O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation! O LORDThis phrase is a direct address to Yahweh, the covenant name of God in the Hebrew Bible. It signifies a personal and relational God who is actively involved in the lives of His people. The use of "LORD" in all caps in English translations indicates the original Hebrew name YHWH, which is considered sacred and ineffable. This invocation sets the tone for the psalm, acknowledging God's supreme authority and intimate involvement in the affairs of the king and the nation. the king
In the context of ancient Israel, the king was not only a political leader but also a spiritual representative of the people. The king's relationship with God was crucial for the nation's well-being. Historically, this could refer to King David, who is traditionally credited with writing many of the psalms. David's life exemplifies a deep reliance on God, and his victories are often attributed to divine intervention. rejoices
The Hebrew root for "rejoices" is "שָׂמַח" (samach), which conveys a sense of joy and gladness. This joy is not merely an emotional response but a profound acknowledgment of God's active role in the king's successes. It reflects a heart that is aligned with God's purposes and finds its ultimate satisfaction in His strength. in Your strength
The phrase "in Your strength" highlights the source of the king's joy. It is not in his own power or military might, but in the strength of the LORD. This strength is both physical and spiritual, encompassing God's ability to protect, deliver, and empower His people. Biblically, God's strength is often demonstrated through miraculous victories and divine interventions, underscoring His sovereignty and omnipotence. How greatly he exults
The word "exults" comes from the Hebrew "עָלַץ" (alatz), which means to leap for joy or to triumph. This expression of exuberant joy indicates a deep-seated confidence in God's salvation. The adverb "greatly" amplifies this joy, suggesting that it is overwhelming and all-encompassing. It is a response to the recognition of God's mighty acts and His faithfulness to His promises. in Your salvation
"Salvation" in Hebrew is "יְשׁוּעָה" (yeshuah), which means deliverance or victory. In the Old Testament context, salvation often referred to deliverance from physical enemies or peril. However, it also carries a spiritual dimension, pointing to God's ultimate plan of redemption. For the king, this salvation is both a present reality and a future hope, rooted in God's covenant faithfulness and His ability to save His people from all forms of bondage. Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. In this Psalm, He is the source of strength and salvation. 2. The King (David)Traditionally attributed to King David, this Psalm reflects his gratitude and joy in God's deliverance and strength. 3. SalvationRefers to the deliverance and victory granted by God, both in physical battles and spiritual redemption. Teaching Points Rejoicing in God's StrengthRecognize that true strength comes from God. Like David, we should find joy in the strength that God provides, rather than relying solely on our own abilities. Exulting in SalvationCelebrate the salvation that God offers. This is not only a physical deliverance but also a spiritual one through Jesus Christ. Our response should be one of joy and gratitude. Dependence on God in LeadershipLeaders, like David, should model dependence on God. Whether in family, church, or community, leaders should seek God's strength and guidance. Gratitude for Past VictoriesReflect on past victories and deliverances that God has provided. This reflection should lead to a heart of thankfulness and trust in God's future provision. Prayer and Praise as ResponsesIncorporate prayer and praise into daily life as responses to God's strength and salvation. This practice helps maintain a focus on God’s power and goodness. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the king's rejoicing in God's strength challenge your understanding of where true strength comes from in your life? 2. In what ways can you exult in God's salvation in your daily routine, and how does this impact your relationship with Him? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's deliverance. How can this memory encourage you in current challenges? 4. How can leaders today, whether in the church or other areas, model David's dependence on God’s strength? 5. What practical steps can you take to incorporate more prayer and praise into your life as a response to God's strength and salvation? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 20This Psalm is often seen as a companion to Psalm 21, where Psalm 20 is a prayer for the king's victory, and Psalm 21 is a thanksgiving for that victory. 1 Samuel 17The account of David and Goliath illustrates the theme of God’s strength and salvation, as David relies on God’s power to defeat the giant. Philippians 4:13This New Testament verse echoes the theme of relying on God's strength, as Paul declares his ability to do all things through Christ who strengthens him. People David, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Chief, 21, Choirmaster, David, Delight, Exults, Glad, Greatly, Gt, Joy, Joyful, Leader, Lt, Music, Musician, Music-maker, O, Overseer, Psalm, Rejoice, Rejoices, Rejoiceth, Salvation, Strength, VictoriesDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 21:1 5597 victory, act of God
8288 joy, of Israel Psalm 21: 5420 music Psalm 21:1-3 4333 gold
5158 head-covering Library Epistle Lviii. To all the Bishops Throughout Helladia .
