Psalm: Lesson 10

Overview

Royal Psalms and the Shape of Godly Leadership

The royal psalms—those that depict and celebrate the life of the king—offer a striking portrait of what biblical leadership looks like. They begin not with technique or charisma, but with dependence. In Psalm 21:1-7, David rejoices not in his own strength but in the Lord's. True leadership is rooted in followership: the leader who would lead others well must first follow God, recognizing radical dependence upon Him and the all-encompassing nature of His rule. Scripture describes this rule in three movements—His kingdom of power over all the earth Psalm 66:7, His kingdom of grace over the church through Christ as her head Colossians 1:18, and His kingdom of glory into which we will be richly welcomed 2 Peter 1:11.

A godly leader also sees the exceeding gifts of God. When David asked for life, God answered with "length of days forever and ever"—pointing forward to the eternal life secured in the Messiah. This eternal vantage reframes every present circumstance. We may not receive every temporal blessing, but in Christ we have every spiritual blessing Ephesians 1, including life eternal. That allows the believer to say, even when prayers go unanswered as hoped, "Your will be done, because I know who You are and what You have already given me." A leader's past trust in God also teaches future trust Psalm 21:8-12. Like the memorial stones set up in Israel, we remember God's faithfulness in good times so that we are steadied in hard ones—and our consistency becomes a witness to those we lead.

Two further marks emerge from Psalm 132:1-5 and Psalm 72. First, the godly leader is consumed with bringing honor to God. David longed to build the temple, even though Solomon would be the one to complete it; what mattered was that God be glorified. We have an audience of One—the only question worth asking is whether our words and actions honor Him. Second, godly leadership pursues justice and righteousness, not mere pragmatism. The world says a leader is good if you can get what you want from them, regardless of character. Scripture insists that character always shapes the people being led, and pragmatism without righteousness eventually crumbles into a toxic exchange where leaders use people and people use leaders.

Finally, Psalm 72:17-19 holds out the leader as a channel of blessing—one through whom all nations might be blessed. This reshapes every relationship. Rather than asking, "What can I get from this person?" we ask, "How can I bless them?" A kind word to a coworker, an affirming exchange with a clerk at the checkout, attention to the human being rather than merely the function—these small acts reveal that we see people as God sees them. Wherever God has placed you to lead—family, workplace, neighborhood, congregation—rejoice in His strength, marvel at His exceeding gifts, trust Him through every season, pursue justice and righteousness in your character, and become a channel of His blessing to others. That is leadership lived for an audience of One.

Transcript

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time in your Word. 3s

We give you thanks for the God that you are. 7s

You rule your people in justice and love. 11s

We confess that we have not always followed your will nor acknowledged you. 15s

Thank you for your forgiveness for bringing us into your kingdom. 21s

Guide us in power us to trust and worship you in Jesus' name. 24s

Amen. 32s

Well, the Psalms class here will conclude today and what I'd like to do is I'd like to 33s

explore with you the subject of what is called royal Psalms in Scripture. 38s

I want to relate that to the subject of leadership. 46s

The Bible has much to say with regard to leadership. 51s

And so we're going to take a look at some royal Psalms today and draw that parallel with leadership. 57s

Royal Psalms has to do with Psalms that talk about the life of a king. 65s

And let's start with Psalm 21. 73s

What we have here is the response of King David when God answered his prayer for a victorious battle. 89s

So Psalm 21. 100s

In your strength, the King rejoices, O Lord. 106s

And in your help how greatly he exalts, you have given him his heart's desire and if not withheld the request of his lips. 110s

For you meet him with rich blessings, you set a crown of fine gold on his head. 121s

He asked you for life you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. 128s

His glory is great through your help, splendor and majesty you bestow on him. 135s

You bestow on him blessings forever, you make him glad with the joy of your presence for the King trusts in the Lord. 141s

And through the steadfast love of the Most High, he shall not be moved. 152s

Here's a first principle that we can take from this royal, royal Psalm. 159s

And that is a leader rejoices. 168s

In the strength of the Lord. 181s

The leader rejoices in the strength of the Lord. 188s

A variation of this theme is that leadership is rooted in followership. 195s

And a true leader of God is going to follow God. 203s

A true leader of God rejoices in the leadership and the strength that God provides. 212s

In other words, the true leader understands the absolute radical dependence that they have upon God and the all-encompassing nature of his rule. 220s

Well, let's look at that. The Bible talks about the kingdom of power. 231s

Let's go to Psalm 66, verse 7. 235s

Psalm 66, verse 7. 239s

And here is his kingdom of power or his rule over the earth. 247s

May God continue to bless us, let all the ends of the earth revere him. 254s

So it is all encompassing a rule in which we give thanks for the strength that he provides. 262s

