Bible Strands
Psalms 21:4
He asked You for life, and You granted it—length of days, forever and ever.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist records a royal petition and its divine response, positioned between descriptions of a golden crown and a bestowal of splendor.
The words — The king שָׁאַל (sha'al) for חַיִּים (chaiyim), and יהוה נָתַתָּה (natattah) אֹרֶךְ יָמִים (orekh yamim) that extends into עוֹלָם וָעֵד (olam va'ed), literally "length of days forever and ever."
The thread — The grant of enduring vitality appears in Psalms 91:16 and Psalms 119:77, while Revelation 1:18 applies the "alive forever and ever" phrase to the resurrected Christ.
Why it lands — The verse records a direct transaction where a request for breath receives a divine grant of unending duration, requiring the reader to acknowledge that permanence is bestowed rather than earned.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.
Cross-references
- Psalms 91:16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
- Revelation 1:18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
- Psalms 119:77 May Your compassion come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight.
- Psalms 133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD has bestowed the blessing of life forevermore.
- Psalms 61:5 For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance reserved for those who fear Your name.
- Psalms 89:29 I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.
- Psalms 89:36 his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
- Psalms 119:175 Let me live to praise You; may Your judgments sustain me.
- Psalms 13:3 Consider me and respond, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,
- Psalms 16:10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.