For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!
Parallel translations
- WEB For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation!
- KJV The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
- NKJV The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
- NASB Lord, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
- NLT How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord! He shouts with joy because you give him victory.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The king rejoices greatly in the Lord's strength and salvation. His joy is rooted in God's saving power, not his own.
Overview
Companion to Psalm 20's prayer before battle, Psalm 21 celebrates the victory God granted. The king's gladness is directed wholly to the Lord, whose strength won the triumph. This joy in God's salvation anticipates the Messiah, who rejoices in the deliverance accomplished by the Father and shares that joy with his people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 2:2asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
- Heb 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Ps 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
- Ps 62:7My salvation and my honor rest on God, my strong rock; my refuge is in God.
- Ps 59:16–17But I will sing of Your strength and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning. For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
- Ps 2:6“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
- Ps 63:11But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.
- Ps 99:4The mighty King loves justice. You have established equity; You have exercised justice and righteousness in Jacob.
- Ps 95:1Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation!
- Ps 20:5–6May we shout for joy at your victory and raise a banner in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your petitions.
- Ps 20:9O LORD, save the king. Answer us on the day we call.
- Ps 71:17O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.
- Ps 118:14–15The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.
- Isa 9:6–7For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 21:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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