Psalm 21:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

NIV: Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

NASB: For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with the joy of Your presence.

CSB: You give him blessings forever; you cheer him with joy in your presence.

NLT: You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence.

KJV: For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

NKJV: For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.

David credits the Lord with making him most blessed forever. In his covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:4–16) God promised to be with David, make his name great, and build a lasting dynasty for him. He also reminded David that He had been with David wherever he went.

Psalm 21:6 states "You make him glad with the joy of your presence." An awareness of God's presence brings great joy to all who trust in Him. Psalm 16:11 affirms: "In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Jesus promised to be present with believers at all times (Matthew 28:18–20), and Hebrews 13:5 counsels us: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you. '" Like David, Christians can be glad with the joy of the Lord's presence.

David's son Solomon looked for satisfaction in a variety of earthly sources, but found that they were all "vanity," meaning they were meaningless and empty. He concluded his writing of Ecclesiastes by counseling, in part, "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

Psalm 21:1–7, much like the first part of Psalm 20, records the praise David and the congregation offer to the Lord for granting David victory over his enemy. This section precedes the congregation's confidence in what the Lord will do through David. Second Samuel 7:1–17 provides a background to these verses by reporting the covenant God made with David. Part of the covenant was an assurance that God would subdue David's enemies.

Psalm 21 opens and closes with praise to the Lord for the strength He gave David and his army for gaining a victory over the enemy. In verses 1–7 David and the people extol God for answering their prayer and for giving David rich blessings. They rejoice in knowing the Lord is present, and they express their trust in the Lord. They feel safe knowing the Lord's love is unfailing. The people of the congregation voice their assurance that King David will defeat his enemies. David's enemies may plan evil and devise mischief against him, but they will not succeed. David will rout them, and his arrows will strike them. The closing verse of Psalm 21 is a prayer by David and the congregation—it is also a pledge to sing and praise the Lord God for His power.

This psalm is likely a follow-up to Psalm 20. In Psalm 20 the congregation of Israel and David prayed for victory in an upcoming battle. Psalm 21 offers thanks for the victory and expresses David's joy over the strength from the Lord that secured the victory. David also anticipates victory in future encounters. Second Samuel 7:4–16 contains the covenant God made with David.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.