Psalm 24 A Psalm of David

 ¹The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein.

²For He has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the waters.

³Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who may stand in His holy place?

⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,

Nor sworn deceitfully.

⁵He shall receive blessing from the Lord,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

⁶This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face. Selah

⁷Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

⁸Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

The Lord mighty in battle.

⁹Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

¹⁰Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah

Preamble: With Psalm 22 having already foretold of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion Death, Psalm 24 now moves history forward, to the time of His Return (or Second Coming), when Jesus having defeated all of His foes (Rev. 19-20) now prepares to take up His throne on earth, and take His reign forever in the heavenly Jerusalem now come down to us (Rev. 21-22).

Commentary

Vs. 1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein.”

The Psalm opens thus with a declaration of the Lord’s ownership of it all, for all things, all people, all of creation belong to Him, for it was all created by God the Father for His Son, for the Lord Jesus Christ. For everything in creation, both seen and unseen, was created through Christ, and for Christ (John 1:3; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2; Rev. 4:11; 10:6 etc.). And so here we now see all things in heaven and earth declaring His Lordship of it all.

Vs. 2 “For He has founded it upon the seas,

And established it upon the waters.”

In Genesis 1:9 we are told how God founded the earth upon the waters, how He alone established it, thus giving Him every right to it all, to do with it all as He pleases. That said, in the new heavens and new earth (of which this Psalm may very well also apply) there is no more sea (Rev. 21:1). And so, David’s reference here is to the then Jerusalem and its earthly place. For this Psalm (like Psalm 23) is likely covering both the then and the future. Now the reason I think this Psalm is also describing Christs reign in the new heavens and the new earth is in verses 7, 9 there is the reference to the everlasting doors being opened to the Lord so that He may triumphally enter Jerusalem. And so, this Psalm cannot be just referencing the then Jerusalem, but can only be fulfilled with the heavenly Jerusalem, come down to be forever with us, where Christ forever Reigns, where there is no temple, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple, (Rev. 21:22). Thus, after Christ’s Millennial Reign (Rev. 20:4-6), after the Satanic rebellion at the end of it is crushed (Rev. 20:7-10), after the Great White Throne Judgment, which then wraps up, or closes the curtain on this world and sin and Satan’s place in it (Rev. 20:11-14). For only then does Christ Reign over an uncorrupted creation, and that is where His Kingdom will have neither opposition nor an end! And so, I believe this Psalm is foretelling that Day.

Vs. 3-5 ³Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who may stand in His holy place?

⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,

Nor sworn deceitfully.

⁵He shall receive blessing from the Lord,

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Here then are described the people of the Lord, of all those who may freely enter through the gates of the New Jerusalem, (see Rev. 21:22-27). Those who have clean hands and a pure heart. Now clearly this speaks to living righteously here and now, but it also speaks to the state we will be in, of all who have been transformed by Christ, by the renewing and regeneration of our persons by His Holy Spirit, who are now new creations In Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), but who will only then be brought to that perfect state of Christlikeness (Phil. 1:6), and so whose names have all been written in the Lambs Book of Life (Rev. 22:27). For these will not lift their souls to an idol, they won’t worship or pray to an image, or make a shrine and bow before it. Thus, not idolators, like those who made and worshipped the image of the beast, or those who make, pray, or pay homage too to a pagan image, pole, or marker. Nor sworn deceitfully, for it is clear that all liars have their place in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:6-8). Therefore, David in considering who may enter Jerusalem, (and thus stand in the Presence of the Lord), excludes them, and in considering God’s people under the Old Covenant, now says that they shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation when they steer clear of all such things (vs. 5).

    "Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

    The upright shall dwell in Your presence." Psalm 140:13

Vs. 6 “This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face. Selah”

“This is Jacob” is then referring to all the redeemed of Israel, all the sons and daughters of Jacob, from ancient times to the end, who sought the Lord, and when given opportunity believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, for these will all be there. For both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ are all now the redeemed sons and daughters of Abraham.

