Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 21:1-6

Matthew Henry Commentary

Psalms 21:1-6

1662–1714
Presbyterian
Matthew Henry
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry Commentary

Psalms 21:1-6

1662–1714
Presbyterian
SCRIPTURE

"The king shall joy in thy strength, O Jehovah; And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart`s desire, And hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah For thou meetest him with the blessings of goodness: Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head. He asked life of thee, thou gavest it him, Even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy salvation: Honor and majesty dost thou lay upon him. For thou makest him most blessed for ever: Thou makest him glad with joy in thy presence." — Psalms 21:1-6 (ASV)

Happy the people whose king makes God's strength his confidence, and God's salvation his joy; who is pleased with all the advancements of God's kingdom, and trusts God to support him in all he does for its service. All our blessings are blessings of goodness, and are owing, not to any merit of ours, but only to God's goodness. But when God's blessings come sooner, and prove richer than we imagine; when they are given before we prayed for them, before we were ready for them, indeed, when we feared the contrary; then it may be truly said that He preceded us with them, or went before us with them.

Nothing indeed preceded, or went before Christ, but for mankind, never was any favour more anticipatory than our redemption by Christ. You have made Him to be a universal, everlasting blessing to the world, in whom the families of the earth are, and shall be blessed; and so You have made Him exceedingly glad with the favour You have shown to His undertaking, and to Him in carrying it out. The Spirit of prophecy rises from what related to the king, to that which is peculiar to Christ; no one else is blessed forever, much less a blessing forever.