Psalms 20

Prayer for Victory over Enemies.

1 May the LORD answer you ¹in the day of trouble! May the ²name of the ³God of Jacob set you securely on high!

2 May He send you help ⁴from the sanctuary And ⁵support you from Zion!

3 May He ⁶remember all your meal offerings And ⁷find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.

4 May He grant you your ⁸heart's desire And ⁹fulfill all your counsel!

5 We will ¹⁰sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will ¹¹set up our banners. May the LORD ¹²fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now ¹³I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will ¹⁴answer him from His holy heaven With the ¹⁵saving strength of His right hand.

7 Some boast in chariots and some in ¹⁶horses, But ¹⁷we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.

8 They have ¹⁸bowed down and fallen, But we have ¹⁹risen and stood upright.

9 ²⁰Save, O LORD; May the ²¹King answer us in the day we call.

Psalms 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.

- Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for themselves, yet neglect it. Pray that God would protect his person, and preserve his life. That God would enable him to go on in his undertakings for the public good. We may know that God accepts our spiritual sacrifices, if by his Spirit he kindles in our souls a holy fire of piety and love to God. Also, that the Lord would crown his enterprises with success. Our first step to victory in spiritual warfare is to trust only in the mercy and grace of God; all who trust in themselves will soon be cast down. Believers triumph in God, and his revelation of himself to them, by which they distinguish themselves from those that live without God in the world. Those who make God and his name their praise, may make God and his name their trust. This was the case when the pride and power of Jewish unbelief, and pagan idolatry, fell before the sermons and lives of the humble believers in Jesus. This is the case in every conflict with our spiritual enemies, when we engage them in the name, the spirit, and the power of Christ; and this will be the case at the last day, when the world, with the prince of it, shall be brought down and fall; but believers, risen-from the dead, through the resurrection of the Lord, shall stand, and sing his praises in heaven. In Christ's salvation let us rejoice; and set up our banners in the name of the Lord our God, assured that by the saving strength of his right hand we shall be conquerors over every enemy.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 50:15
• 2. Psalms 91:14
• 3. Psalms 46:7, 11
• 4. Psalms 3:4
• 5. Psalms 110:2
• 6. Acts 10:4
• 7. Psalms 51:19
• 8. Psalms 21:2
• 9. Psalms 145:19
• 10. Psalms 9:14
• 11. Psalms 60:4
• 12. 1 Samuel 1:17
• 13. Psalms 41:11
• 14. Isaiah 58:9
• 15. Psalms 28:8
• 16. Psalms 33:17
• 17. 2 Chronicles 32:8
• 18. Isaiah 2:11, 17
• 19. Psalms 37:24; Micah 7:8
• 20. Psalms 3:7
• 21. Psalms 17:6

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "fat"
• [b]. "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"
• [c]. Or "purpose"
• [d]. Or "Let us sing"
• [e]. Or "salvation"
• [f]. Or "mighty deeds of the victory of His right hand"
• [g]. Or praise "chariots," or trust, or are strong "through"
• [h]. Lit "make mention of;" or "praise the name"
• [i]. Or "O LORD"," save the king; answer us

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm is thought, by some, to be written by David, on account of himself, and as a form to be used by the people for him, when he was about to go to war; particularly with the Ammonites and Syrians, 2 Samuel 10:6; mention being made of chariots in it, Psalm 20:7; of which there was a great number in that war: Arama thinks it was made by him when he got the victory over the Philistines; others think it was written by one of the singers on David's account, and should be rendered, "a psalm, for David," as Psalm 72:1: but rather it is a psalm concerning David; concerning the Messiah, whose name is David; or a psalm of David concerning the Messiah, since he is expressly mentioned, Psalm 20:6; and Aben Ezra says, there are some that interpret it of the Messiah; and some passages in it are, by Jewish writers {m}, applied unto him, as Psalm 20:6; and our countryman, Mr. Ainsworth, says, the whole psalm is a prophecy of Christ's sufferings, and his deliverance out of them, for which the church with him triumphs. Theodoret takes it to be a prophecy of Sennacherib's invasion of Judea, and of Rabshakeh's blasphemy, and of Hezekiah's distress and prayer on that account.

{m} Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 18. 1. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 44. 2.