Psalm 21:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.

NIV: When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.

NASB: You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger; The Lord will swallow them up in His wrath, And fire will devour them.

CSB: You will make them burn like a fiery furnace when you appear; the Lord will engulf them in his wrath, and fire will devour them.

NLT: You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The Lord will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger; The Lord shall swallow them up in His wrath, And the fire shall devour them.

The assembled people expect David to overcome his enemies as thoroughly as a furnace burns its fuel. The congregation sees this devouring of David's enemies as an act of the Lord. They state that the Lord will execute His wrath on the enemies and consume them.

Fire is a common biblical metaphor for the judgment of God. Psalm 89:46 describes the Lord's wrath as burning like fire. Psalm 97:3 says, "Fire goes before [the Lord] and burns up his adversaries all around." Using similar language, Malachi assures us: "Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch" (Malachi 4:1).

At the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–15) all unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire. Those who spurn God's offer of salvation and reject the Savior will perish (John 3:16–18).

Psalm 21:8–13 contains the people's address to King David. They express their confidence that he will win future battles because they believe the Lord will swallow up his enemies. This section is similar to the closing section of Psalm 20. Psalm 18:50, 2 Samuel 7:16, and Genesis 12:1–3 guarantee the continuance of the nation of Israel and David's descendants. Psalm 21 ends with a swelling chorus of praise.

Psalm 21 opens and closes with praise to the Lord for the strength He gave David and his army for gaining a victory over the enemy. In verses 1–7 David and the people extol God for answering their prayer and for giving David rich blessings. They rejoice in knowing the Lord is present, and they express their trust in the Lord. They feel safe knowing the Lord's love is unfailing. The people of the congregation voice their assurance that King David will defeat his enemies. David's enemies may plan evil and devise mischief against him, but they will not succeed. David will rout them, and his arrows will strike them. The closing verse of Psalm 21 is a prayer by David and the congregation—it is also a pledge to sing and praise the Lord God for His power.

This psalm is likely a follow-up to Psalm 20. In Psalm 20 the congregation of Israel and David prayed for victory in an upcoming battle. Psalm 21 offers thanks for the victory and expresses David's joy over the strength from the Lord that secured the victory. David also anticipates victory in future encounters. Second Samuel 7:4–16 contains the covenant God made with David.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/8/2024 4:56:45 PM