Psalm 21

Verses 1-7...

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.

This psalm and the one I'll read next (Psalm 20) together form form a pair of royal psalms. ESV Study Bible: "Psalm 20 is a prayer that God will give success to the Davidic king, particularly in battle. Psalm 21 gives thanks to God for answering the request of Psalm 20."

These words highlight a righteous ruler... and while we may not find many of those today, we look to Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the king described in this psalm.

Spurgeon: "The rejoicing of our risen Lord must, like His agony, be unutterable. If the mountains of His joy rise in proportion to the depth of the valleys of his grief, then His sacred bliss is high as the seventh heaven. For the joy which was set before Him as He endured the cross, despising the shame, and now that joy daily grows, for He rests in His love and rejoices over His redeemed with singing, as in due order they are brought to find their salvation in His blood."