Psalm 21: Get Victory and Triumph From God Now. In Psalm 20, the king and his men were about to embark upon a military campaign against a foreign enemy, the people and the king prayed for success, and the key to the psalm was written in verse 7, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.’
Psalm 21 may have been written as a companion to Psalm 20. The first was a psalm of supplication, and the second was a song of victory. The battle had been fought, and God’s people were victorious. The faith of the people had been vindicated. Once again, for many people, there does not seem to be any kind of direct application that can be made from the psalm. However, this psalm, and its message, does have a bearing upon the lives of Christians today. That application can be seen in two ways.
Psalm 21: Get Victory and Triumph From God Now.
First, every Christian faces struggles with life that are very similar to the battles that armies have, and do, face. Part of the struggle is internal. Earthly, or worldly, natures are in continual conflict with the spiritual orientation that comes in Christ. Like Paul, God’s children often cry put in prayer, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Pain yet victory. What Christian has not experienced that?
In addition to the internal battles, Christians face hostility in the world as well. Stand firm, believers! The malevolent forces of darkness, orchestrated by the prince of this world, relentlessly oppose those who walk in union with Christ. The New Testament resounds with urgent calls for vigilance: Stay watchful, be ready, and persist in unwavering faith until the very end. Satan is constantly probing for weaknesses in Christians’ faith. Once he finds it, he strikes!
Psalm 21: Get Victory and Triumph From God Now.
But, as in the time of David, Christians trust, we trust, in the name of the Lord our God. We know that, in Him, we will have to do battle in this life, but we also know that in Him we will be victorious. In Christ, the victory is already won! Our responsibility, as Christians, is to love our Lord, show that love working in our lives, apply His instructions to our lives, and persevere until His return. Rise up, warriors! The battle rages on, but in Christ Jesus, we claim victory. Psalm 21 unveils this foundational truth: We fight, we conquer, and we triumph.
The second point has to do with prayer, and the desire of our hearts. In Psalm 21, the people said to the Lord, “You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips”. One of the most important powers we have is the power of prayer. At the same time, what God sees in our prayers is the desire of our hearts.
What makes a good prayer? Some Christians are reluctant to pray, because they “aren’t good at it”. Still other Christians seem to be able to lead a very polished prayer without too much effort. But what determines a good prayer? The key is what is in our heart. Listen closely, believers! Jesus and the New Testament authors consistently emphasized that the condition of our hearts holds the key to effective prayer.
It’s not mere words or rituals; it’s the genuine posture of our hearts that unlocks the door to heaven. James wrote, “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Psalm 21: Get Victory and Triumph From God Now.
Yes, Psalm 21 has a very definite application today. Prayer, our requests to the Lord, must be based upon trust and the real desire of a godly heart. Rejoice, believers! As our prayers find their answers, it becomes our joyful duty to raise our voices in exuberant praise and heartfelt thanksgiving to God. Many will pray as a final desperate act. Yet, when the prayer is answered, the Lord is quickly forgotten.
As the New Testament scriptures have clearly shown, those in Christ are already the victors. Therefore, much of our lives and prayers should be an expression of Thanksgiving. As Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
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