Psalm 21[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

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

You have granted him his heart’s desire
    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 on his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him –
    length of days, for ever and ever.
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
    you have bestowed on him splendour and majesty.
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
    and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord;
    through the unfailing love of the Most High
    he will not be shaken.

Your hand will lay hold 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.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    their posterity from mankind.
11 Though they plot evil against you
    and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs
    when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
    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.

21 1-7 Your strength, God, is the king’s strength.
    Helped, he’s hollering Hosannas.
You gave him exactly what he wanted;
    you didn’t hold back.
You filled his arms with gifts;
    you gave him a right royal welcome.
He wanted a good life; you gave it to him,
    and then made it a long life as a bonus.
You lifted him high and bright as a cumulus cloud,
    then dressed him in rainbow colors.
You pile blessings on him;
    you make him glad when you smile.
Is it any wonder the king loves God?
    that he’s sticking with the Best?

8-12 With a fistful of enemies in one hand
    and a fistful of haters in the other,
You radiate with such brilliance
    that they cringe as before a furnace.
Now the furnace swallows them whole,
    the fire eats them alive!
You purge the earth of their progeny,
    you wipe the slate clean.
All their evil schemes, the plots they cook up,
    have fizzled—every one.
You sent them packing;
    they couldn’t face you.

13 Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it.
    We are out singing the good news!

Merci pour la victoire

21 Au chef de chœur. Cantique de David.

O Eternel, |le roi se réjouit de ta force.
Qu’elle est grande sa joie |devant ton œuvre de salut !
Tu lui as accordé |le désir de son cœur,
tu n’as pas refusé |ce qu’il te demandait.
            Pause
Tu es venu à lui |chargé de bénédictions excellentes,
et tu as posé sur sa tête |un diadème d’or.
Il t’avait demandé la vie, |tu la lui as donnée
et tu prolongeras ses jours |jusqu’en l’éternité.
Grâce à la délivrance |que tu as accordée, |sa gloire est grande,
et tu l’as revêtu |de splendeur et d’honneur.
Tu fais de lui la source |de bénédictions éternelles[a],
tu le remplis de joie |par ta présence.
Car c’est en l’Eternel |que le roi se confie,
et grâce à l’amour du Très-Haut, |il ne sera pas ébranlé.

O roi, tu atteindras |tes ennemis ;
tu frapperas |tous ceux qui te haïssent.
10 Tu en feras une fournaise
quand tu apparaîtras ;
dans sa colère, |l’Eternel les engloutira
et le feu les consumera.
11 Tu extirperas de la terre |leurs descendants,
et leur postérité |du milieu de l’humanité.
12 Ils trament le mal contre toi,
ils ont conçu des plans perfides, |mais ils ne réussiront pas.
13 Tu les mettras en fuite,
en décochant tes flèches |sur eux.
14 O Eternel, |déploie ta force !
Par nos chants et nos hymnes, |nous célébrerons ta puissance.

Footnotes

  1. 21.7 Allusion à la promesse faite à Abraham (Gn 12.2). Autres traductions : tu lui as donné des bénédictions éternelles, ou tu fais de lui un béni pour l’éternité.