Vs. 7 “Lift up your heads, O you gates!

And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.”

Here then is described the honor that is to be bestowed upon Jesus Christ our King, the King of glory, when He takes His place in it. For only for Him shall the heavenly Jerusalem open its gates and raise up its everlasting doors so that He may enter in and take His eternal reign within it!

Vs. 8 “Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty,

The Lord mighty in battle.”

The King of glory is the Lord Jesus Christ who is strong and mighty, who has now mightily defeated all His foes, and so He will lead the procession of all the peoples following Him up into its glory.

Vs. 9-10 “Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Lift up, you everlasting doors!

And the King of glory shall come in.

¹⁰Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah”

Once again, the call goes out to Jerusalem to receive her King, who is here described as the King of glory, Jesus Christ God’s Person and Glory. For The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah

²² But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. ²⁴ And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. ²⁵ Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). ²⁶ And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. ²⁷ But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. ^{(Rev. 21:22-27 NKJ)}

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 23 A Psalm of David

 ¹The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

²He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

³He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Preamble: Undoubtably Psalm 23 is the most beloved of all psalms, whether recited as prose, poetry, or sung and put to musical accompaniment, it is a very moving, soul stirring, life enrichening psalm.

Commentary

Vs. 1 The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

This psalm begins with a declaration that resonates with the heart of every believer: “The Lord is my shepherd.” Meaning that in all aspects of our faith and lives our trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ, For it is Jesus who is our Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18, 25-30), who is providing not only salvation for us who believe in Him, but He is providing everything that we will need on our journey home with Him. For the Lord always watches over us for good, just as a good shepherd does his sheep, and that is the essence of this psalm, and in particular verse one. Therefore, knowing that His Person is always with us, we can all boldly say in good times and bad, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Vs. 2 “He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.”

The imagery here is stunningly beautiful as Jesus our caring shepherd leads us, His flock, to soft flowing green pastures, far away then from the rugged rocky terrain (of this sinful and evil world), where He causes us to lie down and take our rest with Himself. Same with His leading us to the still waters, for sheep are inherently fearful of rough waters, they don't like drinking from it, and they don't like crossing it. And so the Lord knowing this leads us where we can all drink safely without fear of drowning in strange doctrines or teachings, or be swept away by the unsettling moral currents of this world. For the Lord is an ever thoughtful and caring shepherd, who knows all his sheep’s fears, frailties and weaknesses, and so He not only provides salvation for us, but He also leads us to where we can all feel safe, and be fed and nurtured with Himself. 

Vs. 3 “He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.”

The restoration of our souls is our renewal and regeneration, of our being born-again by God’s Holy Spirit, which is our souls being brought to life with Christ. Having then accomplished that for us by our faith in His Person, the Lord Jesus Christ now leads us in the paths of righteousness for His Names sake. By His Word then is how we know how to walk in His Righteousness, for His Names sake, for His Name is to be hallowed by us who believe in Him.  

Vs. 4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Having then the Lord Jesus Christ as our Shepherd means that even as death draws near to us, I will fear no evil, “For You are with me.” “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” For these most utilitarian instruments of the shepherd that he would use to fend of predators, or aggressive animals, or snakes around the herd, all gave the sheep a deep sense of comfort and security. Even when the shepherd has to use them on some of the sheep to change their direction, there is comfort in knowing the Lord does not leave any of His children unchastised. 

Vs. 5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.”

Such then is our Lord’s goodness towards us that He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, thus our enemies don’t get too triumph over us as they would like, instead He makes us to be honored and fed by His Royal hand in their very presence with absolutely nothing they can do about it! Indeed, He anoints our head with oil, which means our exaltation comes from Him alone, and literally here this means kingship, for in Christ’s Kingdom, He will make us kings and priests to our God (Rev. 1:6; 5:10). Truly then we can all say whatever our lot is in this life, “My cup runs over”, that is I am filled with the blessings of the Lord, both those seen, and those yet to be seen! (Consider 1 Cor. 4:8).

