Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His loving devotion in a city under siege.
Parallel translations
- WEB Praise be to Yahweh, for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.
- KJV Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
- NKJV Blessed be the Lord, For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
- NASB Blessed be the Lord, For He has shown His marvelous faithfulness to me in a besieged city.
- NLT Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
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
David blesses the Lord for showing him marvelous steadfast love in a besieged city. It gives thanks for a remarkable deliverance.
Overview
Whether literal or figurative, the 'strong city' under siege becomes the setting of God's wondrous love displayed in rescue. David responds with blessing and praise. The verse testifies that God's covenant love reaches His people even in the most pressing circumstances.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 1 Sam 23:7–13When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
- Ps 17:7Show the wonders of Your loving devotion, You who save by Your right hand those who seek refuge from their foes.
- Jer 1:18Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Ps 118:23This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
- Ps 98:1A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.
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 31:21 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.