Psalm 21 Devotional

A Crown From God's Hand

“For the king trusts in the LORD; through the loving devotion of the Most High, he will not be shaken.”Psalm 21:7 (BSB)

A king's prayer has been answered, and this psalm gives thanks. The king rejoices in the LORD's strength and saving help, because God has given him his heart's desire and withheld nothing he asked (21:1-2). God met him with rich blessings, set a gold crown on his head, and gave him life, length of days without end (21:3-4). His glory is great, but it is glory in God's salvation, not his own (21:5).

The center of the psalm tells why: the king relies on the LORD, and the steadfast love of the Most High keeps him from being shaken (21:7). The second half turns to God's enemies and speaks plainly of judgment. Their schemes will fail, and God's hand will find them (21:8-12). God's kindness to his King and his opposition to evil belong together. Christians see the promise of unending life fulfilled most fully in Jesus, the King whom God raised. The people close by praising God's power (21:13), because every crown in this psalm came from his hand.

To think about: Where have you seen God answer a request of yours, and have you thanked him for it the way this psalm does?