JOY IN THE LORD’S STRENGTH
PSALM 21:1-13
Introduction:
This psalm is the companion of Psalm 20. It anticipates what Psalm 21 regards as realized. Charles Spurgeon says, “If we pray today for a benefit and receive it, we must, ere the sun goes down, praise God for that mercy, or we deserve to be denied the next time.”
This psalm has been called “David’s triumphant song.” “The king’ is most prominent throughout, and we shall read it to true profit if our meditation of him shall be sweet while perusing it. We must crown him with the glory of our salvation singing of his love, and praising his power. The next psalm will take us to the foot of the cross; this introduces us to the steps of the throne.” —Charles Spurgeon.
I. THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY vv. 1-6
A. Jesus is a ROYAL PERSONAGE, John 18:37, “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
1. Jesus was born KING of the Jews, Matthew 2:2, “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
a. His birth was the PROMISED BLESSING of God, Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
b. He is the SALVATION of Israel, Psalm 62:7, “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.”
c. He is the JOY of God’s people, Psalm 28:7, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
2. He shall JUDGE His PEOPLE in RIGHTEOUSNESS, Psalm 72:1-2, “Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2- He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.”
a. Clothed with DIVINE AUTHORITY, he shall use it on the behalf of His people, Psalm 72:12-14, “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13- He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14- He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.”
b. God has ANOINTED Jesus above all with the OIL of GLADNESS, Psalm 45:6-7, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7-Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”
B. He is NOT merely a King, BUT THE KING, John 19:19, “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
1. He is the King who is OUR PEACE, Ephesians 2:14, 17, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 17- And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”
2. He is the KING of GLORY, Psalm 24:9-10, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10- Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.”
II. CONFIDENCE OF FURTHER SUCCESS vv. 7-13
A. In His day the RIGHTEOUS shall FLOURISH, Psalm 132:15-18, “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16- I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 17- There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. 18- His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.”
1. There will be NO FAMINE, Exodus 23:25, “And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”
2. God will do exceeding abundantly MORE than we can ever ask for, Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
B. In His day there shall be an ABUNDANCE of PEACE, Isaiah 2:4, “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
1. The meek shall inherit the earth, Psalm 37:11, “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
2. The righteous shall flourish, Psalm 72:7, “In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.”
C. In His day His Kingdom shall be forever, Luke 1:33, “And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
1. There will be no end of His kingdom, Isaiah 9:7, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
2. It shall never be destroyed, Daniel 2:44, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
3. God shall give Him everlasting dominion, Daniel 7:14, “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
CONCLUSION OF CHOICE