Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power. Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength;This phrase calls for the elevation and glorification of the LORD, emphasizing His strength. The term "exalted" suggests lifting up or magnifying, which is a common theme in the Psalms, reflecting the desire to honor God above all else. The strength of the LORD is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament, often associated with His ability to deliver and protect His people, as seen in Exodus 15:2 and Isaiah 12:2. The historical context of this psalm, attributed to David, may reflect a time of military victory, where God's strength was visibly demonstrated. Theologically, this strength is not just physical might but also encompasses His sovereign power and authority over creation, as seen in Genesis 1 and throughout the prophetic literature. we will sing and praise Your power.
The response to God's exaltation and strength is communal worship, expressed through singing and praise. This reflects the cultural practice of using music and song as a means of worship, deeply rooted in Israelite tradition, as seen in the use of the Psalms in temple worship. The act of singing is not merely a ritual but an expression of heartfelt gratitude and acknowledgment of God's power. This power is not only seen in acts of deliverance but also in the sustaining and governing of the universe, as noted in passages like Colossians 1:16-17. The phrase also points forward to the New Testament, where the ultimate demonstration of God's power is seen in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a fulfillment of the messianic hope that David often alludes to in his psalms. The communal aspect of this praise underscores the importance of corporate worship in the life of believers, a practice that continues in Christian communities today. Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The central figure in this verse, representing the God of Israel, who is exalted and praised for His strength and power. 2. David (implied)Traditionally attributed as the author of this psalm, King David often wrote about God's strength and deliverance. 3. Israel (implied)The nation that benefits from God's strength and power, often the collective voice in the Psalms. 4. The Psalmist's Community (implied)The group of worshippers who join in singing and praising God, representing the faithful community. 5. The Event of WorshipThe act of exalting God through song and praise, a common practice in Israelite worship. Teaching Points Exalting God in WorshipWorship is a response to God's revealed strength and power. Believers are called to actively exalt God through song and praise. Recognizing God's StrengthAcknowledge that God's strength is the source of our victories and deliverance. Reflect on personal experiences where God's power was evident. Community in WorshipWorship is both personal and communal. Engage with others in praising God, fostering a sense of unity and shared faith. Living in God's PowerApply the understanding of God's strength to daily life challenges. Trust in His power to overcome obstacles and provide guidance. Eternal PerspectiveRemember that God's strength is not just for the present but is an eternal truth. This perspective can bring hope and assurance in uncertain times. Bible Study Questions 1. How does recognizing God's strength in your life change the way you approach challenges? 2. In what ways can you incorporate more praise and worship into your daily routine? 3. How does the communal aspect of worship enhance your personal faith journey? 4. Can you identify a time when you experienced God's power in a tangible way? How did it impact your faith? 5. How does the theme of God's eternal strength in Psalm 21:13 encourage you in your current circumstances? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 18:1-2This passage also speaks of God's strength and deliverance, emphasizing the personal relationship between the psalmist and God. Exodus 15:2The song of Moses after the crossing of the Red Sea highlights God's strength and salvation, similar to the themes in Psalm 21:13. 1 Chronicles 16:9-10Encourages believers to sing to the Lord and proclaim His deeds, paralleling the call to praise in Psalm 21:13. Philippians 4:13Paul speaks of strength through Christ, connecting the Old Testament understanding of God's strength to the New Testament believer's experience. Revelation 5:12-13The heavenly worship scene where God's power and might are praised, reflecting the eternal nature of God's strength. People David, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics 22, Celebrate, Chief, David, Exalted, Hash-shahar, Lifted, Musician, O, Power, Praise, Psalm, Sing, Songs, StrengthDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 21:13 1105 God, power of Library Epistle Lviii. To all the Bishops Throughout Helladia .
To all the Bishops throughout Helladia [1626] . Gregory to all bishops constituted in the province of Helladia. I return thanks with you, dearest brethren, to Almighty God, who has caused the hidden sore which the ancient enemy had introduced to come to the knowledge of all, and has cut it away by a wholesome incision from the body of His Church. Herein we have cause both to rejoice and to mourn; to rejoice, that is, for the correction of a crime, but to mourn for the fall of a brother. But, since …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the GreatMy Brethren.
OUR Lord Jesus Christ calls those for whom He died and who have believed on Him "My Brethren." What a word it is! The Brethren of the Man in Glory! Brethren of Him who is at the right hand of God, the upholder and heir of all things! Pause for a moment, dear reader. Let your heart lay hold anew of this wonderful message of God's Grace; Brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ! What depths of love and grace these words contain! What heights of glory they promise to us, who were bought by His own precious …
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory The Poor in Spirit are Enriched with a Kingdom
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Here is high preferment for the saints. They shall be advanced to a kingdom. There are some who, aspiring after earthly greatness, talk of a temporal reign here, but then God's church on earth would not be militant but triumphant. But sure it is the saints shall reign in a glorious manner: Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' A kingdom is held the acme and top of all worldly felicity, and this honour have all the saints'; so says our Saviour, Theirs is the …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Fourteenth Day for the Church of the Future
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Church of the Future "That the children might not be as their fathers, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God."--PS. lxxviii. 8. "I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy offspring."--ISA. xliv. 3. Pray for the rising generation, who are to come after us. Think of the young men and young women and children of this age, and pray for all the agencies at work among them; that in association and societies …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession Of Deeper Matters, and God's Hidden Judgments which are not to be Inquired Into
"My Son, beware thou dispute not of high matters and of the hidden judgments of God; why this man is thus left, and that man is taken into so great favour; why also this man is so greatly afflicted, and that so highly exalted. These things pass all man's power of judging, neither may any reasoning or disputation have power to search out the divine judgments. When therefore the enemy suggesteth these things to thee, or when any curious people ask such questions, answer with that word of the Prophet, …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of Olives: Discoures to the Disciples Concerning the Last Things.
THE last and most solemn denunciation of Jerusalem had been uttered, the last and most terrible prediction of judgment upon the Temple spoken, and Jesus was suiting the action to the word. It was as if He had cast the dust of His Shoes against the House' that was to be left desolate.' And so He quitted for ever the Temple and them that held office in it. They had left the Sanctuary and the City, had crossed black Kidron, and were slowly climbing the Mount of Olives. A sudden turn in the road, and …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Sermons of St. Bernard on the Passing of Malachy
Sermon I (November 2, 1148.)[1005] 1. A certain abundant blessing, dearly beloved, has been sent by the counsel of heaven to you this day; and if it were not faithfully divided, you would suffer loss, and I, to whom of a surety this office seems to have been committed, would incur danger. I fear therefore your loss, I fear my own damnation,[1006] if perchance it be said, The young children ask bread, and no man offereth it unto them.[1007] For I know how necessary for you is the consolation which …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
1. The most important point here is to keep in mind the organic unity of the Old Testament. Its predictions are not isolated, but features of one grand prophetic picture; its ritual and institutions parts of one great system; its history, not loosely connected events, but an organic development tending towards a definite end. Viewed in its innermost substance, the history of the Old Testament is not different from its typical institutions, nor yet these two from its predictions. The idea, underlying …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Letter Li to the virgin Sophia
To the Virgin Sophia He praises her for having despised the glory of the world: and, setting forth the praises, privileges, and rewards of Religious Virgins, exhorts her to persevere. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, to the Virgin Sophia, that she may keep the title of virginity and attain its reward. I. Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised (Prov. xxxi. 31). I rejoice with you, my daughter, in the glory of your virtue, whereby, as I hear, you …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 21:13 NIVPsalm 21:13 NLTPsalm 21:13 ESVPsalm 21:13 NASBPsalm 21:13 KJV
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