Psalms 21:13

KJV

Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: [so] will we sing and praise thy power.

KJV (with Strong's)

Be thou exalted {H7311}, LORD {H3068}, in thine own strength {H5797}: so will we sing {H7891} and praise {H2167} thy power {H1369}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Arise, ADONAI, in your strength; and we will sing and praise your power.

Berean Standard Bible

Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power.

American Standard Version

Be thou exalted, O Jehovah, in thy strength: So will we sing and praise thy power.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalm 21:13 serves as a climactic declaration of praise, acknowledging God's supreme and inherent strength as the sole source of victory and blessing. It is a fervent prayer for the Lord to manifest His divine power, coupled with a resolute commitment from the community to respond to such a display with joyful song and adoration, thereby affirming His ultimate sovereignty over all creation and human affairs.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 21 is a royal psalm of thanksgiving, closely linked to Psalm 20, which was a prayer offered *before* battle for the king's success. Psalm 21, by contrast, is a celebratory response *after* a significant victory has been granted by the Lord. The preceding verses detail the blessings and triumph bestowed upon the king by Yahweh, emphasizing that the king's success is not due to his own might but entirely to God's favor and power. This concluding verse, therefore, shifts from the specific royal triumph to a universal, communal commitment to praise God for His intrinsic and demonstrated strength, serving as the psalm's theological culmination.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** This psalm reflects the ancient Israelite understanding of kingship and divine sovereignty. In the ancient Near East, kings often attributed their victories to their patron deities. For Israel, however, the emphasis was uniquely on Yahweh as the true Divine Warrior and the ultimate source of national security and prosperity. King David, often associated with these psalms, would have led the nation in such prayers and thanksgiving, reinforcing the covenantal relationship where God's intervention was paramount, not human military prowess or political alliances, as seen in [Psalm 20:7](/psalms/20-7 "Psalm 20:7 - Trusting in the Name of the Lord"). The communal "we" in the verse underscores the corporate nature of worship and national identity, where the king's victory was a victory for all Israel, prompting collective praise.
* **Key Themes:** The verse powerfully articulates several core themes. Firstly, it highlights **God's Self-Exaltation and Inherent Strength**. The prayer "Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength" is not a request for God to *become* exalted, but for Him to *reveal* His already supreme and self-existent power in a way that is undeniable to all. Secondly, it emphasizes **Worship as a Response to Divine Power**. The phrase "so will we sing and praise thy power" establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship: God's manifest strength naturally elicits human adoration and celebration. This connection between God's mighty deeds and human praise is a pervasive theme throughout the Psalter, as exemplified in [Psalm 145:1-7](/psalms/145-1 "Psalm 145:1-7 - David's Praise for God's Greatness"). Thirdly, the verse implicitly reinforces the theme of **Trust in God's Strength Alone**, teaching that reliance on divine power, rather than human capability or worldly resources, is the proper posture for both king and people.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Exalted (Hebrew, רוּם _rum_):** This verb means to be high, to be lifted up, to be elevated, or to be magnified. In the context of God, it signifies His supreme honor, authority, and transcendent position. It's a call for God to be recognized and glorified in His inherent loftiness, often implying a public demonstration of His greatness.
* **Strength (Hebrew, עֹז _‘oz_):** This noun refers to inherent might, formidable power, and vigor. It often carries connotations of military strength, fortitude, and the capacity to overcome. When applied to God, it speaks of His intrinsic, unassailable, and self-existent power that is not derived from any external source.
* **Power (Hebrew, גְּבוּרָה _gevurah_):** This noun refers to acts of valor, mighty deeds, or effective strength. While `‘oz` speaks of inherent might, `gevurah` emphasizes the active demonstration or manifestation of that strength through powerful actions. The distinction is subtle but significant: we pray for God to be exalted in His inherent `‘oz` (strength), and in response, we praise His `gevurah` (the powerful acts that flow from His strength).

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength:"** This is an imperative prayer or a declarative petition. It's a call for God to display His inherent, unborrowed, and supreme power. The emphasis on "thine own strength" underscores that God's might is self-sufficient and not dependent on human effort or external factors. It is a desire for God's glory to be made evident through His actions.
* **"[so] will we sing and praise thy power."** This clause expresses the intended consequence and the communal response. The KJV's "[so]" correctly indicates a result or purpose. When God manifests His `‘oz` (strength) through His `gevurah` (mighty acts), the natural and committed response of His people is to engage in corporate worship, expressed through singing and praising. This is not a reluctant duty but a joyful and willing acknowledgment of His effective sovereignty.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 21:13 employs several effective literary devices. The phrase "Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength" utilizes an **Imperative**, functioning as a fervent prayer or a declarative wish for God to reveal His inherent greatness. This is followed by a clear example of **Synthetic Parallelism**, where the second line expands upon or completes the thought of the first, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship: God's self-exaltation through His strength leads directly to the people's singing and praising His power. There is also a subtle use of **Antithesis** when considering the broader context of the psalm, contrasting human reliance on "chariots and horses" with trust in "the name of the LORD our God" ([Psalm 20:7](/psalms/20-7 "Psalm 20:7 - Trust in the Name of the Lord")), which highlights God's strength as the true source of victory.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse encapsulates a profound theological truth: God's glory and exaltation are not contingent upon human recognition, yet His revelation of His inherent strength inevitably elicits worship from His creation. It teaches that true worship is a response to the manifest character and deeds of God. The psalm moves from a specific act of divine intervention (the king's victory) to a universal principle of praise, demonstrating that every display of God's power, whether in grand historical events or personal providences, should culminate in adoration. This commitment to sing and praise God's power is a recognition that He is the active, sovereign ruler over all, whose might is both intrinsic and effectively demonstrated in the world.

