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Psalm 21

Thanksgiving for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

In your strength the king rejoices, O L ord,

and in your help how greatly he exults!

You have given him his heart’s desire,

and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

For you meet him with rich blessings;

you set a crown of fine gold on his head.

He asked you for life; you gave it to him—

length of days forever and ever.

His glory is great through your help;

splendor and majesty you bestow on him.

You bestow on him blessings forever;

you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

For the king trusts in the L ord,

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 like a fiery furnace

when you appear.

The L ord will swallow them up in his wrath,

and fire will consume them.

You will destroy their offspring from the earth,

and their children from among humankind.

If they plan evil against you,

if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

For you will put them to flight;

you will aim at their faces with your bows.

Be exalted, O L ord, in your strength!

We will sing and praise your power.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

12. For thou wilt set them as a butt. As the Hebrew word שכם, shekem, which we have rendered a butt, properly signifies a shoulder, some understand it in that sense here, and explain the sentence thus: Their heads shall be smitten with heavy blows, so that having their bodies bended, their shoulders shall appear sticking out. According to these interpreters, the subjugation of the enemies of God is here metaphorically pointed out. But there is another explanation which is more generally received even among the Jewish expositors, namely, that God will shut them up in some corner, and there keep them from doing mischief; ⁴⁹²⁴⁹²     Kimchi and others read, “Thou wilt put them into a corner;” which has been understood in this sense, “Thou wilt thrust them into a corner, and then direct thine arrows against their faces.” — See Poole’s Synopsis Criticorum. and they take this view, because the Hebrew word שכם, shekem, is often used to denote a corner, quarter, or place. As, however, the sacred writer, in the clause immediately following, represents God as furnished with a bow, ready to shoot his arrows directly in their faces, I have no doubt that, continuing his metaphor, he compares them to a butt, or mound of earth, on which it is customary to plant the mark which is aimed at, and thus the sense will flow very naturally thus: Lord, thou wilt make them as it were a butt against which to shoot thine arrows. ⁴⁹³⁴⁹³     This is the view taken by Ainsworth, Castellio, Cocceius, Diodati, Dathe, Horsley, and Fry. Horsley translates the verse thus:—
   “Truly thou shalt make them a butt for thine arrows;
Thou shalt take a steady aim against them.”
   “I take,” says he, “כונך, [the word which he translates a steady aim,] to be a technical term of archery, to express the act of taking aim at a particular object.” In our English version it is, Therefore thou shalt make them turn their backs.” In defense of this sense of שכם, shekem, see Merrick’s Annotations. Gesenius takes the word in the same sense. Literally, “thy bow-string.” The great object which the Psalmist has in view is doubtless to teach us to exercise patience, until God, at the fit time, bring the ungodly to their end.

⁴⁹² Kimchi and others read, “Thou wilt put them into a corner;” which has been understood in this sense, “Thou wilt thrust them into a corner, and then direct thine arrows against their faces.” — See Poole’s Synopsis Criticorum.

⁴⁹³ This is the view taken by Ainsworth, Castellio, Cocceius, Diodati, Dathe, Horsley, and Fry. Horsley translates the verse thus:— “Truly thou shalt make them a butt for thine arrows; Thou shalt take a steady aim against them.” “I take,” says he, “כונך, [the word which he translates a steady aim,] to be a technical term of archery, to express the act of taking aim at a particular object.” In our English version it is, Therefore thou shalt make them turn their backs.” In defense of this sense of שכם, shekem, see Merrick’s Annotations. Gesenius takes the word in the same sense. Literally, “thy bow-string.”