Table of Contents
Psalm 21
Psalm 21
1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
3 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
5 His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
7 For the king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
10 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
11 For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
12 Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
13 Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.
Notes
Cross Reference
Concordance
Commentary
Rashi
Verse 2
<html><b>may the king rejoice with Your strength</b> Our Rabbis (Mid. Ps. 21:1) interpreted it as referring to the King Messiah, but the matter may correctly be interpreted further as referring to David himself, in order to refute the sectarians, who became bold because of it.</html>
Verse 3
<html><b>and the speech of</b> Heb. וארשת, an expression of speech, which has no similar word. Menachem (p. 167), however, brought a [word] similar to it (Ezra 3:7): “by the authorization (ברשיון) of Cyrus, king of Persia.”</html>
Verse 4
<html><b>For You have preceded him with the blessings of the good man</b> Before I asked You, You preceded me with Your blessing through Nathan the prophet (in II Sam. 7:12f.): “then I will raise up your seed…and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” <b>You have placed a gold crown on his head</b> (As in II Sam. 12:30): “And he took the crown of Malkam…and it was [set] upon David’s head.”</html>
Verse 5
<html><b>He asked You for life</b> As I fled outside the Holy Land from before Saul, I would pray, “May I walk before the Lord in the lands of the living” (below 116:9). <b>You gave it to him</b> For You restored me to the land of Israel. <b>length of days</b> to his kingdom, for You said, “and I will establish the throne of your (sic) kingdom forever” (II Sam. 7:13).</html>
Verse 6
<html><b>You place</b> Heb. תשוה Menachem (p. 171) interpreted: תשוה, תשים, and תשית have the same meaning.</html>
Verse 7
<html><b>You shall make him happy</b> Heb. תחדהו, an expression of חדוה, joy. <b>before You</b> in Paradise. Our Rabbis, who interpreted it as referring to the King Messiah, brought proof on that matter (from Dan. 7: 13): “and came to the Ancient of days and brought him near before Him.” Scripture also states (in Jer. 30:21): “and I will bring him near, and he shall approach Me.”</html>
Verse 8
<html><b>that he should not falter</b> And he trusts in the loving-kindness of the Most High that he should not falter.</html>
Verse 9
<html><b>Your hand shall suffice for all Your enemies</b> All the smiting of Your hand that You have to bring, bring upon Your enemies.</html>
Verse 10
<html><b>at the time of Your anger</b> Heb. פניך, at the time of Your fury. <b>destroy them with His wrath</b> This is a prayer.</html>
Verse 11
<html><b>You shall destroy their fruit from the earth</b> He prays to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He destroy the descendants of the wicked Esau.</html>
Verse 12
<html><b>For they have directed evil against You</b> [This was said] regarding the wicked Titus, who said that he had killed Him. <b>that they cannot</b> execute.</html>
Verse 13
<html><b>For You shall place them as a portion</b> For You shall place them as a portion, that Israel will divide their money, as it is stated (in Isa. 23:18): “And her commerce and her hire shall be…” <b>with Your bowstrings You shall set toward their faces</b> With the strings of Your bows, You shall aim Your arrows at their faces.</html>
Verse 14
<html><b>Exalt Yourself, O Lord, with Your strength</b> over those who rise up [against You], and let us sing and chant.</html>