Psalms 21:1

KJV

¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

KJV (with Strong's)

To the chief Musician {H5329}, A Psalm {H4210} of David {H1732}. The king {H4428} shall joy {H8055} in thy strength {H5797}, O LORD {H3068}; and in thy salvation {H3444} how greatly {H3966} shall he rejoice {H1523}!

Complete Jewish Bible

For the leader. A psalm of David: ADONAI, the king finds joy in your strength; what great joy he displays in your victory!

Berean Standard Bible

O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!

American Standard Version

The king shall joy in thy strength, O Jehovah; And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalm 21:1 opens with a triumphant declaration of King David’s profound and unbridled joy, which is rooted not in his own regal authority or military might, but exclusively in the divine strength and saving power of the LORD. This verse functions as a foundational statement within a psalm of thanksgiving, likely composed in the aftermath of a significant victory or deliverance, affirming that the ultimate source of royal success and personal exultation is God's active intervention and unwavering faithfulness. It sets a tone of humble dependence and overflowing gratitude, highlighting the king's deep spiritual insight into the true wellspring of his kingdom's prosperity and his own profound delight.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 21 stands in profound literary dialogue with [Psalm 20](/psalms/20 "Psalm 20 - A Prayer for the King's Victory"), forming a pair that vividly illustrates the arc of prayer and answered petition. Whereas [Psalm 20](/psalms/20 "Psalm 20 - A Prayer for the King's Victory") is a fervent intercessory prayer offered *before* a battle or a period of national crisis, seeking God's favor and victory for the king, Psalm 21 is a jubilant psalm of thanksgiving and praise, offered *after* the divine intervention has occurred and the requested salvation has been graciously granted. This sequential relationship underscores God's faithfulness in responding to the prayers of His people and their anointed leader. The superscription, "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David," not only attributes the psalm's authorship to King David but also indicates its liturgical purpose, signifying its intent for public worship and musical performance under the direction of the temple choirmaster. This suggests it was a communal expression of gratitude, not merely a private royal reflection.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Composed by King David, this psalm provides a window into the life and reign of an anointed monarch in ancient Israel. In the broader ancient Near East, kings frequently boasted of their own inherent strength, strategic brilliance, and military prowess, attributing victories to their personal might or the power of their national deities. However, David, as Israel's divinely chosen king, consistently distinguished himself by acknowledging Yahweh as the ultimate source of his authority, protection, and triumphs. This verse, therefore, operates within a cultural framework where kingship was divinely ordained, yet it powerfully subverts typical human-centric boasts by placing all glory and credit squarely on God. The "salvation" referenced likely pertains to specific military victories or deliverances from formidable enemies, which were absolutely crucial for the stability and survival of the kingdom of Israel in a volatile geopolitical landscape.
* **Key Themes:** Psalm 21:1 introduces and encapsulates several foundational themes that resonate throughout the Psalms and the broader biblical narrative. Central among these is the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Dependence**, emphasizing that the earthly king's success and well-being are entirely contingent upon God's power and direct intervention, rather than human strength, military might, or strategic brilliance. This profound recognition fosters a spirit of **Gratitude and Exuberant Praise**, as the king's joy is not merely a quiet contentment but an overflowing, demonstrative delight in God's saving acts, a theme echoed in the call to "rejoice in the Lord always" found in [Philippians 4:4](/philippians/4-4 "Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord Always"). Furthermore, the theme of **God as the Sole Source of Salvation** is paramount, underscoring that true deliverance, victory, and prosperity come exclusively from the LORD. This concept of God as the ultimate deliverer is a recurring motif, evident from the grand narrative of the [Exodus from Egypt](/exodus/14 "Exodus 14 - The Crossing of the Red Sea") to countless personal deliverances throughout Israel's history, and ultimately foreshadows the comprehensive salvation offered in Christ, as highlighted in passages like [Isaiah 12:2](/isaiah/12-2 "Isaiah 12:2 - God is My Salvation and Strength").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Joy (Hebrew, _gîyl'_):** From H1523, this word signifies a deep, exuberant, and often demonstrative gladness, frequently expressed through vivid physical actions like spinning around, leaping, or shouting. It is not a quiet or reserved contentment but an overflowing, ecstatic delight that bubbles up from within, a powerful emotional response to God's goodness and power. In the context of divine deliverance, it reflects an uncontainable and publicly expressed joy.
