READ: Ps. 21:1–14: … You meet him with the blessings of goodness … Length of days forever and ever … You have made him most blessed forever … Because of the mercy of the Most High … The LORD shall swallow them up in His wrath …
It is possible to view this Psalm as a continuation of Ps. 20. There prayer was made for victory; here victory has become a fact and a reason for great joy in the LORD.
Verse 2: “You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips.” The song of praise concerning the rich blessings of the LORD in verses 4–7 surpasses the earthly life of the king and will be forever and ever.
This means here that God’s blessings upon David extend even to the coming, the work, and the victory of his great Son, the Christ. David responds to what the LORD Himself has promised him. 2 Sam. 7:16: “Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”
Later this is taken up by the poet of Ps. 89:4–5,37: “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ‘Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations’ … His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me.” We also read this in Ps. 132:12.
Verse 7 states that the LORD makes the king a great blessing forever. This too is a Messianic prophecy in line with Gen. 12:3, where God in His covenant promise to Abraham says: “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
That David is God’s favored one rests on God’s lovingkindness, His grace and faithfulness (v.8). Thus on the one hand, in Christ there is God’s blessing upon all who love Him, the true believing offspring of Abraham.
But on the other hand, there is God’s wrath as a consuming fire for all who hate Him (v.10). Their hatred is directed not only at David as God’s anointed, but thus also at God Himself.
Verses 8–14 have the same message as Psalm 2. So today the hatred of the world toward the church is also hatred toward God and Christ. On the last day it will become evident at God’s final judgment that the cause of the church is the cause of the Son of God (Belgic Confession, art. 37).
Is there reason for joy at God’s judgment?
Singing: Ps. 21:1,3,4