Psalms 20 - Royal / Psalm 20
Amen. If you have your Bibles, turn to Psalm 20. We are continuing in our series called He is With Me. The goal of our series, as we laid it out, is to teach through various Psalms and pick up different insights, different facets of who God is. In understanding who God is, we are then called to live differently in light of that truth.
Today we are in Psalm 20, and Psalm 20 is a fascinating Psalm. In fact, you could argue that Psalm 20 and Psalm 21 go hand in hand. Psalm 20 is a Psalm of David, contained in the first book of the Psalms. All 150 chapters of the Psalms are divided into five different books, and this first collection—Book One—spans chapters 1 through 41 (typically called the Davidic collection, where David wrote 48 of the Psalms in the broader early collection).
The Pre-Battle Speech
Psalm 20 is a pre-battle Psalm. It was used literally as a pregame speech. David gathered his army together, and as they prepared to go into battle, they would recite this Psalm.
For those of you who are old school—history buffs or film critics—the imagery that comes to my mind is that great 1970 movie Patton. Remember that iconic opening scene where there is this ginormous American flag on the screen for what feels like forever? Then one solitary George C. Scott figure walks up center stage and delivers a speech. Now, I wish I could play that speech for you in church, but every third word is a cuss word, so it wouldn’t be appropriate. But he gives this intense pregame speech to the Third Army before they invade France and end up kicking tail all the way through into Germany.
That pregame speech is a Psalm 20 moment. David would have assembled his army together, and they would have sung this together. We can tell by the superscription of the Psalm: it is a Psalm of David, but notice most of your Bibles record that it is “for the choir director.” This was not merely a spoken speech; this was sung. Think of it like a sacred war chant recited before stepping onto the battlefield.
There are several distinct movements in the Psalm. You will notice verses 1 through 3, and then there is a shift. Do you see the word after verse 3—the word Selah? It is a Hebrew musical term that means pause, a musical interlude. Think of it like intermission, only without popcorn. The point is that what was just said pauses, and then there is a response. The language of verses 4 and 5 shifts into verse 6, where verses 6 and 7 form their own response in song, and then verses 8 and 9 finish the Psalm. Verse 1 and verse 9 almost echo each other, as if the psalmist begins with a plea to the Lord and finishes with a plea to the Lord.
Let’s walk through the Psalm together, and then at the end, I want to pull out a couple of devotional thoughts. This passage ambushed me a couple of months ago in a very profound way, and I want to share that with you.
Blessing the King: A Plea in the Day of Trouble
Let’s look at verse 1:
Psalms 20:1 (NASB)
For the choir director. A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you [securely] on high!
If you were here last week, we talked about the title “the LORD.” It is a very specific term—the formal covenant name of God, Yahweh, the self-existent God. Here it is again: “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble.”
We know this is a pre-battle Psalm because verse 1 refers to “the day of trouble,” and down in verse 7, he talks about horses and chariots being a source of strength for the nations around them. David is preparing for this day of trouble. In verses 1 through 3, he drops these petitions—almost affirmations or blessings:
Psalms 20:1-3 (NASB)
For the choir director. A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you [securely] on high! May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion! May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.
Here is the king, or a priest, passing on a blessing to the leader and his troops as a general would before battle. In verse 1, he says, “May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high.” That is an interesting expression: why “the God of Jacob”?
If you have read through your Old Testament, you know that in Genesis 12, God calls Abraham. Abraham has a son named Isaac. Isaac has a son named Jacob. That is the one spoken of here. It is David’s way of making sure you do not get confused about which God we are talking about. This is not just any generic lord; this is the God of Jacob.
What we know of Jacob is that he was a pretty fascinating character—and not always high up on the list of people you would want to hang out with. From a moral standpoint early on, his life was a complete meltdown. He was shady throughout his early years until he met the one guy on the planet shadier than he was, a guy named Laban. Finally, Jacob had an encounter with God where God broke him, came to his aid, and changed not only his name but his destiny—from a trickster and deceiver to “Israel,” one who strives with God.
David brings in this idea that the God of Jacob—the God who rescued Jacob from his day of trouble—is the One who will set you securely on high. If you remember from last week, mountain peaks and high places represented places of security and refuge. The prayer begins: may the God of our ancestors set you firmly on high, and may He send you help from the sanctuary.
Do not misunderstand “sanctuary” in verse 2 to mean Solomon’s temple. The temple had not been built yet in this context. According to 1 Samuel, David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and placed it inside a sacred tent. But he says, “May He send help from where God is dwelling among His people and support you from Zion.” Zion is the mountain ridge of Jerusalem. He is drawing their affections back to the dwelling presence of God as they prepare for battle.
