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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

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.