John Calvin Commentary Psalms 21:8

"Thy hand will find out all thine enemies; Thy right hand will find out those that hate thee." — Psalms 21:8 (ASV)

Your hand shall find. Until now, the internal happiness of the kingdom has been described. Now follows, as was necessary, the celebration of its invincible strength against its enemies. What is said in this verse has the same meaning as if the king had been declared victorious over all his enemies.

I have just remarked that such a statement is not superfluous; for it would not have been enough for the kingdom to have flourished internally, and to have been replenished with peace, riches, and an abundance of all good things, if it had not also been well fortified against the attacks of foreign enemies.

This particularly applies to the kingdom of Christ, which is never without enemies in this world. True, it is not always assailed by open war, and it is sometimes granted a period of respite.

But the ministers of Satan never lay aside their malice and desire to do mischief; therefore, they never cease to plot and to endeavor to accomplish the overthrow of Christ’s kingdom. It is well for us that our King, who lifts up his hand as a shield before us to defend us, is stronger than all.

Since the Hebrew word מצא, matsa, which is twice repeated and which we have translated to find, sometimes signifies to suffice; and since, in the first clause, the letter ל, lamed, which signifies for, or against, is prefixed to the word כל, kal, which signifies all, while this letter ל is not prefixed to the Hebrew word rendered those that hate you; some expositors, because of this diversity, explain the verse as if it had been said: Your hand shall be able for all your enemies; your right hand shall find out those that hate you. Thus the sentence will ascend by degrees, — Your hand shall be able to withstand; your right hand shall lay hold upon your enemies, so that they shall not escape destruction.