Then in verse 3: “May He remember all your meal offerings and find your burnt offerings acceptable. Selah.”
Desires of the Heart and the Eve of Victory
After this initial blessing comes the pause, and then the people respond in verses 4 and 5:
Psalms 20:4-5 (NASB)
May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill all your counsel! We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
This is the people looking to the king or general, saying, “May the Lord grant you whatever is on your heart, and may all your strategies, plans, and preparations be fulfilled!”
Now, it is important to note: when you read that God fulfills the desires of your heart, do not assume God is some providential vending machine—as if you think it, pray it, pull the lever, and out it pops.
Psalms 37:4 (NASB)
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
When the psalmist says to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart, it is not talking about God fulfilling your selfish wish list; it is talking about origination. If our lives are centered on Him and we delight in Him, the very desires of our hearts begin to originate from Him.
Matthew 6:33 (NASB)
’But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
When Jesus says to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these other things will be added to you. When God is the priority in our lives, it changes the way we think and transforms the root of our affections.
Notice what the people say in verse 5: “We will sing for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners.” This is the eve of battle. Not a single sword has been drawn. Not a single arrow has been shot. Yet what are they already speaking of? Victory! When the Lord goes before you, there is an assurance of God’s presence even before the fight begins.
The Faith of a Giant-Slayer
In verse 6, David responds back:
Psalms 20:6 (NASB)
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.
David is probably one of the most fascinating characters in all of Scripture. When you think about how he started, we need to remember his backstory.
The prophet Samuel was told by God to go to Bethlehem because one of the sons of Jesse would be the next king of Israel. Jesse lined up all his boys, Brady Bunch style, from oldest to youngest. Samuel looked at the oldest—the big, strong, tough guy—and thought, Surely this is the king. But the Lord said no. Samuel went down the line: “How about this guy?” No. “This guy?” No. All the way down the line.
Finally, the prophet looked at Jesse and said, “Do you have any other sons? I’m a little confused because God said one of your boys would be king.” You can almost see Jesse rolling his eyes: “Well, I’ve got a junior high kid out in the field. He’s not even finished with puberty yet. He’s out watching sheep, writing poetry, playing his harp. I don’t know, maybe he’s the guy?” Samuel told him, “Bring him in.”
Sure enough, David walked in, and God made this profound statement to Samuel:
1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB)
But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God [sees] not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’
God did not raise up the big, polished guy who looked great on the cover of a magazine. God raised up this young kid who had spent his youth not playing video games, but killing lions and bears to protect the sheep. God prepared him in obscurity to rise and lead as king.
David understood something deep about the Lord. He had an intimate relationship with God. Have you ever seen someone who deeply loves their spouse? When you listen to the way they talk about them, you realize there is an affection that runs deeper than what you normally see. When David spoke of the Lord, there was a heart-level affection. He had a rare relationship with God, which is why God gave him that incredible description:
Acts 13:22 (NASB)
’After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.’
Now, do not put David on an untouchable pedestal, because as soon as you look at his whole story, you see major moral failures and terrible decisions. But what you see throughout his life is an intimacy with God.
When David went into battle, he would constantly inquire of the Lord: “Lord, these Philistines are lining up against us. Do You want me to fight them?” God would say, “Yes, go ahead.” And David would defeat them. The next time, David would ask again: “Lord, do You want me to fight them?” God would say, “Not straight on; circle around behind the balsam trees.” David listened and followed God’s strategy. There was an absolute reliance on the Lord: God, I will do whatever You tell me to do.
Think back to David as a young kid taking on Goliath. Here was a nine-foot giant—Shaquille O’Neal on steroids. And this young kid looked at Goliath and said, “I can take him.” King Saul offered his armor and weapons, but David said, “I don’t need any of that. I have my sling and my stones, and I come in the name of the Lord.”
David had Hebrew chutzpah. When Goliath taunted the armies of Israel, asking what god could deliver them, David took it personally: “You can say whatever you want, but you do not defy the living God!” He possessed an unshakable confidence in Yahweh.
So here in Psalm 20:6, David says, “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.” How does he know? Look at verse 7:
Psalms 20:7 (NASB)
Some [boast] in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
To boast or trust in something literally means to brag out loud about it. The nations around them bragged about their military power—their chariots and their war horses. But David said, “We will brag out loud about the name of the Lord our God!”
