Psalms 21: Thanksgiving for the King's Victory

A crown of gold and answered prayers after Psalms 20's request.

Psalms 21: The King Rejoices in Victory

This chapter answers the request made in Psalms 20, celebrating that the king's heart's desire has been granted and a crown of pure gold set on his head, with length of days given him forever and ever.


For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!

You have granted his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

For You welcomed him with rich blessings; You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.

He asked You for life, and You granted it— length of days, forever and ever.

Great is his glory in Your salvation; You bestow on him splendor and majesty.

For You grant him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence.

For the king trusts in the LORD; through the loving devotion of the Most High, he will not be shaken.

Your hand will apprehend all Your enemies; Your right hand will seize those who hate You.

You will place them in a fiery furnace at the time of Your appearing. In His wrath the LORD will engulf them, and the fire will consume them.

You will wipe their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from the sons of men.

Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.

For You will put them to flight when Your bow is trained upon them.

Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power.

The tone turns from celebration to warning as David describes God's hand finding out all His enemies, a reversal of fortune similar to <a href="/bible/bsb/psalms/chapter-10/2">Psalms 10:2</a>, closing with a call to praise the LORD's strength before the sorrowful <a href="/bible/bsb/psalms/chapter-22">Psalms 22</a>.