Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

PSALM 21- THE KING REJOICES IN YOUR STRENGTH The Coronation of Christ

This psalm is the victory song after the battle described in Psalm 20. While it celebrates David’s con- quest of the Ammonites and Arameans it points prophetically to the celebration of Christ’s ascension and coronation in heaven! Each individual must decide if they will cast their personal crown before the Mes- siah: “ …the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, ‘You are worthy, O Lord our God…” (Rev. 4:10,11)

It is divided distinctly into 3 parts:

I THE VICTORY OF THE KING (1-7) II THE VANQUISHING OF HIS ENEMIES (8-12) III THE VOICING OF HIS PRAISES (13)

INTRODUCTION :

“ For the choir director: A Psalm of David” (see Psalm 11)

I THE VICTORY OF THE KING 1-7

“ How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord! He shouts with joy because of your victory. For you have given him his heart’s desire; you have held back nothing that he requested.”(1,2)

King David was a model of worship for the nation of Israel as he rejoiced with shouts to the Lord. “ …I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the Lord.”(2 Sam. 6: 21) We are the hearts desire of Jesus, he asked his father for us as a result of his sacrifice. It is our privilege to rejoice with our Messiah.

Seven Proofs of Christ’s Deity (3-6)

Although this psalm is a celebration of the great successes of King David, it is also a greater picture of the Messiah who reigns eternally. 1. He Ascended to Heaven - “ You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. ” (3) Christ’s return to heaven, like David’s return to Jerusalem, was one of great joy and success as he fulfilled his earthly mission to redeem mankind. “ The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe.” (Eph. 4:10) 2. He Was Crowned King of Kings - “ You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. ” David’s capture of the city of Rabbah in Ammon is the most likely setting of the circumstances of this verse as it happened shortly after the battle described in Psalm 20. (2 Sam. 10:15-19/12:26-31) “ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on David’s own head.”(2 Sam. 12:30) Although mankind crowned Jesus with thorns and rejected him, God crowned him as the Lord of all! “ What we do see is Jesus, who ‘for a little while was made lower than the angels’ and now is ‘crowned with glory and honor’ because he suffered death for us.”(Heb. 2:9) 3. He Was Resurrected from Death - “ He asked you to preserve his life, and you have granted his request.” (4) David was preserved in the great battle with the Aramean chariots. Christ was preserved from being held in death: “ You killed the author of life, but God raised him to life. And we are witnesses of this fact! (Peter in Acts 3:15) 4. He Has Eternal Life - “ The days of his life stretch on forever.” (4) Peter preached on the day of Pentecost: “ David was look- ing into the future and predicting the Messiah’s resurrection…Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand.” (Acts 2:31,33) David’s reign was glorious but temporal. The Messiah’s life will never end! 5. He is Clothed with Majesty - “ Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.”(5) David is the most honored of Israel’s kings. Paul describes the splendor of Christ: “ He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him.” (1 Tim. 6:16)

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