* [Psalm 46:10](/psalms/46-10 "Psalm 46:10 - God is Exalted Among the Nations")
* [Psalm 145:10-12](/psalms/145-10 "Psalm 145:10-12 - All Creation Praises God's Mighty Acts")
* [Exodus 15:2](/exodus/15-2 "Exodus 15:2 - The Lord is My Strength and Song")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 21:13 offers a timeless blueprint for the believer's response to God's sovereignty. It calls us to shift our focus from our limitations and the overwhelming challenges of life to the boundless, inherent strength of the Lord. When we witness God's hand at work—whether in personal deliverance, the unfolding of His purposes in history, or the sustained order of creation—our natural and proper response should be one of profound worship. This is not merely an emotional outburst but a conscious, communal act of acknowledging His absolute authority and effective power. Living out this verse means cultivating a posture of continuous praise, recognizing that God is always at work, demonstrating His strength, and that our trust should be placed entirely in Him, empowering us to face life with courage and faith.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you most need to see the Lord "exalted in His own strength"?**
* **How does witnessing God's power (e.g., in answered prayer, in creation, in His Word) move you to "sing and praise His power"?**
* **What practical steps can you take to cultivate a more consistent attitude of praise in response to God's manifest strength?**
* **How does the communal aspect ("we will sing") challenge or encourage your personal worship?**

### FAQ
**Is this verse a command to God or a prayer?**

Answer: Psalm 21:13 functions primarily as a fervent prayer or a declarative petition. When the psalmist says, "Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength," it is not a command in the sense of dictating to God, but rather an earnest plea for God to *manifest* or *display* His inherent, supreme power. It's a desire for God's glory to be made evident and recognized by all. This public display of His strength then serves as the catalyst for the communal response of worship: "so will we sing and praise thy power." It acknowledges God's sovereignty while expressing the deep longing for His glory to be revealed.

**What is the difference between "strength" and "power" in this verse?**

Answer: The KJV translates two distinct Hebrew words: `‘oz` (עֹז) for "strength" and `gevurah` (גְּבוּרָה) for "power." While both relate to divine might, they carry different nuances. `‘Oz` (strength) refers to God's *inherent*, unassailable, and formidable might—His intrinsic capacity to act. It speaks of His very being as powerful. `Gevurah` (power), on the other hand, refers to the *active demonstration* or manifestation of that strength through mighty deeds and acts of valor. So, the verse prays for God to be exalted in His *inherent* strength (`‘oz`), and in response to the *demonstrated* acts of that strength (`gevurah`), the people will sing and praise. This distinction highlights both God's essential nature and His active engagement in the world, as seen in His mighty works throughout salvation history, from the parting of the Red Sea in [Exodus 15](/exodus/15 "Exodus 15 - The Song of Moses") to the ultimate victory over sin and death.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 21:13 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The prayer for God to be "exalted... in thine own strength" culminates in the exaltation of the Son, through whom the Father's strength and power are perfectly revealed. Christ's life, miracles, and especially His triumph over sin and death on the cross and through the resurrection, are the supreme demonstrations of God's `gevurah` (power). The cross, seemingly a weakness, was in fact the ultimate display of God's strength to redeem humanity, as [1 Corinthians 1:18](/1_corinthians/1-18 "1 Corinthians 1:18 - The Message of the Cross") declares. His resurrection unequivocally demonstrated God's power over death, leading to His glorious exaltation to the right hand of the Father, where "every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" ([Philippians 2:9-11](/philippians/2-9 "Philippians 2:9-11 - Christ's Exaltation and Universal Confession")). Thus, the communal "we will sing and praise thy power" becomes the universal song of the redeemed, who worship the Lamb of God for His decisive victory and the power by which He accomplished salvation, a praise that echoes throughout eternity in [Revelation 5:12](/revelation/5-12 "Revelation 5:12 - Worthy Is the Lamb").

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

Revelation 16:5

And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

Revelation 16:7

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous [are] thy judgments.

Revelation 15:3

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true [are] thy ways, thou King of saints.

Revelation 15:4

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Revelation 19:1

¶ And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

Revelation 19:6

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Psalms 72:18

¶ Blessed [be] the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.