S167P1 – Sources of joy: his presence
Psa. 21:1-7
The king shall have joy in Your strength, O LORD; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. He asked life from You, and You gave it to him— length of days forever and ever. His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence. For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.
We know from the scriptures that this Psalm is one which was written by David. The perspective is not known, but there are at least two theories. The first is that David wrote this as a type of prophetic speech, which was common in the ancient world. This would have been a speech spoken over a king who was about to enter some battle or conflict as a way of encouraging him. A second theory is that David wrote this Psalm to tell of his own experience as king. In that context, it would have been a song of praise for what the Lord had done for him. Whatever his reason for composing it, David tells us something rather compelling about the king’s joy here.
This king received a lot from the Lord. He received victories, which gave him joy. He receved rich blessings, which might be a reference to financial fortune. He received a crown of gold placed upon his head. He received a long life of days which go on forever. He received splendor and majesty and undending blessings. While these are a great source of joy for the king, there is another source which is mentioned after all these but which is no less valuable. The king was made glad with the joy of the Lord’s presence. Despite receiving so much, the king still found joy just being before God. Even someone as great and mighty as the king of the land knew the privilege and honor it is to come before the Lord.
We are in the Christmas season, and many of us are scurrying around trying to find the perfect gifts for those we love. If you were buying a gift for a king such as the one described here, you might think that nothing would be nice enough. You might think that someone so successful and grand could not possibly be pleased or impressed with anything you have to offer. Yet, despite his riches and success, this king understood the real root of his pleasure. Great joy was not found in the presents from the giver but in the presence of the giver. Father, give us the discipline and desire to take time in your presence, learning to find joy in just being with You.