Read here first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+21&version=NIV
I would say this is another intercessory psalm and prayer. It’s in a sense praising the king and praying for him. It starts by talking about all the great things God has done for him- longevity, victory in battle, a crown, blessings. I could easily say similar things- I’m thankful for my health, life, home, continued longevity in ministry perhaps not in life yet, but still most folks don’t seem to last that long in the youth ministry world.
It even switches at one point into praying and asking for God to have victory. Which in a sense seems silly. We know God will have victory. But the last couple psalms have made we wonder should we be praying for God? It would make sense to do so but it feels wrong. How could we contribute to making God somehow better? Yet the idea of caring for God does make sense.
There’s a difficult passage about destroying enemies. If this is a psalm for David it seems out of place but understandable in his position. It’s not the same as asking for the death of my enemies: Comcast, verizon, and robots in phone trees who put me on hold in the wrong phone space. But psalms also can be prayers that focus on Jesus and his prayer for the church. Do we want Jesus to defeat his enemies of sin, death, and our sinful selves? Well yes. That makes this more palpatable. But before when it discusses joys, golden crowns, and endless victories I’m not certain you can say that about Jesus 3 years of earthly ministry.
Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
we will sing and praise your might.
That’s a simple prayer for God. May God be made known throughout the earth- is a prayer for God but also for the earth. I would say most praise songs have some version of this prayer- be exalted in me- be praised by all I do. Those are prayers for God and they’re prayers that change us. So this isn’t as uncommon as I was thinking.
So perhaps the best thing to do is end in prayer- God may you be glorified may you be known and praised by all on earth. May you do that in some small way through me. Amen!
Marking It Up 