Vs. 6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

What more can be said! Guaranteed then is God’s Person, Presence and His mercy is with us forever!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 22 To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David.

 ¹My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?

Why are You so far from helping Me,

And from the words of My groaning?

²O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;

And in the night season, and am not silent.

³But You are holy,

Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

⁴Our fathers trusted in You;

They trusted, and You delivered them.

⁵They cried to You, and were delivered;

They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

⁶But I am a worm, and no man;

A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

⁷All those who see Me ridicule Me;

They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

⁸“He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;

Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

⁹But You are He who took Me out of the womb;

You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.

¹⁰I was cast upon You from birth.

From My mother’s womb You have been My God.

¹¹Be not far from Me,

For trouble is near;

For there is none to help.

¹²Many bulls have surrounded Me;

Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.

¹³They gape at Me with their mouths,

Like a raging and roaring lion.

¹⁴I am poured out like water,

And all My bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax;

It has melted within Me.

¹⁵My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And My tongue clings to My jaws;

You have brought Me to the dust of death.

¹⁶For dogs have surrounded Me;

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced My hands and My feet;

¹⁷I can count all My bones.

They look and stare at Me.

¹⁸They divide My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.

¹⁹But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;

O My Strength, hasten to help Me!

²⁰Deliver Me from the sword,

My precious life from the power of the dog.

²¹Save Me from the lion’s mouth

And from the horns of the wild oxen!

You have answered Me.

²²I will declare Your name to My brethren;

In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.

²³You who fear the Lord, praise Him!

All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,

And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!

²⁴For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;

Nor has He hidden His face from Him;

But when He cried to Him, He heard.

²⁵My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;

I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.

²⁶The poor shall eat and be satisfied;

Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.

Let your heart live forever!

²⁷All the ends of the world

Shall remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations

Shall worship before You.

²⁸For the kingdom is the Lord’s,

And He rules over the nations.

²⁹All the prosperous of the earth

Shall eat and worship;

All those who go down to the dust

Shall bow before Him,

Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

³⁰A posterity shall serve Him.

It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,

³¹They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,

That He has done this.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?

Why are You so far from helping Me,

And from the words of My groaning?”

This Psalm was given us by God through His holy servant David for one purpose, to foretell of His Son Jesus Christ's Sacrifice and Suffering Death for us all on the Cross! From the outset then when the Lord Jesus Christ became a Man, the Son of Man, He came with one purpose, to bear the punishment of mankind’s sins on Himself (John 1:29). To be then the only Atoning Sacrifice that could satisfy the Righteousness, Justice, and Judgment of God. To do then what sinful man through the Law of Moses (or any other law) could never accomplish nor do for themself, or anyone else, and that is be the finial and full Atonement for all our sins and transgressions, and thus be able to justify everyone of us who now believes in Him! This Psalm then begins by foretelling of the darkest Day in history where the Lord Jesus Christ suffering our sins punishment on the Cross is now left by God the Father to bear all our sins alone. These words then which were first given through David are the very words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. This Most Prophetic Psalm then makes a very clear mark in the O.T. Scripture of what God was going to do (and now has done) to save us from His Just wrath and Judgment through His own Sons Suffering His Wrath, Punishment and Judgment of all of our sins on the Cross. Therefore, in Psalms opening verse we see His love for us all, His Sons own love for us all, which required His silence in that very heart crushing moment so that the Atonement could be made for us all. For if God the Father would’ve responded as He most dearly wanted to do to His Sons cries for help, then there could’ve been no salvation for anyone, all of us would’ve been lost forever!

Vs. 2 “O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;

And in the night season, and am not silent.”

Though verse two is easily connected with verse one, here I’ve separated them as this verse more clearly reflects David’s own cries that his prayers be soon answered. And such is prophecy in Scripture, for it often moves from then current time to future or vice versa.

