The King's Joy

Psalms 20

This psalm celebrates the king's rejoicing in the Lord's strength and salvation, recounting the blessings, crown, and long life God has granted him, and declares that the Lord will overthrow all who rise against him.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

Thomson—

BrentonFor the end, a Psalm of David.

GreekΕἰς τὸ τέλος, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυίδ.

KJV—

JPSFor the Leader. A Psalm of David.

ThomsonO LORD, in Thy strength, the king will rejoice; and exult greatly in Thy salvation.

BrentonO Lord, the king shall rejoice in thy strength; and in thy salvation he shall greatly exult.

GreekΚύριε, ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου εὐφρανθήσεται ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ σωτηρίῳ σου ἀγαλλιάσεται σφόδρα.

KJVThe king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

JPSO LORD, in Thy strength the king rejoiceth; and in Thy salvation how greatly doth he exult!

ThomsonThou hast granted him the desire of his soul, and hast not denied him the request of his lips.

BrentonThou hast granted him the desire of his soul, and hast not withheld from him the request of his lips. Pause.

GreekΤὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἔδωκας αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν δέησιν τῶν χειλέων αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐστέρησας αὐτόν· διάψαλμα.

KJVThou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

JPSThou hast given him his heart's desire, and the request of his lips Thou hast not withholden. Selah

ThomsonFor Thou hast pre-engaged him with kind blessings. Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.

BrentonFor thou hast prevented him with blessings of goodness: thou hast set upon his head a crown of precious stone.

GreekὍτι προέφθασας αὐτὸν ἐν εὐλογίαις χρηστότητος, ἔθηκας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ στέφανον ἐκ λίθου τιμίου.

KJVFor thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head.

JPSFor Thou meetest him with choicest blessings; Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head.

ThomsonHe asked of Thee life; and Thou hast given him length of days forever.

BrentonHe asked life of thee, and thou gavest him length of days for ever and ever.

GreekΖωὴν ᾐτήσατό σε, καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτῷ μακρότητα ἡμερῶν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος.

KJVHe asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.

JPSHe asked life of Thee, Thou gavest it him; even length of days for ever and ever.

ThomsonBy Thy salvation his glory is great. Thou wilt confer on him honour and majesty.

BrentonHis glory is great in thy salvation: thou wilt crown him with glory and majesty.

GreekΜεγάλη ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ σου, δόξαν καὶ μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἐπιθήσεις ἐπʼ αὐτόν.

KJVHis glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.

JPSHis glory is great through Thy salvation; Honour and majesty dost Thou lay upon him.

ThomsonFor Thou wilt give him everlasting blessing; and with the joy of Thy countenance make him glad.

BrentonFor thou wilt give him a blessing for ever and ever: thou wilt gladden him with joy with thy countenance.

GreekὍτι δώσεις αὐτῷ εὐλογίαν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος, εὐφρανεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν χαρᾷ μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonBecause the king trusteth in the Lord: therefore, through the mercy of the Most High, he cannot be shaken.

BrentonFor the king trusts in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Highest he shall not be moved.

GreekὍτι ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐλπίζει ἐπὶ Κύριον, καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐλέει τοῦ ὑψίστου οὐ μὴ σαλευθῇ.

KJVFor the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.

JPSFor the king trusteth in the LORD, yea, in the mercy of the Most High; he shall not be moved.

ThomsonLet Thine enemies feel Thy hand: and Thy right hand find out all that hate Thee.

BrentonLet thy hand be found by all thine enemies: let thy right hand find all that hate thee.

GreekΕὑρεθείη ἡ χείρ σου πᾶσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου, ἡ δεξιά σου εὕροι πάντας τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε.

KJVThine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.

JPSThy hand shall be equal to all thine enemies; Thy right hand shall overtake those that hate thee.

ThomsonThou wilt make them like an oven of fire, at the time of Thy presence. The Lord with His wrath will confound them, and a fire shall devour them.

BrentonThou shalt make them as a fiery oven at the time of thy presence: the Lord shall trouble them in his anger, and fire shall devour them.

GreekΘήσεις αὐτοὺς ὡς κλίβανον πυρὸς εἰς καιρὸν τοῦ προσώπου σου, Κύριος ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ συνταράξει αὐτοὺς, καὶ καταφάγεται αὐτοὺς πῦρ.

KJVThou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

JPSThou shalt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thine anger; The LORD shall swallow them up in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

ThomsonThou wilt destroy their fruit from the earth, and their seed from among the sons of men.

BrentonThou shalt destroy their fruit from the earth, and their seed from among the sons of men.

GreekΤὸν καρπὸν αὐτῶν ἀπὸ γῆς ἀπολεῖς, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν ἀπὸ υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων.

KJVTheir fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

JPSTheir fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

Thomson—

BrentonFor they intended evils against thee; they imagined a device which they shall by no means be able to perform.

GreekὍτι ἔκλιναν εἰς σὲ κακὰ, διελογίσαντο βουλὴν, ἣν οὐ μὴ δύνωνται στῆσαι.

KJVFor they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.

JPSFor they intended evil against thee, They imagined a device, wherewith they shall not prevail.

Thomson—

BrentonFor thou shalt make them turn their back in thy latter end, thou wilt prepare their face.

GreekὍτι θήσεις αὐτοὺς νῶτον ἐν τοῖς περιλοίποις σου, ἑτοιμάσεις τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν.

KJVTherefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.

JPSFor thou shalt make them turn their back, Thou shalt make ready with thy bowstrings against the face of them.

ThomsonBe Thou, O Lord, exalted by Thy power: let us sing and extol Thy acts of government.

BrentonBe thou exalted, O Lord, in thy strength: we will sing and praise thy mighty acts.

GreekὙψώθητι Κύριε ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου· ᾄσομεν καὶ ψαλοῦμεν τὰς δυναστείας σου.

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

JPSBe Thou exalted, O LORD, in Thy strength; so will we sing and praise Thy power.