O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults! - Psalm 21:1 (ESV)
As we read, Psalm 21 is dedicated to the author rejoicing in the Lord, in His strength and power - we the readers are called to share in his rejoicing and deeper understanding in one of the most apparent aspects of God, second only to His love for us: His strength and power over all.
The author starts with the proverbial king taking joy simply in the unquestioned power of the Lord: even the most powerful of us cannot compare to the strength of God, nor can we ever come to any worldly position where that would change. The king, as a leader, recognizes that God alone is sovereign, and that He alone is capable of saving both the king and his people from trouble. This applies not only physically, but is also pointing forward to the fact that God alone is the architect of our spiritual salvation through Jesus Christ a close reminder that there is no trouble or distress, physical or spiritual, that He cannot protect us from, or bring us back from. The psalmist clearly states (and the leader should understand) in verses two and three that the king, really an allegory for any one of us, was placed in this position of power by God, and that the blessing of his authority was from the Lord alone. Responding to this truth in verses four and five, the king thanks the Lord for his life, and asks Him for more time: the king’s glory was only ever possible because of God’s will, and His unlimited power to carry it out - His will was for the king not only to be blessed, but to be saved as well; just as it is with us all.
Verses six and seven mark an important point in this story that we as modern readers do not want to overlook: while the king certainly does enjoy his worldly position, and all of the implied wealth, fame, comfort, etc. that it represents, we should note that this king is also grounded enough in his faith and trust in God that, despite all of the worldly blessings, and pleasures he’s been given, which could just as easily become distractions or even stumbling blocks to the king, that he is clearly said to be “glad with the joy” of God’s presence. All of the earthly delights or desires available to him, and the king is recognized and praised for still being able to simply take joy in the presence of the Lord alone; how wonderful of a reminder this is for us today! This point is carried forward more as the psalmist continues in verses eight through ten; saying that the king not only trusts in the Lord, but elaborates that his trust in God is so great that it is considered unshakable. The psalmist declares that no enemies can separate him from God or drive him to question God, and the king has faith that the Lord will fight for him and protect him through whatever kind of adversity or enemies arise against him.
Continuing with verses eleven and twelve, the king rests in his faith in God, in full assurance that no matter how well or cruelly his enemies plot against him that not only will they never succeed, but that they will fail directly because of God’s intervention: He will act against them to protect the faithful king. “Rests” here is important, as the normal human response to threats or danger is to take some kind of action on our own, to plan or adjust something to accommodate an upcoming challenge or navigate a difficult situation, to prepare in some way to handle whatever we think is coming ourselves; and there is a place for action guided by wisdom, but the model of the king for us here is so secure in his trust in the Lord that he is relaxed, unbothered by the enemies that surround him knowing that God’s strength is more than enough. Verse thirteen shows this; for both the strength of the Lord and the benevolent way He uses it to carry out His plans, the king exalts and glorifies Him- and this is most crucial: after God blesses and protects the king, he correctly recognizes all of the good and victory here as directly from God. The king doesn’t glorify himself despite his station, but understands that all the blessings he receives are providential, and uses his position and influence to further glorify and exalt the God from whom all blessings flow.
The lessons for us today are clear for any believer - well established and grounded in their faith, or new and seeking to build the kind of faith described here; if we can open our eyes, ears, and hearts to His word- the Lord will bless us, protect us, and sustain us, whoever, wherever, and whatever we are - His strength is more than sufficient for all of our needs, and He is mighty to save.