We understand ourselves as leaders, as one who follows him. 270s

And we see of his rule over the earth. 276s

The second kingdom is the kingdom of grace. 279s

We've got the kingdom of power, then you've got the kingdom of grace. 282s

Let's go to Colossians chapter 1 in the New Testament. 286s

Matthew Mark, Luke, John, Acts and Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, then Colossians. 290s

Colossians chapter 1, verse 18. 302s

And here, speaking of Jesus, it says, he's the head of the body of the church. 314s

He is the beginning, the first born from the dead. 321s

So there's a reference to the resurrection, right? 325s

The first born from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 327s

He's the head of the body of the church. 335s

So you've got God's kingdom of power, his rule over the earth. 338s

You've got God's rule over the church, his kingdom of grace. 341s

And then you've got his kingdom of glory, his kingdom of glory. 346s

Let's go to 2nd Peter chapter 1. 350s

Good way to find 2nd Peter is just good a revelation. 352s

Then start turning backwards. 356s

You're going to cross over the Johns 2nd Peter chapter 1, verse 11. 358s

For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provoked. 374s

So we live then based upon his strength. 386s

We follow then his leadership. 388s

We delight in his kingdom of power, his kingdom of grace, his kingdom of glory. 392s

To be a true leader, then, it starts with follow-ench. 398s

And it starts with understanding that he is the leader. 402s

And in our leadership, we follow him, who is the ruler over all. 406s

Here's the 2nd. 412s

A leader sees the exceeding gifts of God. 415s

So a leader understands her absolute dependence upon the strength of the Lord and then sees the exceeding gifts of God. 429s

Let's go back to Psalm 121. 436s

Psalm 121 and we'll pick up in verse 7. 441s

Excuse me, Psalm 21, not 121. 455s

Psalm 21, unless actually start in verse 2. 459s

Psalm 21, verse 2. 466s

David writes, you have given him his heart's desire. 476s

And if not was held the request of his lips, then verse 4. 480s

He asked you for life. You gave it to him. 486s

Length of days forever and ever. 489s

David asks for long life and he understands that God answers the prayer through the Messiah at this time to come. 495s

Messiah to come of eternal life. 501s

So he understands the strength that comes from the God, the all-encompassing. 505s

He understands the exceeding gifts of God. 508s

As we reflect then on our own lives, we see everything from the vantage point of eternity, right? 510s

Everything. 519s

We look from the point of the fact that today is one more day in all of eternity. 521s

It's just a matter of where we're living, this side of Easter or on the other side of Easter. 526s

We look then at the reality of the fact that God has opened up for us, days that will extend forever. 530s

And we understand that he and his will will answer this side of heaven in accordance with his will. 539s

But we know his will that we have in him every spiritual blessing. 548s

Remember, that's Ephesians 1. 552s

We have in Christ every spiritual blessing. 554s

That doesn't mean that we have every temporal blessing, this side of Easter, does it? 557s

Doesn't mean that God always heals this side of Easter. 564s

Doesn't mean that God always blesses with success or wealth. 568s

It doesn't mean that, but we have every spiritual blessing. 572s

And if you look at Ephesians 1, it enumerates the spiritual blessings. 576s

And one of the spiritual blessings is life eternal. 580s

That allows us then to look at our lives from the perspective of eternity 583s

as opposed to is life going well in the circumstances of life? 591s

Is life going well now or not? 598s

But what shapes our vision, what shapes our approach is our eternity. 602s

A leader understands this. 607s

A leader looks that back to God for the strength that only comes from Him. 609s

And he understands the exceeding gifts of God. 616s

So that means when God doesn't give what you were hoping He'd give you in some type of temporal blessing, 621s

we understand the exceeding nature of his gifts and can look back at the present circumstance and say, 630s

you're will be done because I know who you are. 638s

And I know what you have given me, which is the exceeding gift of forgiveness and life eternal. 642s

That allows us to live with a constant, a constant level of joy and that ability to focus on the exceeding gifts of God 652s

permeates then the positions of leadership that God puts us in. 665s

When the people that we are given to lead in the various circumstances with, whether it's in a neighbor, 672s

whether it's a workplace or wherever it is, one understands then that we're approaching based on the strength of God. 678s

We're approaching from a position of followership. 685s

But it works. We're approaching this from the exceeding gifts of God that could be infectious then when one leads 687s

because we pull back to the bigger picture. 699s

We pivot now in Psalm 21 from a focus from the past onto the future. 704s

So look at verse 8 here of Psalm 21. 715s

Your hand will find out all your enemies, your right hand will find out those who hate you. 722s

You will make them like a fire-referness when you appear the Lord will swallow them up in His wrath and fire will consume them. 728s

You will destroy their offspring from the earth and their children from among humankind. 737s

