Praise the Lord
By Sarah Ivill, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
Psalm 21:13
This week we are looking at times in our lives when our view of God has been too small. Circumstances seemed insurmountable and we were tempted to forget that the Lord is a mighty warrior on our behalf. The darkness seemed to consume us and we forgot the Lord is our Shepherd who protects and provides. Or we treated the Lord as too familiar. The glory we were chasing kept us from acknowledging His glory. We forgot to worship Him as the Warrior King, the Shepherd King, and the Glorious King. Psalms 20-25 powerfully remind us that the King on the throne is fiercer than we imagined, kinder than we thought, and more glorious than we can ever fathom. Equipped with such truths, we will face enmity with an eternal perspective, and be comforted by the King who keeps us from falling. Today, we will focus on Psalm 21.
O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.
For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever.
His glory is great through your salvation;
splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
For you make him most blessed forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the LORD,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.
You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.
You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
and their offspring from among the children of man.
Though they plan evil against you,
though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
For you will put them to flight;
you will aim at their faces with your bows.
Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.
Psalm 21 speaks of blessings for the king on the day of victory. The prayer David and Israel prayed in Psalm 20 is now answered. You can hear the victory chant as the people proclaim thanksgiving. Six things are noteworthy about their praise. First, it is the Lord’s strength and salvation in which they rejoice. Second, it is the Lord who has heard and heeded their supplication. Third, it is the Lord who secures the king. Fourth, it is the Lord who sustains the king. Fifth, it is the Lord who gives the king splendor. Finally, it is the Lord who is steadfast in his relationship with the king.
Ultimately, it is the final and perfect Davidic king, Jesus Christ, who will find out all God’s enemies and judge them. His strength and power will be displayed when he returns to judge the living and the dead. As those who are in Christ, our hearts should swell with thanksgiving for His strength and salvation. We should also praise God for answering our prayers. Regardless of how He answers, we can trust our loving, compassionate Father to always do what is best. Also, in the midst of insecurity, we can rejoice that God protects and preserves us. He provides our daily needs. During times of repentance, we can rejoice that we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And when we feel unworthy, we can praise God for His steadfast love toward us. Praise God that though our battle against the world, the devil, and our own flesh seems long, there is a victorious end. When Christ returns He will make all things new.
PRAYER
Father, forgive us for our unthankfulness. Today help us to praise You for Your strength and salvation, Your protection and preservation, Your sustaining grace and righteousness, and Your steadfast love towards us. Amen.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.