Psalm 20:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

NIV: 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.

NASB: 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 desires.

CSB: Let us shout for joy at your victory and lift the banner in the name of our God. May the Lord fulfill all your requests.

NLT: May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.

KJV: We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

NKJV: 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.

The congregation looked forward to celebrating David's victory over the enemy (Psalm 20:1–4). The victory would be achieved "in the name of our God." In other words, David and his army would act on God's behalf.

Numbers 2 describes the orderly arrangement of the tribes of Israel. They set up their camp tribe by tribe with each tribe displaying its unique banner. When Israel's army went into battle, each group carried its specific banner (Song of Solomon 6:4, 10). Exodus 17:15–16 tells us Moses built an altar and called it, "The LORD Is My Banner." He declared that "the LORD will have war with Amalek."

Here, we read further that the congregation prayed for a successful conclusion in response to David's petitions. Christians battle the Devil and his demons, but if we put on the whole armor of God, take the sword of the Spirit, and pray, we will be victorious (Ephesians 6:10–18).

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 5/4/2024 9:58:24 PM