say, by a faith in Him on God’s side which can commit all divine interests to the care of Him in whom the Father’s delight is. How all through this psalm the “Leader and finisher of faith” is seen, even in the most unlikely places! The principles which are indicated all through apply to us as to Him, only to Him are principles ever declaring His supreme excellency; and this is as it must be. Now His hand finds out all His enemies: none can escape, when the eye that seeks,them is omniscient. The time of His coming is that which is ordained for the destruction of the banded opposition against Jehovah and His Christ which we have found in the second psalm, and which will be then, as all prophecy witnesses, in fullest activity. The destruction will be sudden and complete, as pictured in these vivid images. Fruit and seed shall alike perish from the earth, for the time of its deliverance from oppression is now come, -the time to “destroy those that destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:18.) The cause of this action of the divine power is stated in the eleventh verse: it is their malice against Christ, which, as we know, may be shown in the persecution of His people. (Acts 9:4, and comp. Matthew 25:45.) In fact, the Israelitish remnant will be plucked from the very jaws of their adversaries at the appearing of the Lord. (Zechariah 14:1-21.) The following verse may well speak of the discomfiture of these baffled foes.
The psalm ends with a prayer that Jehovah would display His strength after this manner; and His people will praise Him for delivering power.