Psalms 20:5-14

5 vitam petiit a te et tribuisti ei longitudinem dierum in saeculum et in saeculum saeculi

6 magna gloria eius in salutari tuo gloriam et magnum decorem inpones super eum

7 quoniam dabis eum benedictionem in saeculum saeculi laetificabis eum in gaudio cum vultu tuo

8 quoniam rex sperat in Domino et in misericordia Altissimi non commovebitur

9 inveniatur manus tua omnibus inimicis tuis dextera tua inveniat %omnes; qui te oderunt

10 pones eos ut clibanum ignis in tempore vultus tui Dominus in ira sua conturbabit eos et devorabit eos ignis

11 fructum eorum de terra perdes et semen eorum a filiis hominum

12 quoniam declinaverunt in te mala cogitaverunt consilia quae non potuerunt %stabilire;

13 quoniam pones eos dorsum in reliquis tuis praeparabis vultum eorum

14 exaltare Domine in virtute tua cantabimus et psallemus virtutes tuas

Psalms 20:5-14 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.