Psalm 20: Prayer & Testimony

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

[Preliminary Comments: A psalm to be sung written by David when he was king. A psalm that is prayer, testimony and final prayer. Note the first five verses appear to be sung to him as the king as requests for God to bless him and grant him victories over his enemies. The next three verses [v.6-8] are declarations or testimonies of what he himself knows about the Lord. Possibly sung in answer to the ‘choir’ of the first part. The final verse sums up all the rest – please answer my prayers for victory. In many ways a very simple psalm.]

v.1-5 Requests on behalf of the king

v.1 May God be the answerer of your prayers and protect you

v.1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
    may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

v.2. May you know the support He sends you from heaven (angelic?)

v.2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and grant you support from Zion.

v.3. May He be a responder to your worship of Him

v.3 May he remember all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.

v.4. May He satisfy your yearnings and plans

v.4 May he give you the desire of your heart
    and make all your plans succeed.

v.5a May we be able to join in your joy in victory

v.5 May we shout for joy over your victory
    and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

v.5b So may He answer your prayers

May the Lord grant all your requests.

v.6-9 Declarations by the king

v.6a David’s testimony

v.6 Now this I know:

v.6b David is assured that God does give him victory

The Lord gives victory to his anointed.

v.6c David knows God hears him and grants victories as answers to prayers

He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.

v.7 Some trust in their weaponry but David’s trust is in the Lord Himself

v.7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

v.8 Those people are doomed to fail but the Lord enables him to stand strong

v.8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
    but we rise up and stand firm.

v.9 A final request for [ongoing] victories in answer to his prayers.

v.9 Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us when we call!

[Additional Thoughts: The first five verses are what we may expect of the Lord when we pray: answers [v.1], practical support [v.2], sense of relationship [v.3], confidence of purpose [v.4], and joy in triumph [v.5].

With David may we be able to declare our confidence in success in our calling [v.6], rejection of trust in the world but declare our trust in the Lord [v.7] and assurance that He will enable us to stand strong [v.8] that enables us to keep praying [v.9].

In the writings of the apostle Paul, we find this same confidence, “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28) We should note that although David is confident in what the Lord will do for him that doesn’t stop him praying that it will happen. Prayer for him helps establish him and even strengthen his trust in his God.

After perhaps going back and meditating on individual verses, now read it meaningfully out loud straight through:

¹ May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
    may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and grant you support from Zion.
³ May he remember all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings.
⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
    and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory
    and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

⁶ Now this I know:
    the Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
    with the victorious power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
    but we rise up and stand firm.
⁹ Lord, give victory to the king!
    Answer us when we call!

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: