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Psalm Twenty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 20
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
writersF13Shirhashirim Rabba
fol. 18. 1. Tzeror Hammor
fol. 44. 2.
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.
Psalm 20:1 May
the Lord
answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
YLT
1To the Overseer. -- A Psalm
of David. Jehovah doth answer thee
In a day of adversity
The name of the God
of Jacob doth set thee on high
The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble
.... All the
days of Christ were days of trouble; he was a brother born for adversity; a man
of sorrows
and acquainted with griefs; he had his own sorrows
and he bore the
griefs of others; he was persecuted by Herod in his infancy; he was tempted by
Satan in the wilderness; he was harassed by the Scribes and Pharisees
continually; he was grieved at the hardness
impenitence
and unbelief
of that
perverse and faithless generation of men
and was sometimes made uneasy by his
own disciples: at some particular seasons his soul or spirit is said to be
troubled
as at the grave of Lazarus
and when in a view of his own death
and
when he was about to acquaint his disciples that one of them should betray him
John 11:33; but more particularly it was a
day of trouble with him
when he was in the garden
heavy
and sore amazed
and
his sweat was
as it were
drops of blood falling on the ground
and his soul
was exceeding sorrowful
even unto death; but more especially this was his case
when he hung upon the cross
and is what seems to be principally respected
here; when he was in great torture of body through the rack of the cross; when
he endured the cruel mockings of men
of the common people
of the chief
priests
and even of the thieves that suffered with him; when he had Satan
and
all his principalities and powers
let loose upon him
and he was grappling
with them; when he bore all the sins of his people
endured the wrath of his
Father
and was forsaken by him: now in this day of trouble
both when in the
garden and on the cross
he prayed unto his Father
as he had been used to do
in other cases
and at other times; and the church here prays
that God would
hear and answer him
as he did: he always heard him; he heard him at the grave
of Lazarus; he heard him in the garden
and filled his human soul with courage
and intrepidity
of which there were immediate instances; he heard him on the
cross
and helped him as man and Mediator
Isaiah 49:8;
the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; that is
God
himself
who is named the God of Jacob
whom Jacob called upon
and trusted in
as his God
and who answered him in the day of his distress: Jacob was
exercised with many troubles
but the Lord delivered him out of them all; and
which may be the reason why the Lord is addressed under this character here; besides
Israel is one of the names of the Messiah
Isaiah 49:3; on whose account the petition
is put to which may be added
that Jacob may design people of God
the
spiritual sons of Jacob
the church of the living God
whose God the Lord is;
and the phrase may be here used by the church
to encourage her faith in
prayer: the petition
on account of the Messiah
is
that God would
"defend" him
or "set" him on "an high place"F14ישגבך "elevet te"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"exaltet te"
Vatablus
Museulus
Michaelis; "in edito collocet
te"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; or
"exalt" him: he was brought very low in his state of humiliation; he
was in the form of a servant; he was in a very low and mean condition
throughout the whole of his life; through the suffering of death he was made
lower than the angels
and he was laid in the lower parts of the earth: the
church
in this petition
prays for his resurrection from the dead; for his
ascension into the highest heavens; for his exaltation at the right hand of
God; for the more visible setting him on his throne in his kingdom; in all
which she has been answered.
Psalm 20:2 2 May He send you help from
the sanctuary
And strengthen you out of Zion;
YLT
2He doth send thy help from
the sanctuary
And from Zion doth support thee
Send thee help from the sanctuary
.... Meaning either from
the tabernacle
the holy place
where was the ark
the symbol of the divine
Presence; or rather heaven
the habitation of God's holiness unless the same is
meant by it as by Zion
in the next clause
the church of God
from whence he
sends the rod of his strength;
and strengthen thee out of Zion; and the "help"
and "strength" prayed for are not to be understood of that assistance
and support
which Christ
as man
had from his Father
at the time of his
sufferings
which were promised him
and he believed he should have
and had
Psalm 89:21; since these petitions follow
that which relates to his exaltation; but of the help and strength afforded to
the apostles and ministers of Christ
after they had received the commission
from him to preach the Gospel to every creature; when
as a full answer to
these petitions
God worked with them
greatly assisted them
strengthened them
with strength in their souls; confirmed the word with signs and wonders
following; made it the power of God to salvation to multitudes; and so
strengthened the cause
interest
and kingdom of the Redeemer.
Psalm 20:3 3 May He remember all your
offerings
And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah
YLT
3He doth remember all thy
presents
And thy burnt-offering doth reduce to ashes. Selah.
