Psalms 21:2

Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

Thou hast given {H5414} him his heart's {H3820} desire {H8378}, and hast not withholden {H4513} the request {H782} of his lips {H8193}. Selah {H5542}.

You give him his heart's desire; you don't refuse the prayer from his lips. (Selah)

You have granted his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, And hast not withholden the request of his lips. [Selah

Commentary

Context of Psalms 21:2

Psalm 21 is a psalm of thanksgiving, likely composed by King David, celebrating a great victory and the Lord's abundant blessings upon the king. It follows Psalm 20, which was a prayer for the king's success in battle. Here, in Psalm 21, the prayers of Psalm 20 are shown to have been gloriously answered. The psalm expresses the king's joy and gratitude for God's favor and strength, emphasizing God's active involvement in the affairs of His anointed leader. While rooted in historical events concerning King David, this psalm also carries significant Messianic undertones, pointing to the ultimate King, Jesus Christ, and His triumph.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Blessing and Favor: The verse highlights God's immense generosity and favor towards the king. It underscores the idea that God not only hears prayers but actively delights in fulfilling the righteous desires of His servants.
  • Answered Prayer: It is a powerful declaration of answered prayer. The king's deepest longings ("his heart's desire") and spoken petitions ("the request of his lips") have been granted by God without reservation. This demonstrates God's attentiveness and responsiveness to His people.
  • God's Faithfulness: The verse testifies to the unwavering faithfulness of God. What was asked for was not withheld, reinforcing the biblical truth that God is true to His promises and will bless those who trust in Him.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "heart's desire" (Hebrew: ta'avat libbo) refers to the deep longing or craving of one's inner being. "Request of his lips" (Hebrew: areshet s'fatav) refers to the spoken petition or prayer. The parallelism in these phrases emphasizes the completeness of God's answer, addressing both the unspoken longings and the uttered words.

The term "Selah" (סֶלָה) at the end of the verse is a musical or liturgical notation found frequently in the Psalms. It is typically understood as an instruction for a pause, perhaps for reflection, meditation, or a musical interlude. In this context, it invites the reader to pause and contemplate the profound truth of God's full and generous response to prayer.

Related Scriptures

This verse beautifully echoes the promise found in Psalm 37:4, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." It also directly correlates with the prayers offered in Psalm 20:4, "Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel." The New Testament confirms this principle, assuring us that if we ask according to His will, God hears us (1 John 5:14).

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalms 21:2 offers profound encouragement:

  • Confidence in Prayer: It reinforces the truth that God hears and answers the prayers of His people. We can approach Him with confidence, knowing He is attentive to our heart's desires and spoken requests.
  • Trust in God's Goodness: This verse reminds us of God's benevolent character. He is not a God who withholds good things from those who walk uprightly, but one who delights in blessing His children.
  • Gratitude and Thanksgiving: Just as King David celebrated, we are called to express deep gratitude for God's faithfulness in our own lives, acknowledging that every good gift comes from Him.

Ultimately, this verse speaks to the power of a relationship with God where genuine desires, aligned with His will, are met with divine abundance and favor.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 37:4 (10 votes)

    Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

  • Psalms 20:4 (8 votes)

    Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.

  • Psalms 20:5 (8 votes)

    We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up [our] banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

  • Psalms 2:8 (5 votes)

    Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession.

  • Psalms 2:9 (5 votes)

    Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

  • Hebrews 7:25 (4 votes)

    Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

  • Isaiah 49:6 (3 votes)

    And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.