Psalm 21 Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 21/Text
Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 21
In YHWH's strength
Psalm 21
Please note: Resources for Psalm 21 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
Listen & Read: Psalm 21
Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 21. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.
| Simple Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming. |
Simple Reading (English) Forthcoming. |
| Dramatic Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming. |
Dramatic Reading (English) Forthcoming. |
Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1a | For the director. A psalm by David. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּעָזְּךָ֥ יִשְׂמַח־מֶ֑לֶךְ | 2a | YHWH, the king rejoices because of your strength, |
| וּ֝בִישׁ֥וּעָתְךָ֗ מַה־יָגֵיל מְאֹֽד׃ | 2b | and how greatly he exults because of your salvation. |
| תַּאֲוַ֣ת לִ֭בּוֹ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ | 3a | You have granted him his heart’s desire, |
| וַאֲרֶ֥שֶׁת שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו בַּל־מָנַ֥עְתָּ סֶּֽלָה׃ | 3b | and not withheld his lips’ request. Selah. |
| כִּֽי־תְ֭קַדְּמֶנּוּ בִּרְכ֣וֹת ט֑וֹב | 4a | For you meet him with good blessings; |
| תָּשִׁ֥ית לְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ עֲטֶ֣רֶת פָּֽז׃ | 4b | You place a golden crown upon his head. |
| חַיִּ֤ים ׀ שָׁאַ֣ל מִ֭מְּךָ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ | 5a | He asked for life from you; you have granted it to him; |
| אֹ֥רֶךְ יָ֝מִ֗ים עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ | 5b | Long life, forever and ever. |
| גָּד֣וֹל כְּ֭בוֹדוֹ בִּישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ | 6a | His honor is great because of your salvation; |
| ה֥וֹד וְ֝הָדָר תְּשַׁוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃ | 6b | You bestow glory and majesty upon him. |
| כִּֽי־תְשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בְרָכ֣וֹת לָעַ֑ד | 7a | For you give him blessings forever; |
| תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֝שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ | 7b | You make him glad with joy with your presence. |
| כִּֽי־הַ֭מֶּלֶךְ בֹּטֵ֣חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה | 8a | For the king trusts in YHWH, |
| וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃ | 8b | and because of the faithfulness of the Most High, he will not be shaken. |
| תִּמְצָ֣א יָ֭דְךָ לְכָל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ | 9a | Your hand will reach to all your enemies; |
| יְ֝מִֽינְךָ תִּמְצָ֥א שֹׂנְאֶֽיךָ׃ | 9b | Your right hand will lay hold of those who hate you. |
| תְּשִׁיתֵ֤מוֹ ׀ כְּתַנּ֥וּר אֵשׁ֮ לְעֵ֪ת פָּ֫נֶ֥יךָ | 10a | You will place them as [in] a fiery oven at the time of your appearance; |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּאַפּ֣וֹ יְבַלְּעֵ֑ם וְֽתֹאכְלֵ֥ם אֵֽשׁ׃ | 10b | YHWH will swallow them up in his anger, and fire will consume them. |
| פִּ֭רְיָמוֹ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תְּאַבֵּ֑ד | 11a | You will destroy their offspring from the earth, |
| וְ֝זַרְעָ֗ם מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ | 11b | and their descendants from humankind. |
| כִּי־נָט֣וּ עָלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה | 12a | Because even if they planned evil against you |
| חָֽשְׁב֥וּ מְ֝זִמָּ֗ה בַּל־יוּכָֽלוּ׃ | 12b | [and] they devised a plot, they would not succeed. |
| כִּ֭י תְּשִׁיתֵ֣מוֹ שֶׁ֑כֶם | 13a | Because you will make them turn back, |
| בְּ֝מֵֽיתָרֶ֗יךָ תְּכוֹנֵ֥ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 13b | With your bowstrings, you will take aim at their faces. |
| ר֣וּמָה יְהוָ֣ה בְּעֻזֶּ֑ךָ | 14a | YHWH, be exalted in your strength! |
| נָשִׁ֥ירָה וּֽ֝נְזַמְּרָה גְּבוּרָתֶֽךָ׃ | 14b | Let us sing about and praise your might! |
Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1a | For the director. A psalm by David. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּעָזְּךָ֥ יִשְׂמַח־מֶ֑לֶךְ | 2a | YHWH, the king rejoices because of your strength, |
| וּ֝בִישׁ֥וּעָתְךָ֗ מַה־יָגֵיל מְאֹֽד׃ | 2b | and how greatly he exults because of your salvation. |
| תַּאֲוַ֣ת לִ֭בּוֹ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ | 3a | You have granted him his heart’s desire, |
| וַאֲרֶ֥שֶׁת שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו בַּל־מָנַ֥עְתָּ סֶּֽלָה׃ | 3b | and not withheld his lips’ request. Selah. |
| כִּֽי־תְ֭קַדְּמֶנּוּ בִּרְכ֣וֹת ט֑וֹב | 4a | For you meet him with good blessings; |
| תָּשִׁ֥ית לְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ עֲטֶ֣רֶת פָּֽז׃ | 4b | You place a golden crown upon his head. |
| חַיִּ֤ים ׀ שָׁאַ֣ל מִ֭מְּךָ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ | 5a | He asked for life from you; you have granted it to him; |
| אֹ֥רֶךְ יָ֝מִ֗ים עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ | 5b | Long life, forever and ever. |
| גָּד֣וֹל כְּ֭בוֹדוֹ בִּישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ | 6a | His honor is great because of your salvation; |
| ה֥וֹד וְ֝הָדָר תְּשַׁוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃ | 6b | You bestow glory and majesty upon him. |
| כִּֽי־תְשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בְרָכ֣וֹת לָעַ֑ד | 7a | For you give him blessings forever; |
| תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֝שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ | 7b | You make him glad with joy with your presence. |
| כִּֽי־הַ֭מֶּלֶךְ בֹּטֵ֣חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה | 8a | For the king trusts in YHWH, |
| וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן בַּל־יִמּֽוֹט׃ | 8b | and because of the faithfulness of the Most High, he will not be shaken. |
| תִּמְצָ֣א יָ֭דְךָ לְכָל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ | 9a | Your hand will reach to all your enemies; |
| יְ֝מִֽינְךָ תִּמְצָ֥א שֹׂנְאֶֽיךָ׃ | 9b | Your right hand will lay hold of those who hate you. |
| תְּשִׁיתֵ֤מוֹ ׀ כְּתַנּ֥וּר אֵשׁ֮ לְעֵ֪ת פָּ֫נֶ֥יךָ | 10a | You will place them as [in] a fiery oven at the time of your appearance; |
| יְ֭הוָה בְּאַפּ֣וֹ יְבַלְּעֵ֑ם וְֽתֹאכְלֵ֥ם אֵֽשׁ׃ | 10b | YHWH will swallow them up in his anger, and fire will consume them. |
| פִּ֭רְיָמוֹ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תְּאַבֵּ֑ד | 11a | You will destroy their offspring from the earth, |
| וְ֝זַרְעָ֗ם מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ | 11b | and their descendants from humankind. |
| כִּי־נָט֣וּ עָלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה | 12a | Because even if they planned evil against you |
| חָֽשְׁב֥וּ מְ֝זִמָּ֗ה בַּל־יוּכָֽלוּ׃ | 12b | [and] they devised a plot, they would not succeed. |
| כִּ֭י תְּשִׁיתֵ֣מוֹ שֶׁ֑כֶם | 13a | Because you will make them turn back, |
| בְּ֝מֵֽיתָרֶ֗יךָ תְּכוֹנֵ֥ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 13b | With your bowstrings, you will take aim at their faces. |
| ר֣וּמָה יְהוָ֣ה בְּעֻזֶּ֑ךָ | 14a | YHWH, be exalted in your strength! |
| נָשִׁ֥ירָה וּֽ֝נְזַמְּרָה גְּבוּרָתֶֽךָ׃ | 14b | Let us sing about and praise your might! |
Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | For the director. A psalm of David. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בְּעָזְּךָ֥ יִשְׂמַח־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּ֝בִישׁ֥וּעָתְךָ֗ מַה־יָגֵיל מְאֹֽד׃ | 2 | YHWH, the king who is in covenant with you and responsible for leading your people rejoices because of your strength which has established him as king, and causes him to prosper and how greatly he exults because of your salvation from those who oppose him. |
