Psalm 21

The King’s Victory

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

Lord, the king finds joy in Your strength.
How greatly he rejoices in Your victory!(A)
You have given him his heart’s desire(B)
and have not denied the request of his lips.(C)Selah
For You meet him with rich blessings;
You place a crown of pure gold on his head.(D)
He asked You for life, and You gave it to him—
length of days forever and ever.(E)
His glory is great through Your victory;
You confer majesty and splendor on him.(F)
You give him blessings forever;(G)
You cheer him with joy in Your presence.(H)
For the king relies on the Lord;
through the faithful love of the Most High
he is not shaken.(I)

Your hand will capture all your enemies;
your right hand will seize those who hate you.(J)
You will make them burn
like a fiery furnace when you appear;
the Lord will engulf them in His wrath,
and fire will devour them.(K)
10 You will wipe their descendants from the earth
and their offspring from the human race.(L)
11 Though they intend to harm[a] you
and devise a wicked plan, they will not prevail.(M)
12 Instead, you will put them to flight
when you aim your bow[b] at their faces.(N)

13 Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength;
we will sing and praise Your might.(O)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 21:11 Lit they stretch out evil against
  2. Psalm 21:12 Lit aim with your bowstrings

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”