Remember all thy offerings
.... The spiritual
sacrifices of prayer and praise which Christ
as the great High Priest
offers
up for his people; or which they offer by him
and are acceptable to God
through him
by virtue of the incense of his mediation; or the offering up of
himself
which answers to
and is the body
the sum and substance
of all the
offerings of the law; they were types of this
and what they could not do this
did; and therefore it is expressed in the singular number in the next clause;
and accept thy burnt sacrifice. The word rendered
"accept" signifies to "reduce to ashes"F15ידשנה "incineret"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius;
"in cinerem vertat"
Vatablus; so Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Gejerus
Ainsworth. ; and the way in which it was known that sacrifices were
acceptable to God was by fire coming down from heaven upon them and consuming
them
Leviticus 9:24; and therefore the word is
rightly rendered "accept"; and Christ's sacrifice of himself
putting
away sin
and perfecting for ever them that are sanctified
is of a sweet
smelling savour to God; for hereby his justice is satisfied
his law is
magnified and made honourable
the sins of his people are atoned for
their
persons are accepted
and their sacrifices of prayer and praise come up also
with acceptance to him through the virtue of this sacrifice; and so these
petitions have their accomplishment.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 20:4 4 May He grant you according
to your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your purpose.
YLT
4He doth give to thee
according to thy heart
And all thy counsel doth fulfil.
Grant thee according to thine own heart
.... Which is
to see his seed
the travail of his soul
and to have the pleasure of the Lord
prosper in his hand; to have all his people called
preserved
and glorified;
and fulfil all thy counsel; whatever was agreed upon
in the council and covenant of peace between him and his Father
relating to
his own glory
and the salvation of his people.
Psalm 20:5 5 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.
YLT
5We sing of thy salvation
And in the name of our God set up a banner. Jehovah doth fulfil all thy
requests.
We will rejoice in thy salvation
.... That is
"so
will we"
&c. or "that we may"F16So Ainsworth; נרננה "ovemus"
Vatablus
Piscator
Michaelis;
"cantemus"
Gejerus.
&c. or "let us"; these words
with what follow
point at the end of the church's requests
and what she
resolved to do upon the accomplishment of the above things; for instance
she
would rejoice in the salvation of the Messiah; meaning either the salvation and
deliverance from death and the grave
and all other enemies
which he himself
is possessed of
and which enters into
and is the occasion of the joy of his
people; for not his sufferings and death only
but chiefly his resurrection
from the dead
session at God's right hand
and intercession for them
cause
the triumph of faith in him
and further the joy of it
Romans 8:33; or else the salvation he is
the author of
which being so great
so suitable
so complete and perfect
and
an everlasting one; is matter of joy to all sensible of their need of it
and
who have a comfortable hope of interest in it;
and in the name of our God we will set up our banners; either as a
preparation for war; see Jeremiah 51:27; so when CaesarF17De
Bello Gallico
l. 2. c. 20. set up his banner
it was a sign to his soldiers to
run to their arms and prepare to fight; and then the sense is
putting our
trust in the Lord
relying on his strength
and not on our own
we will
cheerfully and courageously engage with all his and our enemies
sin
Satan
and the world; as good soldiers of Christ
we will endure hardness
fight his
battles under the banners of the Lord of hosts
in whose service we are
enlisted; or as a sign of victory
when standards were set up
and flags hung
outF18Schindler. Pentaglott. col. 1126. ; see Jeremiah 50:2; and then the meaning is
Christ
the great Captain of our salvation
having obtained a complete victory
over all enemies
and made us more than conquerors thereby
we will set up our
banners
hang out the flag
and in his name triumph over sin
Satan
the world
death
and hell;
the Lord fulfil all thy petitions: the same as in Psalm 20:4; this is put here to show that
the church will be in such a frame as before described
when the Lord shall
have fulfilled all the petitions of his Anointed; of which she had a full
assurance
as appears from the following words.
Psalm 20:6 6 Now I know that the Lord saves His
anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of
His right hand.
YLT
6Now I have known That
Jehovah hath saved His anointed
He answereth him from His holy heavens
With
the saving might of His right hand.
Now know I that the Lord saveth his Anointed
.... Not
David
though he was the anointed of the God of Jacob
and was anointed with
material oil to be king of Israel by Samuel
at the express order of God
himself; but David is not here speaking of himself
nor the church of him
but
of the Messiah; anointed by Jehovah king over his holy hill of Zion
with the
oil of gladness
or the Holy Spirit. The church in prayer rises in her faith
and is strongly assured of the salvation of the Messiah; that though his
troubles would be many and great
he should be delivered out of them all;
should be heard and helped in the day of salvation
and be freed from the
sorrows of death and hell
he should be encompassed with; that he should be
raised from the dead; have all power in heaven and earth given him; ascend on
high
and triumph over all his enemies; and all his people
all the members of
his body
should be saved through him
which is in a sense the salvation of
himself;
he will hear him from his holy heaven; where his
throne and temple are
which is the habitation of his holiness
whither the
prayers of the Messiah when on earth ascended
where they were received
heard
and answered. Before the church prays that he might be heard
now she believes
he would; and that
with the saving strength of his right hand; that is
by
the exertion of his mighty power
in strengthening him as man to bear up under
his sorrows
go through his work
and finish it; by upholding him with his
right hand while engaged in it
and by raising him up from the dead with it
and setting him down at it in the highest heavens.
