Psalm 21

Psalm 21 – New International Version (NIV)

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!
You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.^[b]
You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him— length of days, for ever and ever.
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.
You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind.
Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
You will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.
Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might.

a. Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
b. Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

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!
Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, And hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, Even length of days for ever and ever.
His glory is great in thy salvation: Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
For the king trusteth in the LORD, And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.
Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
Thou 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.
Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, And their seed from among the children of men.
For they intended evil against thee: They imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, When thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: So will we sing and praise thy power.