What does Psalm 20:4 mean?
ESV: May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!
NIV: May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
NASB: May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill your whole plan!
CSB: May he give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.
NLT: May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.
KJV: Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
NKJV: May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your purpose.
Verse Commentary:
This continues a congregational prayer on behalf of King David. The people pray God will give David what his heart desires and bring David's plans to a successful conclusion.
Proverbs 3:5–6 promises if we fully trust in the Lord, and accept His will, He will guide us. David had not depended upon his own understanding as he prepared for battle. He had worshiped the Lord and sought His will (1 Samuel 23:1–2). The word "plans" as translated here is from the Hebrew term asāt, which can also be rendered as "strategies, counsel, or advice." David's battle strategies for defeating the enemy would be successful if the Lord fulfilled them.
The apostle James counsels us not to plan what we will do tomorrow without seeking God's will (James 4:13–15). The Lord instructed Joshua to meditate on the Word of God and obey the God of the Word and then he would be successful (Joshua 1:4–9).
Verse Context:
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.
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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).
Book Summary:
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.
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Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.
