Psalms 21:9 - Exposition

Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of his anger . Some suppose a reference to the event mentioned in 2 Samuel 12:31 , "He (David) made them (the Ammonites) to pass through the brick-kiln. ;" but the expression "fiery oven" is probably not intended to be taken literally, but metaphorically. Severe suffering is continually compared in Scripture to confinement in an oven or furnace (see Deuteronomy 4:20 ; 1 Kings 8:51 ; Isaiah 48:10 ; Jeremiah 11:4 ; Ezekiel 22:18 , Ezekiel 22:20 , Ezekiel 22:22 ; Malachi 4:1 ). And we may best understand the present passage to mean simply that in the time of his anger David would subject such of his enemies as fell into his hands to very terrible sufferings. (See, as showing what extreme severities David did sometimes inflict on captured enemies, 2 Samuel 12:31 which is to the point, as also is 1 Kings 11:15 , 1 Kings 11:16 .) The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. The metaphor is followed up, with the addition that what was previously attributed to David alone is here declared to have the sanction of God.