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Psalm 21[a]

Thanksgiving and Assurances for the King

For the leader. A psalm of David.

I

Lord, the king finds joy in your power;(A)
    in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
    you did not refuse the request of his lips.
Selah
For you welcomed him with goodly blessings;
    you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you;
    you gave it to him,
    length of days forever.(B)
Great is his glory in your victory;
    majesty and splendor you confer upon him.
You make him the pattern of blessings forever,
    you gladden him with the joy of your face.
For the king trusts in the Lord,
    stands firm through the mercy of the Most High.

II

Your hand will find all your enemies;
    your right hand will find your foes!
10 At the time of your coming
    you will make them a fiery furnace.
Then the Lord in his anger will consume them,
    devour them with fire.
11 Even their descendants you will wipe out from the earth,
    their offspring from the human race.
12 Though they intend evil against you,
    devising plots, they will not succeed,
13 For you will put them to flight;
    you will aim at their faces with your bow.

III

14 Arise, Lord, in your power!(C)
    We will sing and chant the praise of your might.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21 The first part of this royal Psalm is a thanksgiving (Ps 21:2–8), and the second is a promise that the king will triumph over his enemies (Ps 21:9–13). The king’s confident prayer (Ps 21:3–5) and trust in God (Ps 21:8) enable him to receive the divine gifts of vitality, peace, and military success. Ps 21:14 reprises Ps 21:2. When kings ceased in Israel after the sixth century B.C., the Psalm was sung of a future Davidic king.

Psalm 21[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.(A)
    How great is his joy in the victories you give!(B)

You have granted him his heart’s desire(C)
    and have not withheld the request of his lips.[b]
You came to greet him with rich blessings
    and placed a crown of pure gold(D) on his head.(E)
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
    length of days, for ever and ever.(F)
Through the victories(G) you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(H)
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy(I) of your presence.(J)
For the king trusts in the Lord;(K)
    through the unfailing love(L) of the Most High(M)
    he will not be shaken.(N)

Your hand will lay hold(O) on all your enemies;
    your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle,
    you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and his fire will consume them.(P)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.(Q)
11 Though they plot evil(R) against you
    and devise wicked schemes,(S) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(T)
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted(U) in your strength, Lord;(V)
    we will sing and praise your might.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
  2. Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.