| תַּאֲוַ֣ת לִ֭בּוֹ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ וַאֲרֶ֥שֶׁת שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו בַּל־מָנַ֥עְתָּ סֶּֽלָה׃ | 3 | The king desired that his life be extended and You have granted it to him because you know the secrets of the heart and therefore you knew his heart’s desire and considered it worth granting so that now his life and righteous reign is extended, and when the king made the request you heard it, and so you have not withheld his lips’ request. Selah. |
| כִּֽי־תְ֭קַדְּמֶנּוּ בִּרְכ֣וֹת ט֑וֹב | 4 | For those opposed to the king have met him with evil intentions but because of your covenant relationship with the king you meet him with good blessings which can only be found in you; The king has your divine approval to rule and so You place a golden crown upon his head such that he is now established as king. |
| חַיִּ֤ים ׀ שָׁאַ֣ל מִ֭מְּךָ נָתַ֣תָּה לּ֑וֹ אֹ֥רֶךְ יָ֝מִ֗ים עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ | 5 | He faces opposition and for many kings opposition means a short reign but you are the source of life which is why He asked for life from you; and you are the saving refuge of your anointed, and so you have granted it to him; so that he has a Long life, and his dynasty extends forever and ever just as you promised David it would. |
| גָּד֣וֹל כְּ֭בוֹדוֹ בִּישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ ה֥וֹד וְ֝הָדָר תְּשַׁוֶּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃ | 6 | His honor is made great because of your salvation from opposition; You bestow glory and majesty upon him. |
| תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֝שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ | 7 | For the king finds favor with you and so you give him blessings forever; The king did not have joy before, but now the king is in your presence and your presence is a source of joy to those who are in your favor which is why You make him glad with joy with your presence. |
| כִּֽי־הַ֭מֶּלֶךְ בֹּטֵ֣חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה | 8 | For YHWH is abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness which is why the king trusts in YHWH, and because of the faithfulness of the Most High who has proven faithful to the king previously, he will not be shaken. |
| תִּמְצָ֣א יָ֭דְךָ לְכָל־אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ יְ֝מִֽינְךָ תִּמְצָ֥א שֹׂנְאֶֽיךָ׃ | 9 | Because YHWH is on your side Your hand will be more powerful than that of your enemies and in searching them out you will reach to all your enemies; likewise Your right hand will lay hold of those who hate you. |
| תְּשִׁיתֵ֤מוֹ ׀ כְּתַנּ֥וּר אֵשׁ֮ לְעֵ֪ת פָּ֫נֶ֥יךָ | 10 | The enemies thrive and oppose the king which is why YHWH will use you, his servant and You will place them as [in] a fiery oven at the time of your appearance; then YHWH himself will swallow them up in his anger, and fire will consume them. |
| פִּ֭רְיָמוֹ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תְּאַבֵּ֑ד | 11 | You will even find the enemies' posterity, that is destroy their offspring from the earth, and their descendants from humankind. |
| כִּי־נָט֣וּ עָלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה | 12 | Because even if they planned evil against you [and] they devised a plot, hoping for your defeat they would not succeed. |
| כִּ֭י תְּשִׁיתֵ֣מוֹ שֶׁ֑כֶם | 13 | Although the enemy confronts you and your army they will be defeated Because you will make them turn back, With your army readied with their bowstrings you will take aim at their faces and you will be victorious. |
| ר֣וּמָה יְהוָ֣ה בְּעֻזֶּ֑ךָ | 14 | YHWH, the king has needed your strength, so be exalted in your strength which you have shown in delivering him because your strength is cause for exaltation! And Let us sing about and praise your might because you have done things worthy of praise! |
Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.