To all the Bishops throughout Helladia [1626] . Gregory to all bishops constituted in the province of Helladia. I return thanks with you, dearest brethren, to Almighty God, who has caused the hidden sore which the ancient enemy had introduced to come to the knowledge of all, and has cut it away by a wholesome incision from the body of His Church. Herein we have cause both to rejoice and to mourn; to rejoice, that is, for the correction of a crime, but to mourn for the fall of a brother. But, since …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the GreatMy Brethren.
OUR Lord Jesus Christ calls those for whom He died and who have believed on Him "My Brethren." What a word it is! The Brethren of the Man in Glory! Brethren of Him who is at the right hand of God, the upholder and heir of all things! Pause for a moment, dear reader. Let your heart lay hold anew of this wonderful message of God's Grace; Brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ! What depths of love and grace these words contain! What heights of glory they promise to us, who were bought by His own precious …
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory The Poor in Spirit are Enriched with a Kingdom
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Here is high preferment for the saints. They shall be advanced to a kingdom. There are some who, aspiring after earthly greatness, talk of a temporal reign here, but then God's church on earth would not be militant but triumphant. But sure it is the saints shall reign in a glorious manner: Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' A kingdom is held the acme and top of all worldly felicity, and this honour have all the saints'; so says our Saviour, Theirs is the …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Fourteenth Day for the Church of the Future
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Church of the Future "That the children might not be as their fathers, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God."--PS. lxxviii. 8. "I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy offspring."--ISA. xliv. 3. Pray for the rising generation, who are to come after us. Think of the young men and young women and children of this age, and pray for all the agencies at work among them; that in association and societies …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession Of Deeper Matters, and God's Hidden Judgments which are not to be Inquired Into
"My Son, beware thou dispute not of high matters and of the hidden judgments of God; why this man is thus left, and that man is taken into so great favour; why also this man is so greatly afflicted, and that so highly exalted. These things pass all man's power of judging, neither may any reasoning or disputation have power to search out the divine judgments. When therefore the enemy suggesteth these things to thee, or when any curious people ask such questions, answer with that word of the Prophet, …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of Olives: Discoures to the Disciples Concerning the Last Things.
THE last and most solemn denunciation of Jerusalem had been uttered, the last and most terrible prediction of judgment upon the Temple spoken, and Jesus was suiting the action to the word. It was as if He had cast the dust of His Shoes against the House' that was to be left desolate.' And so He quitted for ever the Temple and them that held office in it. They had left the Sanctuary and the City, had crossed black Kidron, and were slowly climbing the Mount of Olives. A sudden turn in the road, and …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Sermons of St. Bernard on the Passing of Malachy
Sermon I (November 2, 1148.)[1005] 1. A certain abundant blessing, dearly beloved, has been sent by the counsel of heaven to you this day; and if it were not faithfully divided, you would suffer loss, and I, to whom of a surety this office seems to have been committed, would incur danger. I fear therefore your loss, I fear my own damnation,[1006] if perchance it be said, The young children ask bread, and no man offereth it unto them.[1007] For I know how necessary for you is the consolation which …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
1. The most important point here is to keep in mind the organic unity of the Old Testament. Its predictions are not isolated, but features of one grand prophetic picture; its ritual and institutions parts of one great system; its history, not loosely connected events, but an organic development tending towards a definite end. Viewed in its innermost substance, the history of the Old Testament is not different from its typical institutions, nor yet these two from its predictions. The idea, underlying …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Letter Li to the virgin Sophia
To the Virgin Sophia He praises her for having despised the glory of the world: and, setting forth the praises, privileges, and rewards of Religious Virgins, exhorts her to persevere. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, to the Virgin Sophia, that she may keep the title of virginity and attain its reward. I. Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised (Prov. xxxi. 31). I rejoice with you, my daughter, in the glory of your virtue, whereby, as I hear, you …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 21:1 NIVPsalm 21:1 NLTPsalm 21:1 ESVPsalm 21:1 NASBPsalm 21:1 KJV
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