The Pilgrim Path---Psalm 21: 7-9

"For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. 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."

Remember: Psalms 20 and 21 form a beautiful couplet. In Psalm 20, the people pray with the King before he goes to Battle (they anticipate victory because of the faithfulness of the LORD). In Psalm 21, the victory is achieved---there is great rejoicing in the LORD'S power.

As the late Dr. James Boice summarized Psalm 21:

1. 1-6: "victories celebrated"
2. 7--an amazing "bridge" of Covenant Contemplation
3. 8-13: "future victories anticipated"

Hear the Scottish Preacher, Alexander Maclaren on verse 7: "These daring anticipations are too exuberant to be realized in any but ONE, whose victory was achieved in the hour of apparent defeat; whose conquest was both his salvation and God's; who prays knowing that he is always heard; who is King of men because he endured the Cross---and wears the Crown of pure gold because he did not refuse the crown of thorns; who liveth forevermore, having been given by the Father life in himself; who is the outshining of the Father's glory, and has all power granted unto him; who is the source of all blessing to all, who dwells in the joy to which he will welcome his servants; and who himself lived and conquered by the life of faith, and so became the first leader of the long line of those who have trusted and have stood fast."

The sobering words of verses 8 and 9---need never be forgotten: He will find His enemies---and swallow them up in His wrath. This is what "salvation" is about---being spared "from" the wrath of God. The Living Christ will punish those who reject His holiness, His righteousness, His Truth and His Way. The Lord Jesus Christ mentioned Hell four times, for every one time---that he mentioned Heaven. The reason being: He does not want you to sink to eternal woe in Hell. The Lord Jesus took the last verse of the Book of Isaiah, and joined it with his Jewish hearers awareness of the trash being burned outside of Jerusalem in a certain valley, to paint a picture of a place of endless torment and utter unimaginable anguish that lasts forever. Jesus is the Savior---because sin against an Eternal God must be paid for eternally. Ponder that Gospel reality. Before time began, Jesus agreed with the Father---to pay for "all" the sins of His own---in His "own" Body and Soul upon the Cross. Is there any wonder that John Newton called his famous hymn, "Amazing Grace?"

Let people know that this is the time of "grace"---in which they may come to the Lord---and conduct their soul business with Jesus the Savior. He came to "call" sinners to Himself---tell people this. He did not come for righteous people...He gladly receives broken, repentant people--- who come to Him in faith...

Matthew Henry: "They shall not only be cast into a furnace of fire (Matthew 13: 42), but he shall make them themselves as a fiery oven or furnace, they shall be their own tormentors, the reflections and terrors of their own consciences will be their hell. Those that might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him, fought against him, even the remembrance of that will be enough to make them to eternity a fiery oven to themselves."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "Who would have the Son of God to be his enemy when such an overthrow awaits his foes? There is a day of vengeance of our God; let those who despise the day of grace remember this day of wrath."

"Lord, I praise you for being a God of justice, who will not let any wrongdoing go unaddressed or unpunished. Instead of being angry at those who wrong me, let me be compassionate, praying that they find your mercy through repentance. Amen." Tim Keller

Jesus, Lord of life and glory, bend from heaven thy gracious ear;

While our waiting souls adore thee, Friend of helpless sinners, hear;

By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord.

In our weary hours of sickness,

In our times of grief and pain,

When we feel our mortal weakness,

When the creature's help is vain,

By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord.

In the solemn hour of dying,

In the awful Judgment Day,

May our souls, on thee relying,

Find thee still our rock and stay:

By thy mercy, O deliver us, good Lord.

James J. Cummins (1839)

Grace and Peace in Jesus Our LORD, Pastor Jason