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Psalm 21

Thanksgiving for Victory

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For the choir director. A psalm by David.

The People Thank the Lord for Victory

O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength.
He joyfully celebrates salvation from you.
You have granted him what his heart desired. Interlude
You have not denied the request from his lips.
Yes, you meet him to give him great blessings.
You place a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, forever and ever.
He receives great glory through the salvation you gave.
You bestow splendor and majesty on him.
Surely you grant him blessings forever.
You make him glad with joy in your presence.
Surely the king trusts in the Lord,
and through the mercy of the Most High he will not be shaken.

The People Assure the King of Future Victory

Your hand will reach all your enemies.
Your right hand will reach those who hate you.
At the time when you appear, O Lord,
you will make them like a blazing furnace.
In his anger he will swallow them.
Fire will consume them.
10 You will cause their fruit to perish from the earth,
their seed[a] from among the children of Adam.
11 Indeed, they intend[b] evil against you.
They plan wicked schemes,
but they will not succeed,
12     because you will make them turn and run
    when you get ready to aim your arrows at them.

The People Praise the Lord

13 Rise up, O Lord, in your strength.
We will sing and make music because of your might.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:10 Fruit and seed refer to their descendants.
  2. Psalm 21:11 Literally stretch out

Joy in the Salvation of Yahweh

For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]

21 O Yahweh, the king will rejoice in your strength,
and how greatly he will delight in your help.[b]
You have given him the desire of his heart,
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
For you meet him with blessings of good things.
You set on his head a crown of fine gold.
He asked life from you; you gave it to him—
length of days forever and ever.
His honor is great because of your help.[c]
Splendor and majesty you have bestowed upon him.
For you set on him blessings forever.
You make him glad with the joy of your presence.
Because the king trusts Yahweh,
and through the steadfast love[d] of the Most High
he shall not be moved.
Your hand will find all your enemies;
your right hand will find those who hate you.
You will make them like your fiery furnace
at the time of your appearance.
Yahweh will swallow them in his wrath
and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their offspring[e] from the earth,
and their descendants[f] from among the children of humankind.
11 Though they have plotted[g] evil against you,
though they have planned a scheme, they will not prevail.
12 For you will turn them to flight;[h]
you will aim arrows on your bowstrings at their faces.
13 Be exalted, O Yahweh, in your strength,
and we sing and praise your power.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 21:1 Or “victory”
  3. Psalm 21:5 Or “victory”
  4. Psalm 21:7 Or “loyal love”
  5. Psalm 21:10 Literally “fruit”
  6. Psalm 21:10 Literally “seed”
  7. Psalm 21:11 Literally “spread out”
  8. Psalm 21:12 Literally “make them a shoulder”