Psalm 20

A Nation Under God

There is no denying that we live in a dangerous world where nations rise up against nations in war.  Ideologies of subjugation must always be defended against if people are to live in freedom.

In the last century, with utopian ideals, communists destroyed a flawed but functioning Czarist regime, killing 60 million, on the way to a more flawed and eventually collapsed, Soviet Union.  In total, in the past 100 years, communist regimes have killed 100 million people.  With utopian ideals the Third Reich destroyed a flawed but functioning Weimar Germany killing over 12 million, giving the world Auschwitz and crippling Europe.  And, of course, the granddaddy of them all, Mohammad received a vision of a utopian society from his tribe’s moon god, Allah, and set out to establish the totalitarian sharia over the whole earth, thus far killing 270 million, destroying nations, and enslaving untold millions upon millions of both European and African heritage.

With this in mind, the background of Psalm 20 is that Israel is under attack.  Because it is the Kings responsibility to see to the defense of the nation, what we might describe as a national day of prayer has been called.  In the first section we see the people pray that the Lord God will come to the aid of the King for the protection of the nation.  In the second section we see the priests of the nation both pray for and advise the King.  The psalm ends as everyone prays in unison.

Psalm 20
For the director of music. A psalm of David.		 God Save the King

1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.

4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

5 May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.

 A.  A Nation at War Prays for the King

1.  May the Lord answer the King

2.  May God protect the King

3.  May He send help and support for the King

4.  May He remember the King’s faithfulness

5.  May the King’s strategy succeed

6.  May the Lord grant the King’s requests

7.  May the Lord grant victory

With victory banners are raised in joy!

6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

 B.  The Priest Instructs the King

The Priest reminds the King that it is God who grants victory, not by the strength of the King but by the faithfulness of the King to God, even against overwhelming odds.

A horse is prepared for battle, but victory is of the Lord. – Proverbs 21:31

Are you able to personally trust God when faced with such circumstances?
9 Lord, give victory to the king!

Answer us when we call!

C.  The Nation Petitions the Lord

All the people rise up in unison imploring God to answer and give the King and Nation victory

History is littered with fallen kingdoms.  Nations that forget or ignore the Lord God and pursue false gods, destructive ideologies, and blind ambition will surely fail.  But the Kingdom of God, despite continued and overwhelming persecution cannot ultimately fail.  How can it, “For dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations.” – Psalm 22:28

In the words of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend?  Upon force.  Jesus alone founded His Empire upon love, and to this very day millions will die for Him.” 

‘There is the greatest possible encouragement here for those who go forth in the name of Christ … The authority and power of Christ are far above every name that can be named; Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, Marx or any other that may oppose the Christian faith.  The most serious obstacle to the success of the church’s mission is not the power of its spiritual opponents, but the church’s own weakness of faith and partial grasp of the invincible resources which are hers in Jesus Christ.’ – John Jefferson Davis

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people —  2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. – I Timothy 2:1-4

By Richard Loper