How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord! He shouts with joy because you give him victory. For you have given him his heart’s desire; you have withheld nothing he requested. Interlude You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you. You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The Lord will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them. You will wipe their children from the face of the earth; they will never have descendants. Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed. For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them. Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
Psalms 21:1-13 NLT
The psalms cover the whole range of human emotion – from the terrible moments to the best of times. This psalm is a song of praise on a great day. David was rejoicing on a day of victory, honor, and success. He had asked for protection in battle, and the Lord had granted victory and a safe return. David didn’t take all the credit but took time to glorify the Lord, the source of all that is good.
God wants us to be confident but not arrogant. How you respond when you are winning is a good indicator of how your heart is. Some people only pray when life os terrible or they need help. This can come from a faulty theology of not wanting to bother the Everlasting God or simply laziness. But when we stop glorifying God for the good, soon we believe we are the givers of the good. Don’t make this mistake. Praising God in the problems gives you a different perspective. Praise the Lord in the good and bad times, in the sunshine and the storms.
As you look back on your life—whether the last decade or last week—how has God been with you every step of the way? Why is it so important to praise the Lord in the good times?