Vs. 3 “But You are holy,

Enthroned in the praises of Israel.”

Even though David’s own cries for answered prayer had not yet been answered, he has a steadfast faith and trust in the Lord, acknowledging that God is holy, that He is enthroned in the praises of His people Israel; and now all who trust and know the Lord; because God is always perfect when He answers and He is always perfect when He refrains.

Vs. 4-5 ⁴Our fathers trusted in You;

They trusted, and You delivered them.

⁵They cried to You, and were delivered;

They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

David now in remembering the Lord’s Righteous works amongst men, now recalls that his forefathers; the founders of our faith; all trusted in the Lord, in good times and bad, when His works could be seen and when they could not. From Abraham when he offered up his only and beloved son Isaac at the Lord’s command, to Isaac who bestowed his blessing upon Jacob (even though Esau was the firstborn and his favored son), because it was he whom God had chosen. To Jacob who trusted the Lord when He commanded him in his old age to go to the land of Egypt and set his tent there, so God could grow and establish His people there; to Joseph who endured the hostility of his brothers before becoming their savior in a sense. To Moses who having fled Egypt to save his life, would return again at the Lord’s command and be God’s prophet and leader of His people. All these, and so many others who came after them, also trusted in the Lord, and none were ashamed, or put to an open shame for their doing so!

Vs. 6 “But I am a worm, and no man;

A reproach of men, and despised by the people.”

The Psalm now moves from David's own seeking faith back to the scene at Calvary. In David’s own words here we then we clearly see the despising and rejection of Christ by those whom He came to save. Indeed, all of unbelieving humanity views our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the lowest possible light. How else then could anyone mock such a Righteous and caring Man, the Son of Man, when He was dying on the Cross for us all. 

Vs. 7-8 ⁷All those who see Me ridicule Me;

They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

⁸“He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;

Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

David’s words here then most clearly foretell of just what occurred at Calvary: how the onlookers mocked and jeered Jesus, how the leaders of the people took delight in His then willful helpless state, mocking Him for trusting in the Lord to save Him (Matt. 27:43; Luke 23:35). And yet Jesus was trusting Him to save Him, but not from the Cross, but from His deliverance of His Person from it. For Jesus was trusting the Father that even in their separation, when all our sins punishment came upon Him, He would be restored to Him, to the place He always has with Him. And of that sort of courage and faith no one outside of the Lord Jesus Christ has ever known or done. 

Vs. 9-10 ⁹But You are He who took Me out of the womb;

You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.

¹⁰I was cast upon You from birth.

From My mother’s womb You have been My God.

In the emptiness of their jeering faces eyes, He now looks upward, recalling that it was the Lord whom we also trust, who took him out of the womb, who thus brought him to life, and who has sustained His life all his life even while He nursed upon his mothers’ breasts, for the Lord has been His God (our God) from conception onward!

Vs. 11-13 ¹¹Be not far from Me,

For trouble is near;

For there is none to help.

¹²Many bulls have surrounded Me;

Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.

¹³They gape at Me with their mouths,

Like a raging and roaring lion.

Here again in vivid detail David is not only asking God to help him then, but in his deep seeking prayer he foresees the suffering Messiah on the Cross, he sees Him hanging before the people, the strong people, the ones whose confidence always originates and radiates from within themselves. With stern and indifferent, and most certainly some smiling arrogant faces he sees them all, watching the Lord slowly suffering death on the Cross. Now as to the reference of them being the strong bulls of Bashan, this indicates that these were not all common folks per say, but these were well off people; (for Bashan was an a area noted in ancient times for its rich fertile land and great abundance, consider Amos 4:1, BBC). These then were the “power brokers” in Israel, the wealthy, the rich, the influential, all the ones who either yielded rule and authority, (whether secular or religious) or had by their status and stature in life were associated with the same. These all then surround the Suffering Savior when He is at His weakest, (for He had spoken against them, against their abuse of wealth and power and privilege, (consider Matthew 11:20-24; 23:14; Luke 6:24-26, 11:32; 42-27 etc.). Therefore, they are the ones who have surround Him, who are now eagerly and joyfully watching His suffering death.