Then the people respond in verses 8 and 9:
Psalms 20:8-9 (NASB)
They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright. Save, O LORD; May the King answer us in the day we call.
They are declaring: Lord, when the battle is over and we gather to talk about the victory, may our king be preserved and standing upright! And with that prayer, they marched into battle.
Three Convicting Questions
This Psalm is only nine verses long, but it delivers several powerful punches. I want to leave you with three devotional challenges that come directly from this text.
1. What Are the Desires of Your Heart?
In verse 4, the prayer is: “May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your counsel—all your plans.”
Let me ask you: if God came to you right now and said, “I am going to fulfill whatever your heart desires and bring every plan you make to pass,” what would happen? Would your plans be about building your own kingdom, or building His? Would your desires revolve around your comfort, your wealth, your security—your modern “horses and chariots”—or would they revolve around the Lord?
If our hearts are truly being shaped by drawing near to Jesus, our desires will reflect His heart. What would you plan for the kingdom of God if you truly trusted Him?
2. What Are You Praying For?
In verse 5, the text says, “May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.” That refers to your prayers—the time you spend asking God to move, to provide, and to display His glory in your community.
Consider this promise in the New Testament:
Ephesians 3:20 (NASB)
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
If the Lord answered every single prayer you prayed this past week, what would actually change?
Would the only result be that your meals were blessed, your commute was safe, and your kids walked around wrapped in spiritual bubble wrap? Don’t get me wrong—it is good to pray for safety and protection. But is that the limit of our prayers?
What if we prayed bold, kingdom-sized prayers? What if we prayed: God, bring my lost coworker to faith! Save that family member! Reach that unreached nation! Change my city! Bring racial reconciliation in the name of Jesus! Eradicate poverty and homelessness! Bring emotional and mental healing! Let’s see grocery stores in Southwest Fresno, safe parks, streetlights, children from different backgrounds playing together in unity, and churches alive with the power of the gospel!
When this verse hit me a couple of months ago, I was deeply convicted. I thought, Pastor, what are you praying for? It is so easy to fall into the rut of safe, routine prayers. But David believed God enough to ask for big things, and God showed up.
What if God doesn’t want you to play it safe? What if He wants you to be dangerous for the kingdom of God? What if He wants you to be radical—giving generously in ways your financial planner might question, going places your comfort resists, and speaking bold truth in love to people around you? If God answered all your prayers, would the world around you look different?
3. What Are You Boasting In?
Look again at verse 7:
None of us are walking around bragging about our literal stables of war horses. But what are the horses and chariots of our modern culture? They are the things of this world that we rely on for security, status, and identity.
Remember, to boast means to brag about publicly. What do you talk about most enthusiastically? Any grandparents in the room? We know how that goes—show us a picture, and we will brag for twenty minutes about our grandkids. People brag about their careers, their homes, their investments, or their achievements. There is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying good things, but is that what you are ultimately boasting in?
When you consider the cross of Jesus Christ, what do we truly have to boast in except Christ? What do we have to glory in but Jesus?
Philippians 1:21 (NASB)
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
If knowing Jesus is the supreme treasure of our lives, our conversation should naturally overflow with Him: “Man, let me tell you what the Lord is doing! I get to wake up today and serve the living God. I don’t know who He will put in my path, but I get to love people, share the gospel, give generously, and be part of His mission.”
Enjoy your family, enjoy your vacations, enjoy the blessings God gives you—but let those things pale in comparison to the ultimate treasure of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Take these three questions with you this week:
- If God granted every desire of your heart, would it be for His kingdom or yours?
- If God answered every prayer you prayed, would anything significant change beyond your own personal comfort?
- If someone followed you around all week, what would they hear you boasting in?
Let’s be a people who fix our eyes on the cross, pray bold prayers, and boast solely in the name of the Lord our God.
Let’s pray together.
Father, thank You for Your Word and for the challenge it gives us to consider afresh what it means to be the people of God.
Lord, I think of David—that young shepherd boy whom You anointed and used mightily. I think of the words of the Apostle Paul:
Philippians 3:7-9 (NASB)
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from [the] Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which [comes] from God on the basis of faith,
I pray that would be our heart’s cry today. You are the God who is with us in the battle. You shape our hearts so that we can impact the world around us. It was never Your intent for us to simply sit comfortably in church services, but rather to be active participants in what You are doing in the world.
Fill our hearts with the things of God. Give us the faith to pray bold, audacious prayers for Your kingdom. And may we unashamedly brag, boast, and declare the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake we have gained everything.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.