Day 1187: The precious name - Psalm 20

To the chief musician. A psalm of David.

1-5 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your [counsel] purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed (Messiah), He will answer him from His holy heaven. With the saving strength of His right hand. 7-8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. 9 Save, Lord! May the King answer us when we call. Psalm 20 New King James Version

Unlike the last Psalm we looked at, this one would appear to have been written when David had become the king of Israel. Commentators I looked up suggest it was a Psalm praying for the king to be victorious. Perhaps a little like the British national anthem which says “Send him victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over us, God save the King.” But did you notice the recurring theme of vs 1-5.

There are at least six requests made all starting with the word 'may'. They ask that God will 'hear him in the day of trouble, and defend him.' And they ask that God 'would send him help and strengthen him'. They pray also that God 'would accept his offerings and grant his hearts desire'. And they ask that God 'would fulfill all the requests that the king made'. What a blessing it would be for a nation to have such a king, one who honoured God and truly loved Him. We could then eagerly make such petitions on his behalf.

But even if the king was not a truly god-fearing man, we should still recall Paul's words where he said: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4) Do we as believers remember to pray for those in authority, and for the purpose that we may live quiet and godly lives?

But there's another phrase,which he uses three times, which show where the king's help will come from, and would make him victorious. What was that phrase?

It was the phrase 'the name of the Lord'. The 'name' of the God of Jacob would defend the king, and in His name they would set up their banners! They would not put their confidence in chariots and horses as some did, and were bowed down and fallen. Rather, they would 'remember the name of the Lord', and would stand upright in any battle they faced.

Verse 6 expresses the confidence they had in God, and says: “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed (Messiah), He will answer him from His holy heaven. With the saving strength of His right hand.” So the people would call on the king for help, and the anointed king would indeed be saved by God.

Is there not a wonderful truth here for all who belong to the Israel of God. Our anointed one, the Lord Jesus, is the king we can turn to as we face foes in the world. And we know that God always hears Him, because He offered up the once for all perfect sacrifice for our sins. He has also been given a name that is above all names. And, as Peter said on the day of Pentecost, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21) May the King indeed answer us when we call.