The King's Blessings
Study note
The king rejoices in God's strength. God has given him his heart's desire, crowned him with gold, and blessed him with long life, splendor, and lasting joy.
1 Lord, the king is thrilled because of how strong you are. He can barely contain his joy because of the victory you gave him! The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
2 You handed him exactly what his heart wanted. You did not turn down a single thing he asked for. Selah. Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
3 You met him with overflowing blessings and set a crown of pure gold on his head. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life, and you gave him exactly that — days stretching out forever and ever. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
5 Because of the victory you gave, his reputation soars. You piled honor and majesty on top of him. His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.
6 You loaded him down with blessings that will never run out. You flooded him with gladness just by being near. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.
7 The king relies completely on the Lord. Because of the faithful love of the Most High, he stands firm and will not fall. For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.
God's Judgment on Enemies
Study note
God's hand will find all his enemies. Those who plotted evil against the king will be unable to carry out their plans.
8 Your hand will track down every enemy. Your powerful right hand will grab hold of everyone who hates you. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.
9 When you show up, you will make them burn like the inside of a red-hot furnace. The Lord will consume them in his anger, and fire will swallow them whole. 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.
10 You will wipe out their children from the earth and their descendants from the human race. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.
11 Even though they plot evil against you and hatch wicked plans, none of it will work. For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
12 You will make them turn and run when you point your arrows straight at their faces. Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
Closing Praise
Study note
The psalm ends with a call for God to be exalted in his strength while the people sing and praise his power.
13 Stand tall in your strength, Lord! We will burst into song celebrating your mighty power. Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.