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴I am poured out like water,

And all My bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax;

It has melted within Me.

¹⁵My strength is dried up like a potsherd,

And My tongue clings to My jaws;

You have brought Me to the dust of death.

The Savior now turns His face away from the evil looks on their faces, and once again tries to draw near to His Father, but His Father cannot draw near Him while He is Suffering our punishment on the Cross. In this passage then we once again get a vivid picture of His Suffering, of his strength being poured out like water, of His loosing the ability to lift Himself anymore to try to find some relief; of His broken body and not just of the broken bones from His previous pre-Cross beating, but the dislocation of them which the Cross brings, even His heart was failing, and yet His life remained in Him, with all strength gone, and yet fully experiencing the pain of His broken bodies anguish, His last cry would be for something to quench His thirst (John 19:28).  

 Vs. 16-17 ¹⁶For dogs have surrounded Me;

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced My hands and My feet;

¹⁷I can count all My bones.

They look and stare at Me.

From the strong bulls of Bashan to now the lowest amongst men. The Scripture now reveals to us just what kind of people have surrounded Jesus while He is on the Cross, here described prophetically for us through David as dogs, wild and dangerous dogs, not pets to coddle like we now know them, but wild scavengers, who feed on garbage and scraps of food, and who morally do the same. During His Ministry life they were not near Him, indeed they did everything they could to avoid seeing or hearing Him. But now they encircle Him like ravenous wolves seeking to devour their wounded prey. Along with them, or mixed amongst them, is the congregation of the wicked; all those who from whatever factions of Judaism they came from that opposed Him, (who only saw Him as a “threat”, John 11:48), who then conspired this Day, who by their own devious cunning have now brought it to pass. The scene here is so vividly and unmistakably described that no one can not see the Lord Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion; the piercing of His hands and feet; with large and roughly forged square shaped nails to hold Him to the Cross. Now so frail and thin was our Lord and Savior that while hanging on the tree (i.e., the Cross), He with His head bowed down, he could see His on bones pressing against His flesh, and even while in this dreadful state, and when He could find the strength to lift His head and look out, all He could see were their staring and glaring faces; but not the faces of the disciples who were far off in the distance mourning this dreadful event; but rather the faces of the dogs (evil and heartless men and women) along with the congregation of the wicked (cruel plotters and schemers) who were watching Him suffer and slowly die like this. Now some were watching with great satisfaction in seeing Jesus’ like this, like the chief priests, rulers, scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 27:42; Mark 15:31; Luke 23:35), while others were only watching Jesus with a heartless curiosity about all of this, only wanting to see if God would send Elijah to rescue Him (Mark 15:36). These then are the kind of people that draw near to car accident scenes, and other horrific tragedies' with little or no regard for those maimed or injured, who only enjoy watching such horrific scenes. And yet for all of them, for all of their heartless cruelty, this worlds evil cruelty, the Lord Jesus Christ was suffering and dying for them, and us all. 

Vs. 18 “They divide My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.”

And even while looking down right at the Lord Jesus’ feet, were the Roman soldiers, squabbling amongst themselves about who should get what from His clothing, and when they couldn’t decide, they decided to cast lots for it (Mark 15:24). All this then the Scripture most clearly foretells.

Vs. 19-21 ¹⁹But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me;

O My Strength, hasten to help Me!

²⁰Deliver Me from the sword,

My precious life from the power of the dog.

²¹Save Me from the lion’s mouth

And from the horns of the wild oxen!

You have answered Me.