Psalm 20:7 7 Some trust in
chariots
and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
YLT
7Some of chariots
and some
of horses
And we of the name of Jehovah our God Make mention.
Some trust in chariots
and some in horses
.... That is
in chariots and horses prepared for war; which
besides their use for carriage
did great annoyance to the enemy in battle
and were very terrible to them
and
were greatly trusted in by those that possessed them
Deuteronomy 20:1; such chariots as were
called "currus falcati"
that had scythes at the sides of them
which
being drove with fury among the infantry
cut them down as grass is mown with
scythes; such the old Canaanites used
which were very terrible
Joshua 17:16; and horses trained up for war
do much execution in a battle by pawing and trampling; see Job 39:21; though these are vain things for
safety
and not to be depended on
for salvation and victory are of the Lord
Psalm 33:17; and such are the chariots and
horses of the sun
and the idols in which the Gentiles trusted
2 Kings 23:11; and all external things in
which men depend for salvation
as fleshly privileges
outward works of
righteousness
morality
a profession of religion
a round of duties
&c.
all which are disclaimed by those who know the way of life and salvation by
Christ
Hosea 14:3;
but we will remember the name of the Lord our God; not any of
the names by which the Lord God is called
as Elohim
Elshaddai
Jehovah
and
the like; though each of these are worthy of remembrance
and greatly serve to
encourage faith in him; but rather the perfections of God
such as the
goodness
wisdom
and power of God
which are to be remembered and confided in;
and not the friendship of princes
the schemes of human policy
and the outward
forces of strength; or else God himself is intended
whose name is himself
and
is a strong tower to the righteous: and to remember him is to bear him in mind
and not forget him; to have the desires of the soul towards him
and to the
remembrance of him; and to make mention of him
of his names
attributes
word
and works; which is both for his glory and for the encouragement of faith in
him
both in ourselves and others; it is to call upon his name in times of
trouble
and at all times
and also to trust in him and not in an arm of flesh;
for it stands opposed to trusting in chariots and horses; and it is to call to
mind past instances of his goodness
wisdom
and power
and be thankful for
them
and make use of them to engage confidence in him; and which should be
done from the consideration of his being God and not man
and of his being our
God
our covenant God and Father.
Psalm 20:8 8 They have bowed down and
fallen; But we have risen and stand upright.
YLT
8They -- they have bowed and
have fallen
And we have risen and station ourselves upright.
They are brought down and fallen
.... These are they that
rode in chariots and on horses
and trusted in them; who are brought down from
their places of honour and safety; and fall
not into the hands of their
enemies
and into a low and mean estate
but to the ground by death; as also
such who
being like Capernaum
lifted up to heaven with their own outward
attainments
and think to get thither by them
are brought down to hell
and
fall into the pit of corruption;
but we are risen
and stand upright; who remember the name of
the Lord
and trust in him; the church is sometimes in a very low and depressed
condition; it consists of a poor and an afflicted people
and who are
persecuted by men; so the church has been under the Heathen Roman emperors
and
under the Papacy
and will be as long as she is in the wilderness
and the
witnesses prophesy in sackcloth; and especially when they will be slain
and
their bodies lie on the earth unburied; but these shall rise and stand upright
and ascend to heaven; there will be a glorious state of the church; there will
be a reviving of the interest of Christ
through the bringing in the fulness
and forces of the Gentiles
and the conversion of the Jews; the dry bones will
live again
and stand upon their feet
an exceeding great army; in those days
the righteous will flourish and have abundance of peace and prosperity. This
may also include the first resurrection
which the saints will have a part in;
the dead in Christ will rise first
and will stand before the Lord with
confidence
and not be ashamed; when the ungodly shall not stand in judgment
nor sinners in
the congregation of the righteous; for though these words are
expressed in the present tense
because of the certainty of them
they belong
to future times; hence the following petitions.
Psalm 20:9 9 Save
Lord! May the King
answer us when we call.
YLT
9O Jehovah
save the king
He doth answer us in the day we call!
Save
Lord
.... Not "the king"
as the Septuagint
Ethiopic
and
Arabic versions read the words
joining the word "king" to them
which is in the next clause; but this
as Aben Ezra observes
is not right
because of the accent "athnach"
which divides these words from the
following; rather the word us may be supplied; and so the Syriac version
renders it
"the Lord will deliver us"; and the Targum is
"O
Lord"
פרק לן
"redeem us"
or "save us"; that is
with a temporal
spiritual
and eternal salvation: this petition is directed to Jehovah the
Father
as the following is to the King Messiah;
let the King hear us when we call; for not God the Father
is here meant
though he is an everlasting King
the King of kings; and who
hears his people
when they call upon him
and while they are calling; yet he
is rarely
if ever
called "the King"
without any other additional
epithet; whereas the Messiah often is
as in the next psalm
Psalm 20:1; and prayer is made to him
and
he hears and receives the prayers of his people; and
as Mediator
presents
them to his Father perfumed with his much incense; for he is a Priest as well
as a King.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》