Psalms 21

King James Version

Full text for Psalms Chapter 21

1¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

2Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

3For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.

4He asked life of thee, [and] thou gavest [it] him, [even] length of days for ever and ever.

5His glory [is] great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.

6For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

7¶ For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.

8Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.

9Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

10Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

11For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, [which] they are not able [to perform].

12Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, [when] thou shalt make ready [thine arrows] upon thy strings against the face of them.

13Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: [so] will we sing and praise thy power.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Psalm 21 is a psalm of thanksgiving, celebrating the LORD's abundant blessings upon the king. It recounts how God has granted the king's desires, bestowed glory and eternal life, and established his reign. The psalm also declares God's sure judgment against the king's enemies, concluding with a call to praise the LORD's strength.

Medium Summary

Psalm 21 expresses profound gratitude for the divine favor bestowed upon the king. It begins by highlighting the king's great joy in the LORD's strength and salvation, acknowledging that God has fulfilled his heart's desires and crowned him with pure gold. The psalm emphasizes that God has granted the king life and an enduring reign, bestowing upon him immense glory, honour, and majesty. The king's unwavering trust in the Most High ensures his stability and security. Furthermore, the psalm confidently proclaims God's powerful judgment against all enemies, asserting that they will be consumed by divine wrath and their wicked schemes will fail. It concludes with an exhortation to exalt the LORD and praise His mighty power.

Long Summary

Psalm 21 is a royal psalm of thanksgiving, attributed to David, celebrating the LORD's magnificent blessings upon the king. The psalm opens with the king's joyful declaration of rejoicing in God's strength and salvation, recognizing that the LORD has granted his deepest desires and the requests of his lips. It details how God has gone before the king with blessings, crowning him with pure gold and bestowing upon him life, even "length of days for ever and ever," signifying an enduring reign or eternal favor. The psalmist emphasizes the king's great glory, honour, and majesty, all derived from God's salvation and countenance, making him "most blessed for ever." A pivotal theme is the king's steadfast trust in the LORD, which guarantees his immovability through the mercy of the Most High. The psalm then shifts to a confident proclamation of divine judgment against all adversaries. It declares that God's hand will surely find out and destroy those who hate Him, likening their destruction to a "fiery oven" consumed by the LORD's wrath. Their posterity, their "fruit" and "seed," will be eradicated from the earth, and their malicious intentions will prove futile. The psalm asserts that God will make them turn their backs as He prepares His arrows against them. The psalm concludes with a powerful doxology, calling for the LORD to be exalted in His own strength, prompting the people to sing and praise His mighty power.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Favor on the KingGod bestows abundant blessings, joy, glory, and an enduring reign upon the king, fulfilling his desires and crowning him with pure gold.
  • King's Trust in the LORDThe king's unwavering reliance on the Most High is presented as the foundation of his stability and security, ensuring he "shall not be moved."
  • Eternal Life/Enduring ReignThe phrase "length of days for ever and ever" signifies either the king's perpetual dynasty, a Messianic promise of eternal life, or an enduring blessed existence granted by God.
  • Divine Judgment on EnemiesThe LORD's active and destructive wrath is depicted against those who oppose Him and His anointed, ensuring their complete eradication and the failure of their evil schemes.
  • God's Omnipotence and WrathThe psalm illustrates God's supreme power in both blessing and judgment, demonstrating His ability to establish the king and utterly destroy adversaries with fiery wrath.
  • Praise and Exaltation of GodThe psalm culminates in a call for the LORD to be exalted in His strength, inspiring the people to sing and praise His mighty power.