Psalm 20:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!

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

NASB: May He send you help from the sanctuary, And support you from Zion!

CSB: May he send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion.

NLT: May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.

KJV: Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;

NKJV: May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion;

Continuing from the previous verse (Psalm 20:1), the congregation prays for the Lord to send David help from the tabernacle and support from Zion.

Other nations relied on false gods or their well-armed soldiers for help and support in battle, but the people of Israel relied on Jehovah, their covenant-keeping God (Psalm 20:7). The tabernacle in Zion—another name for Jerusalem—was the resting place of the ark of the covenant that symbolized God's presence amidst His people. The congregation prayed to their covenant-keeping King to assist their earthly king in the time of battle. It is important to note that the people relied on the Lord for victory over the enemy. They did not rely on the ark for assistance.

Psalm 124 acknowledges that without the Lord's help Israel would have been swept away by her enemies. The psalm concludes with a bold affirmation, "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:8).

Psalm 20:1–5 expresses the tabernacle's congregational prayer for David as he prepares for battle. Deuteronomy 20:1–4 calls upon the people of Israel to rely on the Lord when they go to battle. The opening of this psalm demonstrates the people's positive response to this call. These words reveal Israel's love and admiration for King David.

David prepares for battle. He offers prayer and sacrifices in the tabernacle and trusts in the Lord for victory. His army is ready to march into battle, and it is organized into groups, each with its banner. The congregation voices its invocation, asking the Lord to protect, help, support, and give David success. King David responds by assuring the congregation that the Lord answers prayer and will grant him victory over the enemy. He is certain the enemy will fall while he and his men will stand. Finally, the congregation calls upon the Lord to answer their prayer to save the king.

This psalm was written by David as a prayer before he went into battle. Psalm 21 offers praise for victory. It seems David had entered the tabernacle to pray before going to battle. The tone of the psalm is somber and urgent, whereas the tone of the next psalm (Psalm 21:1) is joyful. Perhaps our Lord's prayer in the garden of Gethsemane resembles the prayer in Psalm 20. At Gethsemane Jesus struggled with the prospect of suffering and dying and prayed for deliverance (Luke 22:39–44).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/3/2024 12:21:21 PM