Psalm 21 (20):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The gift of grace The gift of experiencing good works is the grace of God within us, which brings us joy and incites in us a longing—namely, a love—for what He commands. Were it not for the Lord guiding us in this way, it would not only be impossible for such desires to arise but they would never even come into existence. Without grace, we are unable to take action, whether at the beginning or the end, for it is written, "His mercy goes before me" concerning the beginning, and "His mercy will follow me" regarding the conclusion.

The congregation of the Church, encompassing individuals from diverse nations, represents the Lord's crown, as Paul expresses when he refers to the faithful as ‘My joy and my crown’ (Phlp 4:1).

You have gone before him with a blessing of goodness, and you have placed a crown of pure stone upon his head; for you have bestowed upon him a kingdom that he did not seek, and in your generosity, you have adorned him with a royal diadem.

You have cautioned him with your gracious blessings. The Lord declares that you provided warnings, and even before the king began to inquire, you frequently granted him favor. The blessings of goodness must refer to the grace given by God to Hezekiah. You have adorned his head with a crown of noble gemstones, where He reflects on the kindnesses bestowed upon Hezekiah by the Almighty. Above all, He was gifted the crown of kingship to beautify his head. St. Cyril intriguingly notes that this word is associated with David, who, after triumphing over the Ammonites, claimed the crown of their king Melchom, as detailed in 2 Samuel 12. According to Cyril, Melchom was an idol of the Ammonites. David took one precious gem from this crown and added it to his own.

In expressing, "For Thou hast met," it indicates that humanity is perpetually embellished with heavenly grace, as it has been bestowed upon it. No one would have presented anything to Him initially had it not been acknowledged as good through divine favor.

Some interpret these statements as referring to David's ultimate triumph over foreign nations, suggesting that the crown mentioned pertains to the king of Ammon and is connected to sacred history. However, this view lacks foundation, as it undermines the honor that the Holy Spirit attributes to the kingdom of Israel, which is described as enjoying lasting prosperity. Additionally, there is no doubt that David's reflections extended beyond himself to his descendants, culminating in Christ, and he recognized the enduring favor of God over the preservation of this kingdom. The words spoken were not meant for David alone: “I will be his father, and he shall be my son” (2 Sam.

God the Father bestowed His blessing upon the Son from eternity, having consecrated His incarnation long before it occurred, as He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the spotless womb of the Blessed Virgin. Upon His birth, He was without sin, and there was no deceit in His words (1 Pet. 2:22). By embracing death, God the Father adorned Him with glory and honor. The essence of His majesty is comprised of many virtues.

The longing of his heart you have fulfilled, and the requests of his lips you have not withheld from him. For you have gone before him with a gracious blessing. You, O Lord, have afflicted him, as your beloved, with an outpouring of the sweetest gifts, prepared for him by your love. You have placed upon his head a crown of precious stones. This alludes to the crown of the Ammonite king, which was awarded to David after his victory (2 Samuel 12:30); yet, as David symbolizes Christ the King, it also signifies the crown of everlasting glory bestowed upon the Son of God, who triumphed over death and hell, according to his humanity (Hebrews 2:9).