In David's prayer and words here we might have some of the last inner cries of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (because starting in verse twenty-two on out the Psalm radically changes from defeat to Victory!), though clearly these are David’s own prayers and pleadings for the Lord’s deliverance from those who were opposing him. For leadership is never without opposition, and here it is wicked and evil opposition that is seeking to destroy David and our Jesus Christ Lord and Savior. And yet his faith is steadfast that his prayer has been answered even before it has been answered! 

Vs. 22 “I will declare Your name to My brethren;

In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.”

From here on out this Psalm takes on a completely different tone, and that of a song of victory! For the Lord Jesus Christ having accomplished eternal Redemption for everyone who believes in Him, there should now be great joy and delight from us all! Here then is the Lord Jesus Christ’s own declaration, (seen through the prophetic words of David), praising the Father for what He has now done for us all! For it was through the Lord’s deliverance of David that he prophetically brought forth these words for us, foretelling what He was going to do for us all! Therefore, the Lord has brought more than just him to victory, but He has now brought us all who believe in Him, believe in His Crucifixion death and Resurrection from the dead for our eternal redemption, out of our own spiritually dead and lost state to a victorious new and everlasting life with Himself! That then is a Victory which nobody can now overthrow or defeat! Therefore, we too will openly and boldly declare the Lord’s Most Holy Name, in the midst of the assembly I will praise you! This then is why congregations need to be evangelical in their outreach, because as new believers are brought into their fold the worship is once again reinvigorated by them. 

Vs. 23-24 ²³You who fear the Lord, praise Him!

All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,

And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!

²⁴For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;

Nor has He hidden His face from Him;

But when He cried to Him, He heard.

Therefore, the call goes out to all who fear the Lord, (that is regard Him in reverence), to praise Him! To worship Him in the beauty of holiness! Especially then should (and one day will) the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites, to whom, and through whom God’s Promises came also worship Him for what He has done.

“For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;

Nor has He hidden His face from Him;

But when He cried to Him, He heard.”

For just as God didn’t forsake His servant David neither did He forsake His Servant and Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and neither will He now forsake you if you too put your faith and trust in Him!

 Vs. 25 “My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;

I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.”

David now sees that his praise of the Lord is not just an earthly worship, but there is a heavenly element to it all, were he and all of us who believe in the Lord along with him will praise the Lord in the great assembly, that is forever there!

Vs. 26-29 ²⁶The poor shall eat and be satisfied;

Those who seek Him will praise the Lord.

Let your heart live forever!

²⁷All the ends of the world

Shall remember and turn to the Lord,

And all the families of the nations

Shall worship before You.

²⁸For the kingdom is the Lord’s,

And He rules over the nations.

²⁹All the prosperous of the earth

Shall eat and worship;

All those who go down to the dust

Shall bow before Him,

Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

In these verses we get a clear foretelling of the Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly Reign, during which their will be no more social injustice or inequity (Psalm 72:2-4), indeed both poor and rich alike will live in a just harmony with each other (vs. 29). And people who seek the Lord will no longer be outcasts or persecuted, for our prayers will be swiftly answered (vs. 26; Psalm 72:12-14). Indeed, all the ends of the earth, all nations shall remember (remember what He has done) and they shall turn to the Lord (vs. 27). For then the Lord will be King on earth and He will rule over the nations (vs. 27), thus the kingdom that God established through David, will be turned over to His Son (Ezek. 21:27; 34:24 etc.). In His Reign then He will always be highly reverenced and regarded, by both the poor and wealthy alike, and they shall all worship Him (vs. 29, Psalm 72:5, 10-11, 15).

Vs. 30-31 ³⁰A posterity shall serve Him.

It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,

³¹They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born,

That He has done this.

In all prophetic truth the Psalm now closes with a declaration that their will be a posterity, i.e., future generations of peoples that shall serve Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, in the generations to come what He has done will be declared to them, that His Righteousness alone has achieved our eternal salvation, that through His Crucifixion death we can have everlasting life the moment we believe in Him! What then are you waiting for, call upon the Name of the Lord and be saved! (Rom. 10:9-10, 13).

