Psalm 21 6

Psalm 21:6 kjv

For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

Psalm 21:6 nkjv

For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.

Psalm 21:6 niv

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

Psalm 21:6 esv

For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

Psalm 21:6 nlt

You have endowed him with eternal blessings
and given him the joy of your presence.

Psalm 21 6 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Gen 12:2-3I will make you a great nation; I will bless you... you shall be a blessing... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.Abrahamic covenant, source of blessing
Ps 16:11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy...Joy found in God's presence
Ps 21:4He asked life from You, and You gave it to him— Length of days forever and ever.Context: divine bestowal of life
Ps 45:2You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips... God has blessed You forever.Description of messianic king's eternal blessing
Ps 72:17His name shall endure forever... And men shall be blessed in Him...Messianic king's enduring name and source of blessing
Num 6:26The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.Blessing connected to God's 'face'/'presence'
Ps 4:6...LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.Desire for God's favorable presence
Ps 89:36His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me.God's eternal covenant with David's lineage
Isa 9:7Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end... From this time forward, even forever.Messianic eternal kingdom
Jer 30:9But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them.Davidic covenant and future king
Lk 1:32-33He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.Angel's prophecy of Christ's eternal kingship
Jn 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.Believer's eternal presence with Christ
2 Cor 3:18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed...Reflecting God's glory through His presence
Gal 3:8-9And the Scripture... preached the gospel to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.Abraham's blessing extends through faith in Christ
Eph 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ...Believer's spiritual blessings in Christ
Phil 2:9-11Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...Christ's exaltation and ultimate Lordship
Heb 1:8But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever..."God's address to the Son, emphasizing eternal reign
Rev 5:13And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth... saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"Eternal worship of God and the Lamb
Rev 7:15-17Therefore they are before the throne of God... He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore... God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."God's direct comforting presence with His people
Rev 21:3-4Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them... God will wipe away every tear...God's dwelling with His people in eternity, joy replaces sorrow

Psalm 21 verses

Psalm 21 6 Meaning

Psalm 21:6 declares the king's extraordinary and eternal blessing by God. It states that the Lord has conferred upon the king enduring divine favor, establishing him in a state of perpetual blessedness and prosperity. Furthermore, this verse highlights that the king's profound joy and delight stem directly from the Lord's intimate and manifest presence, signifying a deep and personal communion. This blessing is not a temporary or humanly earned success, but a divine bestowal, securing the king's reign and wellbeing in perpetuity and anchoring his happiness in God Himself.

Psalm 21 6 Context

Psalm 21 is a psalm of thanksgiving, specifically a royal psalm celebrating the king's victory and the blessings God has bestowed upon him. It is often understood as a companion to Psalm 20, which is a prayer for the king before battle. Psalm 21, therefore, serves as the triumphant follow-up, offering praise for the answered prayer and the divine favor manifested in the king's success. Historically, it refers to a particular Israelite king, likely David or one of his successors, who experienced God's delivering power. The king’s reign was understood to be founded upon a covenant with God, and his welfare directly linked to God's ongoing presence and blessing. This specific verse (Ps 21:6) particularly highlights the eternality and the divine source of this blessing and the king's resulting joy, which points beyond any temporal human king to a deeper messianic reality. In the broader theological landscape, the enduring Davidic covenant sets the stage for the ultimate Messianic King, Jesus Christ, making these royal psalms resonate with prophetic significance. The polemic against contemporary beliefs of the ancient Near East implicitly stands out as this blessing is clearly from the Lord (Yahweh) rather than from polytheistic deities or the king's inherent strength.

Psalm 21 6 Word Analysis

  • For You have made him: The Hebrew verb is תְּשִׁיתֵהוּ (t'shitehu), derived from the root שִׁית (shiyt), meaning "to put, place, set, make." It emphasizes God as the active agent, the one who initiates and effects this state upon the king. It is a divine action, not a human accomplishment.
  • most blessed: The Hebrew is בְרָכוֹת (b'rakhot), meaning "blessings," in a plural and intensive sense. It suggests an abundance of blessings or the very essence of blessing. The NIV translates this as "an everlasting blessing." The phrase indicates not merely being blessed, but becoming a blessing, a source or embodiment of divine favor, indicative of someone overflowing with divine goodness. This points to the king as an conduit of blessing to his people, stemming from God.
  • forever: The Hebrew term is לָעַד (la'ad), which conveys perpetuity, eternity, and enduring into the indefinite future. It underscores the lasting nature of God's favor and the king's established status, transcending temporal limitations and pointing to the eternal reign of the Messiah.
  • You have made him exceedingly glad: The Hebrew is תְשַׂמְּחֵהוּ (t'sam'chehu), from the root שָׂמַח (samach), meaning "to rejoice," "be glad." The use of the Hiphil causative stem ("You have made him glad") powerfully attributes the source of this profound joy directly to God. The intensifying adverbial construction in some translations like "exceedingly glad" or "filled him with joy" accurately captures the strength of the divine gift of gladness.
  • with Your presence: The Hebrew is פָּנֶיךָ (paneyka), literally "Your face" or "Your countenance." In biblical usage, "face" often signifies presence, favor, and direct interaction. To be gladdened by God's face means experiencing the fullness of His favorable, personal, and tangible presence, a joy that is unique and complete because it emanates from the divine Source of all joy and life. It implies direct access to and favor from the Most High God, the ultimate source of all delight.

Psalm 21 6 Bonus section

The structure of Psalm 21 (and its relationship to Psalm 20) reinforces the theological principle of dependent kingship in Israel. Unlike other ancient Near Eastern monarchs who often claimed inherent divinity or power, the Israelite king’s authority, victory, and prosperity were entirely dependent on the covenant and direct intervention of Yahweh. This verse strongly affirms this by explicitly stating "You have made him," removing any doubt about the source of the king's status. The "forever" aspect, extending beyond the typical human lifespan, naturally directs the interpreter's attention towards a lasting lineage and ultimately, a permanent, eternal king – the Messiah. The mention of God's "presence" bringing joy emphasizes that divine blessing isn't merely material, but also deeply relational and spiritual, bringing a profound sense of well-being that surpasses external circumstances.

Psalm 21 6 Commentary

Psalm 21:6 encapsulates the depth of God's blessing upon the divinely appointed king, foreshadowing the Messiah. It paints a picture of a sovereign, enthroned by God, not just temporarily victorious but perpetually blessed and established. The term "most blessed forever" transcends a mere favorable circumstance, suggesting a transformed state where the king himself embodies and channels divine blessing eternally. This finds ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the eternal King whose very person is blessing to the nations (Gal 3:8-9).

The source of this joy and blessing is unequivocally attributed to God's direct "presence" or "face." This intimate communion with the Almighty brings an "exceedingly glad" spirit, highlighting a joy not rooted in earthly achievements or temporary triumphs, but in the unwavering fellowship and favor of the Creator. This joy is a reflection of the security, peace, and delight found in God Himself, serving as a beacon of what true satisfaction means: alignment with and immersion in God's divine presence. For believers, this foretells the unmitigated joy of the eternal communion with God in the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21:3-4).