Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 21:6

"For thou makest him most blessed for ever: Thou makest him glad with joy in thy presence." — Psalms 21:6 (ASV)

For thou hast made him most blessed for ever - Margin, as in Hebrew, “set him” to be “blessings.” The expression in our translation, as it is now commonly understood, would mean that God had made him “happy” or “prosperous.” This does not seem to be the sense of the original. The idea is that he had made him a blessing to mankind or to the world, or that he had made him a source of blessing to others. Blessings would descend through him; and though in the consciousness of this fact he would be “happy,” and in that sense be “blessed,” yet the idea is rather that blessings would be imparted or scattered through him.

Blessings would abound to others through his own reign; blessings through the reigns of those who would succeed him on the throne; blessings would be imparted to people as far as the meaning of the promise extended, that is, forever (Psalms 21:4). The word “forever” here undoubtedly, as it was used by the Spirit of inspiration, was designed to refer to the eternal blessings which would descend on mankind through the Messiah, the illustrious descendant of David. How far David himself understood this is not a crucial question. He was undoubtedly directed by the Spirit of inspiration to use language that would fairly and properly express this. It is right, therefore, for us to regard it this way and to interpret and apply it accordingly.

Thou hast made him exceeding glad - Margin, as in Hebrew, “gladded him with joy.” The Hebrew phrase means, as it is expressed in our translation, that he had been made very glad or very happy. The favors of God to him, both in his protection and in the promises that had been made concerning the future, were such as to make him happy in the highest degree.

With thy countenance - With your favor. By lifting the light of your countenance upon him; or, as we would express it, by “smiling” upon him. See the notes at (Psalms 4:6).