How can we reconcile God's love with His judgment in Psalm 21:10? Psalm 21:10 in Context • Psalm 21 celebrates God’s answer to the king’s prayers for victory. • Verse 10 declares: “You will wipe their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from the sons of men.” • The statement describes God’s decisive judgment on those who persistently oppose Him and His anointed king. God’s Love and Judgment Share the Same Foundation • God’s character is indivisible; love and holiness flow from the same heart (Exodus 34:6-7). • Love without justice would tolerate evil, contradicting God’s holiness. • Justice without love would be arbitrary, contradicting God’s goodness. • Psalm 21:10 shows a God who loves righteousness so deeply that He must confront unrepentant evil. Love Demands Protection and Justice • Love protects the innocent (Psalm 136:10-16; Romans 12:19). • By judging David’s enemies, God preserves Israel’s covenant line through which salvation comes for the world. • In family terms, a father’s love compels him to stop a threat to his children; God’s judgment operates on the same principle. Judgment as a Severe Mercy • Persistent rebels are “cut off” to halt the spread of wickedness (Psalm 1:4-6). • Such final judgment underlines the seriousness of sin and drives all people toward repentance (2 Peter 3:9). • The warning itself is an act of mercy, offering time to turn before judgment falls. The Cross: Where Both Meet • At Calvary, God’s love is displayed: “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) • At the same moment, His judgment is poured out on sin (Isaiah 53:5-6). • The king celebrated in Psalm 21 finds ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who now offers forgiveness but will also return “in righteousness to judge and wage war.” (Revelation 19:11) Living in the Tension Today • Trust the Lord’s timing—He is “slow to anger” but will not leave sin unpunished. • Rejoice in His protection; His judgment secures the future of His people. • Share the gospel urgently, knowing that God’s love has made a way of escape before His final judgment arrives (John 3:16-18). |
    |