If they plan evil against you, if they desire mischief, they will not succeed for you will put them to flight. 742s

You will aim at their faces with your boaves. 749s

So now all of a sudden we're talking about difficult times, right? 755s

A leader's past trust teaches about future trust. 761s

Past trust of the leader teaches about future trust. 772s

We prepare for the difficult times in the good times, right? 785s

And you can tell in the lives of people whether or not they have prepared in terms of their faith-waff was a Lord if they have prepared for the bad times during the good times. 794s

You see it, manifest. 812s

A leader, the past trust teaches about the future trust. 815s

So a leader then communicates amidst the difficult times, let us harken back, do how God let us always. 823s

Through the bad times and through the good times. 836s

Remember what did they do in Scripture? They used to set up a memorial stones. 839s

Remember? God would do something and God would command them set up a memorial stone. 842s

Why? Because we are apt to forget, right? We're apt to forget. 846s

So amidst the difficult times, we prepare then for the good times and the people that were privileged to lead will then see past trust teaches about the future. 852s

And so amidst the difficult times, when the leader will communicate that trust in God, that communicates in advance to the people that you lead with regard to what will happen in the future. 867s

And what is the blessing then that you give to people? You give them a consistency. 883s

Consistency. Dependability. Whether or not things are better good, they're still the trust in whom? 889s

The one who is our strength, the one who provides the exceeding gifts beyond our wildest expectations even has opened up eternity before us. 896s

And so amidst the difficult times here, we are teaching about trust in the future and amidst the good times we're preparing for the why. 906s

With the difficult times, because it's going to be an opportunity to witness, an opportunity to witness amidst the difficult times, about the faithfulness of God. 915s

Okay, let's go to Psalm 132. Now, Psalm 132. 929s

And here we see about David's zeal for construction of the temple. 947s

Verse 1, 963s

For the Lord envowed the mighty one of Jacob, I will not enter my house or get into my bed. 964s

I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob. 970s

What this refers to is his zeal for the construction of the temple. 980s

And yet, it's the unborn Solomon here that is going to be the one that constructs the house. 987s

Here's the pullback point. 994s

What consumed David was bringing honor to God. 997s

That's biblical leadership, right? 1005s

In whatever venue we express that with the people that the Lord has given us the privilege to lead, whatever it, whether it's a small group, whether it's large, it's to say, how can I bring honor to God? 1008s

How can I bring honor to God? 1025s

I've used the phrase in the past for permit me again. 1027s

We all have an audience of one period, one. 1031s

And that is, are my actions, are my words bringing you honor and you glory, God? 1037s

Period. 1044s

If the answer to that question is yes, say the course. 1045s

Say the course. 1048s

Because it's all the matters. 1049s

Does it matter whether you're liked? 1052s

Does it matter whether you're popular? 1054s

It's a matter of, are you honoring God by what you say and by what you do? 1057s

All David wanted to do was to honor God, wanted to build a temple for God. 1064s

Solomon's the one that's going to, going to, going to wind up doing that. 1074s

But it's the heart of the leader of how they want to, to God. 1078s

How can we bring honor in our relationships, our workplaces, our, our neighborhoods so that God is glorified in the name of God. 1082s

In word and in, teeth. 1094s

Let's go to Psalm 72 now. 1098s

Psalm 72. 1102s

And here's a, here's a plea for two of the most, most important royal characteristics. 1115s

Psalm 72 will pick up in that in verse one. 1124s

Truly, God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart. 1129s

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 1135s

For I was envious of the arrogant. 1144s

I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 1146s

Two of the most important characteristics of a leader is wanting justice and righteousness. 1152s

Wanting justice and righteousness. 1167s

There is a whole school of thought in the day in which we live and it's really nothing new. 1171s

It's a whole school of thought that says, what's important for a leader is pragmatism. 1178s

Can you get what you want out of the leader? 1186s

Doesn't matter who the leader is. 1192s

Doesn't matter how they speak, how they act. 1195s

The bottom line for this philosophy is, is, is, can you get out of the leader that which you want? 1200s

And if you can get out of the leader what it is that you want, then it doesn't matter with regard to their priorities. 1211s

It doesn't matter with regard to their character. 1222s

Because it's exchange that has just occurred. 1227s

You've gotten what you wanted and it doesn't matter. 1233s

Nowhere in Scripture do we ever ever see that character doesn't matter. 1238s

Scripture says character matters. 1247s

It's not a matter of pragmatism. 1251s

It's a matter of character. 1256s

Because character will always form the people that you're trying to lead. 1260s

And if it's just simply an exchange of pragmatism without a pursuit of justice and righteousness in the end, pragmatism will crumble. 1268s

