Psalm 21 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
1 (21-1) For the Leader. A Psalm of David. (21-2) O LORD, in Thy strength the king rejoiceth; and in Thy salvation how greatly doth he exult!
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation!
2 (21-3) Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and the request of his lips Thou hast not withholden. Selah
2 You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.
3 (21-4) For Thou meetest him with choicest blessings; Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head.
3 For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head.
4 (21-5) He asked life of Thee, Thou gavest it him; even length of days for ever and ever.
4 He asked life of you and you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.
5 (21-6) His glory is great through Thy salvation; honour and majesty dost Thou lay upon him.
5 His glory is great in your salvation. You lay honor and majesty on him.
6 (21-7) For Thou makest him most blessed for ever; Thou makest him glad with joy in Thy presence.
6 For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence.
7 (21-8) For the king trusteth in the LORD, yea, in the mercy of the Most High; he shall not be moved.
7 For the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved.
8 (21-9) Thy hand shall be equal to all thine enemies; thy right hand shall overtake those that hate thee.
8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 (21-10) Thou shalt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thine anger; the LORD shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them.
10 (21-11) Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from among the children of men.
11 (21-12) For they intended evil against thee, they imagined a device, wherewith they shall not prevail.
11 For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.
12 (21-13) For thou shalt make them turn their back, thou shalt make ready with thy bowstrings against the face of them.
12 For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face.
13 (21-14) Be Thou exalted, O LORD, in Thy strength; so will we sing and praise Thy power.
13 Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.
Cross references (13)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 2:2; Psalm 28:7; Psalm 62:7; Psalm 59:16–17
- 2 Psalm 37:4; Psalm 20:4–5; Psalm 2:8–9; Hebrews 7:25; Isaiah 49:6–12
- 3 2 Samuel 12:30; Ephesians 1:3; Psalm 59:10; 1 Chronicles 20:2; Psalm 31:19
- 4 Psalm 91:16; Revelation 1:18; Psalm 119:77; Psalm 133:3; Psalm 61:5–6
- 5 1 Peter 3:22; Ephesians 1:20–22; Revelation 5:8–13; Hebrews 8:1; John 17:22
- 6 Acts 2:28; Psalm 45:7; Psalm 16:11; Galatians 3:9; Acts 3:26
- 7 Psalm 16:8; Psalm 91:2; Psalm 20:7–8; Daniel 7:14; Psalm 26:1
- 8 Psalm 110:1–2; Luke 19:27; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 10:28–29; Revelation 19:15
- 9 Malachi 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Psalm 50:3; Psalm 18:8; Lamentations 2:2
- 10 Psalm 37:28; 1 Kings 13:34; Job 20:28; Isaiah 14:20; Psalm 109:13
- 11 Psalm 10:2; Psalm 2:1; Jeremiah 11:18–19; Psalm 31:13; Isaiah 7:6–7
- 12 Psalm 7:12–13; Psalm 18:40; Psalm 64:7; Lamentations 3:12; Job 7:20
- 13 Revelation 16:5–7; Revelation 19:1–6; Revelation 15:3–4; Psalm 113:5; Psalm 57:11
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ who speaks; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing, foretelling things to come. 2. "The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble" (ver. 1).
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… they were made; He commanded, and they were created: He hath established them for ever, yea, forever and ever." And again, He thus speaks respecting the salvation of man: "He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days for ever and ever;" indicating that it is the Father of all who imparts continuance for ever and ever …