Psalm 20:1-7

1 Ein Psalm Davids, vorzusingen. Der HERR erhöre dich in der Not; der Name des Gottes Jakobs schütze dich!

2 Er sende dir Hilfe vom Heiligtum und stärke dich aus Zion.

3 Er gedenke all deines Speisopfers, und dein Brandopfer müsse vor ihm fett sein. (Sela.)

4 Er gebe dir was dein Herz begehrt, und erfülle alle deine Anschläge.

5 Wir rühmen, daß du uns hilfst, und im Namen unsres Gottes werfen wir Panier auf. Der HERR gewähre dir alle deine Bitten!

6 Nun merke ich, daß der HERR seinem Gesalbten hilft und erhöht ihn in seinen heiligen Himmel; seine rechte Hand hilft mit Macht.

7 Jene verlassen sich auf Wagen und Rosse; wir aber denken an den Namen des HERRN, unsers Gottes.

Psalm 20:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

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.