* **Strength (Hebrew, _‘ôz'_):** From H5797, this term refers to God's inherent might, power, and absolute ability to act decisively. It denotes not merely human fortitude or military might, but the divine, supernatural, and unassailable power of the Almighty. David's joy is profoundly rooted in the recognition that God's strength is absolute and unfailing, providing an unshakeable foundation for the king's security and success, as echoed in [Psalm 18:1](/psalms/18-1 "Psalm 18:1 - My Strength and My Deliverer").
* **Salvation (Hebrew, _yᵉshûwʻâh'_):** From H3444, this rich and multifaceted term encompasses deliverance, victory, welfare, prosperity, and rescue. It denotes God's active intervention to save, protect, and bring well-being in various forms. Significantly, this is the same linguistic root from which the name "Jesus" (Yeshua) is derived, connecting the Old Testament concept of divine rescue from peril to the ultimate, comprehensive salvation found in the Messiah. Here, it refers to God's specific acts of deliverance for the king and his people from their adversaries.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David."**: This superscription provides essential metadata regarding the psalm's origin and purpose. It attributes authorship to David, designates its genre as a "Psalm" (a sacred song or poem), and indicates its intended use in public worship, under the direction of the "chief Musician" or choirmaster, suggesting a musical and congregational context for its performance and reception.
* **"The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD;"**: This clause immediately establishes the singular source of the king's profound joy: not his own power, accomplishments, or the might of his army, but exclusively the strength of the LORD. The direct address "O LORD" (Yahweh, God's covenant name) emphasizes a deeply personal and relational connection. The "king" here is David, representing the anointed ruler whose well-being, security, and success are entirely dependent on God's divine might. His joy is a direct and overflowing response to experiencing God's enabling and sustaining power.
* **"and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!"**: This second clause functions as a powerful parallel to the first, reinforcing and intensifying the central message through synonymous parallelism. The king's "great" rejoicing is specifically in God's "salvation" – His concrete acts of deliverance, victory, and preservation. The adverbial phrase "how greatly" conveys an overflowing, boundless, and almost inexpressible delight, indicating that the salvation received was profound, comprehensive, and deeply impactful, eliciting an extraordinary and demonstrative response of gratitude and praise.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 21:1 masterfully employs several powerful **Literary Devices** to convey its message of profound joy and divine dependence. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the second line reiterates and amplifies the thought of the first. "The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD" is beautifully mirrored by "and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!", with "strength" and "salvation" serving as parallel concepts of divine attributes and "joy" and "rejoice" as synonymous verbs, intensifying the expression of delight. **Apostrophe** is clearly present in the direct address "O LORD," which creates a sense of intimacy and direct communication with God, drawing the listener into the king's personal relationship with the divine. The phrase "how greatly shall he rejoice!" functions as a form of **Hyperbole**, emphasizing the immense, overflowing, and almost immeasurable nature of the king's joy, suggesting it is beyond ordinary human measure. Finally, the concepts of "strength" and "salvation" can be seen as **Metonymy** or **Symbolism**, standing not just for abstract ideas but for God's active, powerful, and delivering presence and intervention in the king's life.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 21:1 profoundly articulates a core biblical truth: the ultimate source of human joy, security, and success lies not in self-reliance, worldly power, or personal accomplishment, but exclusively in the strength and saving acts of God. This principle transcends the specific historical context of an ancient king, establishing a universal theological paradigm for all believers across all generations. It teaches that true and lasting rejoicing stems from a humble recognition of God's absolute sovereignty, His active and providential involvement in human affairs, and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people. When we acknowledge God as our strength and the sole source of our salvation, our joy becomes rooted in an immutable and eternal reality, rather than the fleeting and often unpredictable circumstances of life. This psalm invites us to cultivate a posture of humble dependence, profound gratitude, and exuberant praise, understanding that every deliverance, every provision, and every triumph is a direct testament to His mighty hand and boundless grace.

* [Philippians 4:4](/philippians/4-4 "Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord Always")
* [Isaiah 12:2](/isaiah/12-2 "Isaiah 12:2 - God is My Salvation and Strength")
* [1 Samuel 17:47](/1_samuel/17-47 "1 Samuel 17:47 - The Battle is the LORD's")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 21:1 offers a timeless and transformative invitation to reorient the very source of our deepest joy and confidence. In a world that persistently encourages self-sufficiency, the pursuit of happiness through personal achievement, or the accumulation of material gain, this verse powerfully reminds us that our most profound, enduring, and authentic delight is to be found solely in God's majestic character, His omnipotent power, and His redemptive work on our behalf. When we face our own "battles" – whether they manifest as spiritual struggles against sin, overwhelming personal challenges, or external pressures and anxieties – our first and most vital inclination should not be to rely on our limited strength or finite resources, but to turn in humble dependence to the unfailing strength of the LORD. This verse calls us to cultivate a heart of intense and demonstrative gratitude for every instance of God's "salvation" in our lives, recognizing His sovereign hand in our deliverance from sin, our healing from sickness, our miraculous provision, and His unwavering guidance through life's most difficult circumstances. It encourages us to make our praise public, exuberant, and unreserved, reflecting the "greatness" of the joy that flows from truly knowing and experiencing the living God.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What are the primary sources of joy and security in my life, and how do they compare to the joy described in Psalms 21:1?**
* **In what specific areas of my life am I tempted to rely on my own strength, wisdom, or resources rather than God's unfailing power?**
* **How can I more intentionally and consistently acknowledge, celebrate, and give thanks for God's "salvation" (His deliverances, provisions, and guidance) in my daily life?**
* **What does it truly mean for me to "greatly rejoice" in the LORD's strength and salvation in my current circumstances?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of the "king" in this verse, and how does it apply to believers today?**

Answer: In Psalm 21:1, "the king" refers specifically to King David, God's anointed ruler over Israel. His joy in God's strength and salvation highlights the unique relationship between God and His chosen leader, emphasizing that even a powerful monarch is utterly dependent on divine favor for success and well-being. For believers today, this concept applies in several profound ways. Firstly, we are called to pray for our leaders, that they too might acknowledge God as their ultimate strength and source of salvation, as exhorted in [1 Timothy 2:1-2](/1_timothy/2-1-2 "1 Timothy 2:1-2 - Prayers for All People"). Secondly, in a spiritual and redemptive sense, every believer in Christ is part of a "royal priesthood" and a "holy nation," as described in [1 Peter 2:9](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9 - A Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation"). Therefore, the principles of humble dependence on God's strength and exuberant rejoicing in His salvation apply directly to our lives. Our victories, whether over sin, temptation, or life's myriad challenges, are ultimately His doing, and our joy should be found in Him alone, recognizing His sovereign hand in all things.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 21:1 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true and eternal King, the Son of David who reigns forever. While King David rejoiced in God's strength and salvation for specific earthly victories and deliverances, Christ, as the perfect King and Messiah, embodies and perfectly fulfills this psalm's declaration in a cosmic and redemptive sense. His entire life and ministry were characterized by absolute dependence on the Father's strength, culminating in the ultimate act of salvation on the cross and His triumphant resurrection from the dead. The "strength" of the LORD was perfectly displayed in Christ's power over sin, death, and the grave, as seen in passages like [Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers and Authorities"). Furthermore, Jesus Himself is the very embodiment of "salvation" (Yeshua), as proclaimed by the angel in [Matthew 1:21](/matthew/1-21 "Matthew 1:21 - Jesus Will Save His People from Their Sins") and definitively by Peter in [Acts 4:12](/acts/4-12 "Acts 4:12 - Salvation in No Other Name"). The joy of the King in Psalm 21:1 foreshadows the profound joy of Christ, who, "for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame," as articulated in [Hebrews 12:2](/hebrews/12-2 "Hebrews 12:2 - Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of Our Faith"). This ultimate salvation and strength, now fully realized in Christ, is the source of the deepest, most enduring joy available to all who believe in Him. Our salvation, our strength, and our deepest joy are found in Him, the King of kings, who perfectly exemplified dependence on God and brought about the ultimate, eternal deliverance for all humanity.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 28:7

The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Matthew 2:2

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Psalms 62:7

In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, [and] my refuge, [is] in God.

Psalms 59:16

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Psalms 59:17

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God [is] my defence, [and] the God of my mercy.

Psalms 2:6

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.