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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 21 To the end. A psalm of David. [1004] fter that famous and illustrious victory and the unseen destruction of the Assyrians, blessed Hezekiah fell ill. Learning from the prophet Isaiah that he would die, he appeased God with his hot tears and gained release from the illness, and received a promise of fifteen years of life. Once again, therefore, the divine David wrote this psalm in the person of the people, singing the praise of God for the king’s health.1 (2) Lord, in your power the king will be glad, and will rejoice exceedingly in your salvation. You have given him his heart’s desire, and did not deprive him of the request of his lips (vv. 1–2). Being powerful and loving, he says, you received our king’s prayer favorably, and granted him all his requests—or, rather, you gave him gifts beyond his requests, as he said further: Because you anticipated him with blessings of goodness, you set on his head a crown of precious stone (v. 3): without being asked you awarded kingship to him, adorning his head with the royal crown out of your peculiar generosity. (3) He asked life of you, and you gave him length of days forever (v. 4). He received what he asked, the psalmist is saying, and gained life for which he longed. The word forever, you see, indicates also the future life prepared for the saints, which is indestructible.2 141 1. Modern commentators differ as to the occasion of the psalm, generally seeing it relating to military victory. Theodoret, while resembling this approach in connecting it to the incidents of 2 Kings 20, differs from them in focusing on Hezekiah’s recovery from illness—and, as before, keeps his commentary very brief. 2. We have noted Theodoret’s readiness to credit the Old Testament with an eschatology generally considered typical rather of New Testament thought—Dahood being a notorious exception, and in his commentary endorsing comments like these of Theodoret. Thanks to your salvation his glory is wonderful; you endowed him with glory and magnificence (v. 5): you not only granted him salvation but also made him illustrious and exalted, and as well a cause of wonder both for the amazing death of the enemies and for the sun’s moving backwards. Now, this became so well known everywhere on land and sea that the king of the Babylonians sent gifts to those who once upon a time gave gifts to the Assyrians, suspecting that it was on account of Hezekiah that the sun did this or had it done to it, prompted by the sign of the Assyrians’ death.3 (4) Because you gave him blessing forever; you will gladden him with joy in your presence (v. 6). He will be famous in all generations , the psalmist is saying, and on everybody’s lips for the great degree of [1005] confidence he enjoys with you. Symmachus in fact put “before your presence” for in your presence; so his meaning is that he will have joy and constant satisfaction by winning your presence, that is, your favor. Now, his trust in you was responsible for this: the psalmist said as much by adding, Because the king hopes in the Lord, and by the mercy of the Most High he will not be moved (v. 7): by enjoying your grace he is stronger than those at war with him, yet he enjoys it through trusting not in any human being but in your hope. (5) Let your hand be found on all your foes; may your right hand find all those who hate you (v. 8). Symmachus said this more clearly : “Your hand will lay hold of all your foes; your right hand will find all those who hate you.” Now, these words are consistent with the theme: the king’s trust in your hope was not idle but arose from his knowledge that your right hand is stronger than all the enemies and will both lay hold of the swiftest and succeed in undoing the strongest. Right hand and hand once again mean “operation.” Because you will set them like a baking pan of fire at the time of your appearance. The Lord in his wrath will confound them and fire will consume them. You will destroy their fruit from the earth and their seed from the sons of men (vv. 9–10). It is easy for you to ignite 142 THEODORET...

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