Psalm 21:13

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) Thou.—Again the song turns to address Jehovah.

So will we sing and praise.—Better, We will both with song and lyre celebrate Thy power.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:7-13 The psalmist teaches to look forward with faith, and hope, and prayer upon what God would further do. The success with which God blessed David, was a type of the total overthrow of all Christ's enemies. Those who might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him and fought against him, shall find the remembrance of it a worm that dies not. God makes sinners willing by his grace, receives them to his favour, and delivers them from the wrath to come. May he exalt himself, by his all-powerful grace, in our hearts, destroying all the strong-holds of sin and Satan. How great should be our joy and praise to behold our Brother and Friend upon the throne, and for all the blessings we may expect from him! yet he delights in his exalted state, as enabling him to confer happiness and glory on poor sinners, who are taught to love and trust in him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength - This is the concluding part of the psalm (see the introduction), expressing a desire that God "might" be exalted over all his foes; or that his own strength might he so manifestly put forth that he would be exalted as he ought to be. This is the ultimate and chief desire of all holy created beings, that God might be exalted in the estimation of the universe above all other beings - or that he might so triumph over all his enemies as to reign supreme.

So will we sing and praise thy power - That is, as the result of thy being thus exalted to proper honor, we will unite in celebrating thy glory and thy power. Compare Revelation 7:10-12; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 19:1-3. This will be the result of all the triumphs which God will achieve in the world, that the holy beings of all worlds will gather around his throne and "sing and praise his power." The "thought" in the psalm is that God will ultimately triumph over all his foes, and that this triumph will be followed by universal rejoicing and praise. Come that blessed day!

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. The glory of all is ascribable to God alone.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

In thine own strength; by thy own power, or by the manifestation thereof, whereby thou wilt have the whole glory of the work.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength,.... Exert thy strength, display thy power in such manner, that thou mayest be exalted and magnified on account of it. This was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem, when the kingdom of God came with power, Mark 9:1; and will be again when Babylon shall be utterly destroyed, because the Lord is strong who judgeth her, Revelation 18:8; and finally at the day of judgment, when the wicked will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9;

so will we sing and praise thy power; forms of such songs of praise may be seen, as Cocceius observes, in Revelation 11:15; at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, at the victory over the beast, and his image, and at the destruction of Babylon.

Geneva Study Bible

{i} Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

(i) Maintain your Church against your adversaries that we may have ample opportunity to praise your Name.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. The congregation’s concluding prayer (as in Psalm 20:9), returning to the thought of Psalm 21:1. Jehovah is exalted when He manifests His strength (Psalm 7:6; Psalm 46:10; Psalm 57:5; Psalm 57:11). R.V., in thy strength, for in thine own strength.

thy power] Thy might, made known in mighty acts of salvation (Psalm 20:6).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength. The psalm, as already remarked, ends, as it began, with the praise of God. "Be thou exalted" means, "Be thou lifted up, both in thyself, and in the praises of thy people" (comp. Psalm 18:46; Psalm 46:10). So will we sing and praise thy power. We, at any rate, will do our part to exalt thee. Our tongues shall ever sing of the great deeds thou doest for us.



Psalm 21:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(Heb.: 21:14) After the song has spread abroad its wings in twice three tetrastichs, it closes by, as it were, soaring aloft and thus losing itself in a distich. It is a cry to God for victory in battle, on behalf of the king. "Be Thou exalted," i.e., manifest Thyself in Thy supernal (Psalm 57:6, 12) and judicial (Psalm 7:7.) sovereignty. What these closing words long to see realised is that Jahve should reveal for world-wide conquest this גּבוּרה, to which everything that opposes Him must yield, and it is for this they promise beforehand a joyous gratitude.