What does Psalm 21:13 mean?
ESV: Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
NIV: Be exalted in your strength, LORD; we will sing and praise your might.
NASB: Be exalted, Lord, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.
CSB: Be exalted, Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.
NLT: Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
KJV: Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.
NKJV: Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.
Verse Commentary:
The end of Psalm 21 records the swelling praise of the congregation and of David for victories won by the Lord's power. They ask the Lord to exalt Himself as they sing and praise His power. David and the congregation did not glory in themselves but in the Lord. When David was just a youth, he used his simple sling and a stone to defeat the giant Goliath—but David not indulge in self-glory. He approached Goliath with confidence in the Lord and said, "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand" (1 Samuel 17:45–46).
Christians share a victory over their final enemy, death, but the praise for the victory goes to the Lord and not to us. The apostle Paul wrote: "Death is swallowed up in victory…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:54, 57).
Verse Context:
Psalm 21:8–13 contains the people's address to King David. They express their confidence that he will win future battles because they believe the Lord will swallow up his enemies. This section is similar to the closing section of Psalm 20. Psalm 18:50, 2 Samuel 7:16, and Genesis 12:1–3 guarantee the continuance of the nation of Israel and David's descendants. Psalm 21 ends with a swelling chorus of praise.
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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.
Book Summary:
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.
Accessed 5/2/2024 11:23:45 PM
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Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.
