Psalm 21:2 kjv
Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.
Psalm 21:2 nkjv
You have given him his heart's desire, And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
Psalm 21:2 niv
You have granted him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
Psalm 21:2 esv
You have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
Psalm 21:2 nlt
For you have given him his heart's desire;
you have withheld nothing he requested. Interlude
Psalm 21 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 20:5 | May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name... | God answers prayer for victory |
| Ps 37:4 | Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. | Righteous desires aligned with God are granted |
| Ps 66:19-20 | But God has surely heard; He has listened to my prayer. Praise be to God,... | God attentively hears and responds to prayer |
| Ps 145:19 | He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves... | God's readiness to fulfill His faithful's desires |
| Prov 10:24 | What the wicked dreads will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be... | Outcome for righteous vs. wicked desires |
| Matt 7:7-8 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will... | Principle of asking and receiving |
| Mk 11:24 | Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have... | Faith in receiving what is prayed for |
| Lk 11:9-10 | So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;... | Emphasizes persistent and effective prayer |
| Jn 15:7 | If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it... | Prayer within abiding in Christ yields answers |
| Jas 1:5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all... | God gives generously to those who ask him |
| Jas 4:3 | When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,... | Importance of right motives in prayer |
| 1 Jn 5:14-15 | This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything... | Confidence in prayer aligned with God's will |
| Ps 89:20-29 | I have found David My servant; with My sacred oil I have anointed him. My... | God's steadfast covenant with His anointed |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up... | The Davidic Covenant - promises to the King |
| Isa 53:10-12 | Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though... | Messianic suffering and ultimate fulfillment of desires |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is... | God's ultimate exaltation of Christ's triumph |
| Heb 5:7 | During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions... | Christ's perfect prayer and obedience leading to answer |
| Heb 7:25 | Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him,... | Christ's continual intercession for believers |
| Rom 8:32 | He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not... | God's complete willingness to grant all things |
| Ps 2:8 | Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth... | Messianic scope of King's inheritance and desires |
| Ps 72:1-17 | Give the king Your justice, O God, and Your righteousness to the royal son.... | A Messianic Psalm about the reign of the King |
Psalm 21 verses
Psalm 21 2 Meaning
Psalm 21:2 is a profound declaration of God's abundant faithfulness and responsiveness to the king's righteous prayers and innermost longings. It celebrates that the Lord has not merely heard but has fully fulfilled the petitions spoken by the king, as well as the deeper desires held within his heart. This verse expresses profound gratitude and trust in God’s willingness and power to grant divine favor, especially in the context of His covenant with the king.
Psalm 21 2 Context
Psalm 21 is a royal psalm of thanksgiving, specifically celebrating God's great deliverance and blessings upon the king. It immediately follows Psalm 20, which is a prayer for the king's success before a battle or major undertaking. Psalm 21 then serves as the jubilant response, giving thanks for the victory and vindication granted by God. The "him" in verse 2 refers primarily to the king (e.g., King David), recognizing that the king's strength, salvation, and victory come entirely from the Lord. Culturally and historically, the stability and prosperity of the nation were intricately linked to the faithfulness and anointing of their king, who was seen as God's chosen representative. The blessings bestowed upon the king were seen as divine affirmation, reinforcing the covenant relationship between God, the king, and Israel. The language transcends an individual monarch, pointing also to a greater, ideal King—the Messiah—whose perfect desires and petitions would always be fully granted by God.
Psalm 21 2 Word analysis
- You have granted him: This begins with the second person singular, directly addressing God. The Hebrew word is תַּשְׁתּוֹ (tashto), derived from the root נָתַן (natan), meaning "to give, grant, place, set." It signifies a sovereign act of bestowal by God, not something earned or forced, emphasizing God's generosity and active involvement.
- his heart's desire: The Hebrew here is תַּאֲוַת לִבּוֹ (ta'avat libbo). תַּאֲוָה (ta'avah) means "desire, longing, yearning, appetite." It's not a superficial wish but a deep, inner yearning. לִבּוֹ (libbo) means "his heart," the seat of emotions, will, and intellect in biblical thought. This implies that God grants not just spoken prayers, but also the deepest, unarticulated desires of the righteous heart, particularly when these desires align with His divine will and purpose for the king.
- and have not withheld: The Hebrew is וְלֹא מָנַעְתָּ (wĕlo mana'ta). מָנַע (mana') means "to hold back, keep back, restrain, deny." The emphatic "not withheld" underscores God's complete and unrestrained generosity. It indicates that God freely gave what was requested without reservation, limitation, or delay.
- the request of his lips: The Hebrew is אֲרֶשֶׁת שְׂפָתָיו (areshet s'fatayv). אֲרֶשֶׁת (areshet) specifically means "a request, petition." שְׂפָתָיו (s'fatayv) means "his lips," signifying verbalized prayer or supplication. This complements "heart's desire," highlighting that both unspoken inner longings and articulated petitions are fully met by God. It affirms the power and effectiveness of vocalized prayer offered to God.
- Selah: This word appears frequently in the Psalms. While its precise meaning is debated, it is generally understood as a musical or liturgical direction, prompting a pause for contemplation or reflection on the preceding verse's profound truth. Here, it invites reflection on the wondrous nature of God's perfect responsiveness to the king's prayers and desires.
- Words-group Analysis: * "You have granted him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips": This phrase showcases the holistic nature of God's response. It covers both the internal, often unvoiced longings ("heart's desire") and the external, spoken prayers ("request of his lips"). This indicates God's omniscience (knowing the heart's true state) and His active, tangible response to His anointed one. The double affirmation (granted/not withheld) reinforces the certainty and completeness of the divine provision. It implies a perfect alignment between the king's desire and God's will, making the granting inevitable.
Psalm 21 2 Bonus section
- Psalm 21:2 demonstrates a key theological principle: when an individual's will and desires are sanctified and align with God's perfect will, God's answer is assured and complete. This is not about self-serving desires but about God-honoring requests from a heart committed to His ways.
- The progression from Psalm 20 (prayer before action) to Psalm 21 (thanksgiving after God's answer) highlights the importance of persistent and faith-filled prayer followed by grateful acknowledgment of God's blessings.
- The fact that God grants "heart's desire" implies an intimacy where the king's inner aspirations are known and affirmed by the divine, a contrast to impersonal or distant deities.
Psalm 21 2 Commentary
Psalm 21:2 expresses the unfailing faithfulness of God in hearing and answering the petitions of His anointed king. This verse is a testament to the character of YHWH as a God who listens intimately, not just to spoken words but to the deep longings of the heart, and responds generously. The king, likely having previously made earnest requests (as implied by Ps 20), now testifies to God's full and unreserved fulfillment. It highlights that true prayer involves desires aligned with God's purpose, leading to His certain approval and response. Ultimately, this verse finds its most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the ultimate King and Anointed One, whose every desire and petition perfectly aligned with the Father's will, resulting in His exaltation and triumph. It reminds believers that when their desires conform to God’s righteous will and are presented with faith, He will not hold back His perfect answer.