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Psalm 20-21
Common English Bible
Psalm 20-21
Common English Bible
Psalm 20
For the music leader. A psalm of David.
20 I pray that the Lord answers you
whenever you are in trouble.
Let the name of Jacob’s God protect you.
2 Let God send help to you from the sanctuary
and support you from Zion.
3 Let God recall your many grain offerings;
let him savor your entirely burned offerings. Selah
4 Let God grant what is in your heart
and fulfill all your plans.
5 Then we will rejoice that you’ve been helped.
We will fly our flags in the name of our God.
Let the Lord fulfill all your requests!
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed one;
God answers his anointed one
from his heavenly sanctuary,
answering with mighty acts of salvation
achieved by his strong hand.
7 Some people trust in chariots, others in horses;
but we praise the Lord’s name.
8 They will collapse and fall,
but we will stand up straight and strong.
9 Lord, save the king!
Let him answer us when we cry out!
Psalm 21
For the music leader. A psalm of David.
21 The king celebrates your strength, Lord;
look how happy he is about your saving help!
2 You’ve given him what his heart desires;
you haven’t denied what his lips requested. Selah
3 You bring rich blessings right to him;
you put a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life,
and you gave it to him, all right—
long days, forever and always!
5 The king’s reputation is great
because of your saving help;
you’ve conferred on him glory and grandeur.
6 You grant him blessings forever;
you make him happy
with the joy of your presence.
7 Because the king trusts the Lord,
and because of the Most High’s faithful love,
he will not stumble.
8 Your hand will catch all your enemies;
your strong hand will catch all who hate you.
9 When you appear, Lord,
you will light them up like an oven on fire.
God will eat them whole in his anger;
fire will devour them.
10 You will destroy their offspring from the land;
destroy their descendants from the human race.
11 Because they sought to do you harm,
they devised a wicked plan—but they will fail!
12 Because you will make them turn and run
when you aim your bow straight at their faces!
13 Be exalted, Lord, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power!
Psalm 20-21
New International Version
Psalm 20-21
New International Version
Psalm 20[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;(A)
may the name of the God of Jacob(B) protect you.(C)
2 May he send you help(D) from the sanctuary(E)
and grant you support(F) from Zion.(G)
3 May he remember(H) all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.[b](I)
4 May he give you the desire of your heart(J)
and make all your plans succeed.(K)
5 May we shout for joy(L) over your victory
and lift up our banners(M) in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.(N)
6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.(O)
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.(P)
7 Some trust in chariots(Q) and some in horses,(R)
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.(S)
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,(T)
but we rise up(U) and stand firm.(V)
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us(W) when we call!
Psalm 21[c]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
2 You have granted him his heart’s desire(Z)
and have not withheld the request of his lips.[d]
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold(AA) on his head.(AB)
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.(AC)
5 Through the victories(AD) you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.(AE)
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy(AF) of your presence.(AG)
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;(AH)
through the unfailing love(AI) of the Most High(AJ)
he will not be shaken.(AK)
8 Your hand will lay hold(AL) on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
9 When you appear for battle,
you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and his fire will consume them.(AM)
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.(AN)
11 Though they plot evil(AO) against you
and devise wicked schemes,(AP) they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs(AQ)
when you aim at them with drawn bow.
Footnotes
- Psalm 20:1 In Hebrew texts 20:1-9 is numbered 20:2-10.
- Psalm 20:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-13 is numbered 21:2-14.
- Psalm 21:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.