He asked You for life, and You granted it—length of days, forever and ever.
Parallel translations
- WEB He asked life of you, you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.
- KJV He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
- NKJV He asked life from You, and You gave it to him— Length of days forever and ever.
- NASB He asked for life from You, You gave it to him, Length of days forever and ever.
- NLT He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever.
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 asked for life, and God granted it, even length of days forever. The gift exceeds the request, hinting at everlasting life.
Overview
The king sought life and received it abundantly, described as 'length of days forever and ever.' For David this expressed an enduring dynasty and long reign, but the language reaches beyond any mortal king. It is fulfilled in the Messiah, who, raised from the dead, possesses unending life and reigns forever (Rev 1:18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Ps 91:16With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
- Rev 1:18the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
- Ps 119:77May Your compassion come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight.
- Ps 133:3It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD has bestowed the blessing of life forevermore.
- Ps 61:5–6For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance reserved for those who fear Your name.
- Ps 89:36–37his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
- Ps 119:175Let me live to praise You; may Your judgments sustain me.
- Ps 89:29I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.
- Ps 13:3Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,
- Ps 72:17May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
- Ps 16:10–11For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 21:4 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.