It'll crumble. 1283s

One may get some temporary gains in accordance with what you want out of the person who is leading you, but in the end it crumbles. 1285s

What lasts is justice and righteousness. 1297s

That speaks to character. 1305s

And so as we lead them, we ask the question, Lord, am I honoring you in what I say and what I do? 1310s

And does my character reflect a pursuit of justice and righteousness? 1323s

Or am I offering simply a view of pragmatism where people are using each other for one's own gain? 1330s

The leader using the people and the people using the leader. 1343s

In the end, that type of leadership will always, always crumble. 1348s

And it will lead to a toxic environment with regard to the organization you're trying to lead with the influence you're trying to have in your neighborhood, fill in the blank. 1356s

Because the key is justice and righteousness. 1371s

How is it then by God's grace that we can stand for justice and righteousness? 1378s

How is it by God's grace that we can say, does this honor God? 1384s

How is it, can we witness in terms of putting our trust in God and how people see the leader placing their trust in God amidst the bad times because it prepares them for what comes ahead? 1391s

And you're preparing people amidst good times for when the bad comes. 1407s

How can we live with the understanding of the exceeding gifts of God and how can we rejoice in the strength of our Lord? 1413s

Let's go back to 72, 72, verse 17. 1425s

May His name endure forever? 1435s

His fame continue as long as the sun. 1439s

May all nations be blessed in Him. May they pronounce Him happy. 1444s

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. 1450s

Blessed be His glorious name forever. May His glory fill the whole earth, amen, and amen. 1455s

The leader here is to be a camel of blessing. 1466s

See, that's a whole different way of approaching our relationships, isn't it? 1480s

When we say, how can we serve the other and how can we become a channel of blessing? 1484s

That's a whole different way of approach when one comes into a relationship to a conversation that you have and you think to yourself and you pray, Lord, how can I bless this person here today? 1490s

How can I bless them through a kind word or a word of encouragement? 1503s

Because, Lord, I want to be a channel of blessing. 1512s

I don't want to use this person for what I can get out of them. 1517s

I don't want to approach with a pragmatic understanding of relationship. 1522s

If I give something I expect then something in return, no, I simply want to bless them and to be a channel of blessing. 1531s

The ability to affirm is an incredible gift to give. 1544s

The ability to say something kind about something. 1550s

If you've ever done this, for example, in a clerk in a store where they're doing the exchange and their punching in the numbers and they're putting in the bag, and you say, how can I humanize this? 1555s

Instead of understanding this person as it's really just an extension of my own self, check out, happens to be a human being here. 1574s

No, there's a human being there. 1581s

And you kind of wonder, what kind of day they've had? 1583s

What are what their hurts are? I wonder what their joys are. 1588s

I wonder what their sorrows are. Now you don't have to get into a deep, deep conversation with them, right? 1591s

But when you say, how can I bless them by giving some word of encouragement or some kind of affirmation to them? 1596s

You have then taken the ordinary in the mundane and you have turned it in, you have turned yourself into a channel of blessing. 1606s

And what happens in that person's life? 1617s

You may be the only person that treated them like a human being. 1621s

You may have been the only person that didn't simply see them as a function and not a human being. 1626s

You see, when we use the body of Christ, when we understand leadership at that, at that level, to be a channel of blessing with the people that we come into contact with, a channel of encouragement, 1635s

what happens then in our sphere of the people that we are called to leave? 1650s

That's transformative, isn't it? 1656s

Because what do they understand that we care for them not simply by what it is that they can output and how many widgets they can make? 1659s

Right? 1670s

But we care for them not simply because they were the number one sales leader in the division and we want to make sure they don't jump ship over to our competitor here because they can leverage this now, right? 1672s

But we understand them as a human being who has needs, and hurts, and desires, and needs to be blessed to bless them. 1687s

That's leadership, isn't it? At the most exciting level. 1702s

When we see, here's our strength. 1707s

We serve a God who exceedingly gives grace and his gifts. 1713s

That we can put our trust in him and that teaches others about when times will be bad and it gives confidence in a group and an organization when you say, 1719s

Well, we've had difficult times before and the Lord lages through. 1733s

That we look at everything and say, how can I honor you, God? 1740s

How can I be a person of character by the grace of God and not fall into the world's desires for simply pragmatism? 1745s

That everything is good as long as it works? 1756s

No, there's something much deeper than that, justice and righteousness. 1760s

And that we have a chance to be a vehicle of blessing. 1766s

That then transforms our days into days in which we see that we are serving him and him alone. 1771s

And that's why God gives us breadth to bring glory to him. 1781s

Why God calls each one of us in our various spheres of leadership to give glory to him through that vehicle of leadership. 1789s

Royal Psalms, they speak. They speak to leadership. Don't they? 1802s