Increase the days of the king’s life; may his years span many generations.
Parallel translations
- WEB You will prolong the king’s life; his years shall be for generations.
- KJV Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations.
- NKJV You will prolong the king’s life, His years as many generations.
- NASB You will prolong the king’s life; His years will be like generations.
- NLT Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations!
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 prays for the king's life to be prolonged for generations. It looks beyond himself to the enduring royal line.
Overview
David, the king, prays for a reign that extends across generations, expressing hope for an enduring kingship. The language reaches beyond any single ruler's lifespan. This anticipates the everlasting King from David's line, Jesus Christ, whose reign truly endures forever.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 21:4He asked You for life, and You granted it—length of days, forever and ever.
- Ps 89:36–37his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
- Ps 21:6For You grant him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence.
- Isa 53:10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
- Ps 72:15–17Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
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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 61:6 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.