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 21 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

¹The king shall have joy in Your strength,

O Lord; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

²You have given him his heart’s desire,

And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

³For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;

You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

⁴He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—

Length of days forever and ever.

⁵His glory is great in Your salvation;

Honor and majesty

You have placed upon him.

⁶For You have made him most blessed forever;

You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.

⁷For the king trusts in the Lord,

And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.

⁸Your hand will find all Your enemies;

Your right hand will find those who hate You.

⁹You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;

The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,

And the fire shall devour them.

¹⁰Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,

And their descendants from among the sons of men.

¹¹For they intended evil against You;

They devised a plot which they are not able to perform.

¹²Therefore You will make them turn their back;

You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

¹³Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!

We will sing and praise Your power.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “The king shall have joy in Your strength,

O Lord; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!”

Psalm 21 in many ways seems to be the fulfilment, or the answered prayer of Psalm 20. Thus, it begins with the king’s celebration, greatly celebrating the Lord’s own deliverance and salvation, not only of his own person, but also of everyone who also trusts in Him. If then you see parallel truths about king David and The King Jesus Christ rejoice because God has opened your own eyes to see that in David’s own words and rejoicing, we likewise have the foretelling of His Sons own Victory, Praise, and Rejoicing!

Vs. 2 “You have given him his heart’s desire,

And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah”

The cause then of his rejoicing is that God answered his prayer, that He gave him the desire of his heart, (which was not an evil desire, nor a selfish desire, but a just and right desire), therefore God fulfilled his prayer and brought it all about!

Vs. 3 “For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;

You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.”

Therefore, in answering his prayer God went far beyond even what he expected, for He came to him with blessings of goodness, that is He has made him to not only triumph over all his enemies, but He has also made him to prosper greatly. And in showing all that He Himself had done this, He Himself set a crown of pure gold upon his head! God then just doesn’t bless; He also established the ones whom He has blessed!

Vs. 4 “He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—

Length of days forever and ever.”

Though the immediate context is of David, clearly this verse foretells of the Lord Jesus Christ’s own Resurrection Life!

Vs. 5 “His glory is great in Your salvation;

Honor and majesty

You have placed upon him.”

Mans “glory” is nothing apart from God, for it is just a temporary glory through his own self-exaltation, or an exaltation by this godless world of him, all which soon goes away and is forgotten. However, when God places His glory on us through His Son’s salvation, we have a glory in us that does not fade away nor is it forgotten! Therefore, David knowing this, that God’s glory is great in His Sons salvation, rejoices for the honor and majesty that He has placed upon Him/him.

Vs. 6 “For You have made him most blessed forever;

You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.”

David here then is speaking prophetically not just of himself, but far more importantly of God’s Son Jesus Christ who has received all of the Fathers Highest and Most Richest Blessings and Honor and Glory! Therefore, he is exceeding glad with His Presence, as are we!

Vs. 7 “For the king trusts in the Lord,

And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.”

Therefore, the king, our King, trusts in the Lord! For it was through the mercies of the Most High that he/He received His Help so that now he/He shall not be moved; even forever and ever from His exalted place.

Vs. 8-12 ⁸Your hand will find all Your enemies;

Your right hand will find those who hate You.

⁹You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;

The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath,

And the fire shall devour them.

¹⁰Their offspring You shall destroy from the earth,

And their descendants from among the sons of men.

¹¹For they intended evil against You;

They devised a plot which they are not able to perform.

¹²Therefore You will make them turn their back;

You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

Having obtained the Victory through the Lord, verses eight to twelve go on to describe the coming wrath and vengeance of the Lord Jesus Christ against all of His enemies. In His first visitation the Lord Jesus Christ came as the gentle Lamb of God to be slain for the sins of many. But now in His Second Coming Jesus Christ comes on a white horse with His robe dipped in blood to execute the fierce wrath of Almighty God (see Rev. 19:11-21). On that Day none of His enemies shall escape, and those who hate him will all be burned in the fire of His everlasting wrath (vs. 8-9). Even their offspring shall bear His vengeance, for they and their descendants who intended evil against Him shall be destroyed forever from among the sons of men (vs. 10-11) for God is not overcome, nor are His plans overthrown by man. For if Satan himself failed and continually fails in this, how much more than those who are his. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ will make them all turn their backs on His Day, even though they are now growing more and more emboldened to make war with Him, they will all retreat in terror when He draws His bow and aims His arrows toward their faces!

Vs. 13 “Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength!

We will sing and praise Your power.”

The Lord then will be exalted in His own strength, and all of us who have escaped the wrath to come will sing and praise His power forever!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 20 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 ¹May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;

May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

²May He send you help from the sanctuary,

And strengthen you out of Zion;

³May He remember all your offerings,

And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah

⁴May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,

And fulfill all your purpose.

⁵We will rejoice in your salvation,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

⁶Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand.

⁷Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

⁸They have bowed down and fallen;

But we have risen and stand upright.

⁹Save, Lord!

May the King answer us when we call.

Preamble: This Psalm is much like the priestly prayer that God gave to Moses in the wilderness that Aaron and his sons were to pray over the people (see Num. 6:22-27), it has then that most noble air about it.  

Commentary

Vs. 1 “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;

May the name of the God of Jacob defend you”

It is then a prayer that one certainly could pray over the congregation, or anyone in their time of need. Now as to it, it must be the Lord whom we seek in day of our trouble; for truly the help of man is useless apart from Him (Psalm 60:11; 108:12). Therefore, it is by God’s Name, His Name first given and known to Jacob (i.e., Israel the nation) and now known to us all through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ that we are to call upon in the day of our trouble. Therefore, praying in the Lord Jesus Christ’s Name is foundational to having the God of Jacob hear and defend us.

 Vs. 2 “May He send you help from the sanctuary,

And strengthen you out of Zion”

The help that we seek then is not mans, but the Lord’s Divine Intervention. Therefore, we pray that He may send help to us from His Heavenly Sanctuary, and that He may strengthen us out of Zion (i.e., His dwelling place here amongst us on earth). Thus, by His Divine Intervention and Power we seek only His Help and Deliverance!

Vs. 3 “May He remember all your offerings,

And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah”

Truly Lord we pray that You will accept all of our offerings, all of our offerings of worship and praise and thanksgivings, as well as all of our monetary offerings given freely and joyfully to You!

Vs. 4 “May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,

And fulfill all your purpose.”

In concluding our prayer, we ask Lord that You grant us according to our hearts desires and that You fulfill all of our purposes in us when these align with Yours, so that You may fulfill all our purpose. For You have done all our works in us (Isaiah 26:2).

Vs. 5 “We will rejoice in your salvation,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!”

Having made our prayer and supplications to the Lord we will rejoice forever in His Salvation which He has so freely and graciously given us! Therefore, in the Name of our God, (and not in any other nation, any other name), we will set up our banners!

Vs. 6 “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand.”

Having then received His salvation I know that the Lord saves His anointed; that he will answer us from His holy heaven, and that by the saving strength of His right hand He will deliver us from the wrath to come (Luke 3:7; 1 Thess. 1:10).

Vs. 7 “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

Truly some trust in chariots, and some in horses (in their military might), but we will remember the name of the Lord our God, for it is by His Name that we are saved!

Vs. 8 “They have bowed down and fallen;

But we have risen and stand upright.”

Indeed, at the consummation of all things, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns and makes war with His enemies, they will all bow down and fall, never to rise again, (Rev. 19:11-20:15), but we who believe in Him will rise and stand upright with Him forever (Rev. 21:1-22:5)!

Vs. 9 “Save, Lord!

May the King answer us when we call.”

Therefore, in full assurance of our future we can all pray to the Lord to save us, to answer us when we call to Him! 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.