King James Version
Psalms 20
9 verses with commentary
May the Lord Answer You in Trouble
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; defend: Heb. set thee on an high place
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.</strong> This opening verse establishes Psalm 20 as a royal intercessory prayer, likely sung by priests or the congregation on behalf of the king before battle. The Hebrew word for 'hear' (<em>ya'anekha</em>, יַעַנְךָ) carries the sense of answering or responding, not merely passive listening—it's a prayer ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) **Day of trouble . . . God of Jacob.**—This certainly recalls the patriarch’s words (Genesis 35:3), “I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress.” The “name” alone of the God of Jacob was a safeguard to the people, called after their great forefather “Israel. So even under the shadow of the greatness of human monarchs and heroes whole peoples have often felt ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
10. The true answer to Job, which God follows up (Job 38:1-41). Man is to believe God's ways are right, because they are His, not because we fully see they are so (Ro 9:14; De 32:4; Ge 18:25).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; thee help: Heb. thy help strengthen: Heb. support
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KJV Study Commentary
The prayer that God 'send help from the sanctuary' and 'give support from Zion' connects earthly and heavenly. The Hebrew 'ezer' (help) and 'sa'ad' (support/sustain) request divine aid. The sanctuary represents God's presence. This anticipates the New Testament teaching that believers' help comes from Christ's heavenly intercession (Hebrews 7:25) and the Holy Spirit as our Helper (John 14:16).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
11. Partly here; fully, hereafter (Jr 32:19; Ro 2:6; 1Pe 1:17; Re 22:12).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. accept: Heb. turn to ashes: or, make fat
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KJV Study Commentary
The prayer that God 'remember' offerings and 'regard' burnt offerings uses sacrificial language. The Hebrew 'zakar' (remember) means to act on behalf of, not merely recall. 'Dashen' (regard/accept as fat) indicates approval of sacrifice. This anticipates Christ's once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) that secured God's favor. Reformed theology sees Old Testament sacrifices as types pointing to Ch...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **All thy offerings.**—The king is sacrificing, according to custom, before battle (1Samuel 13:9), the burnt offering (*ôlah, *from root to “go up,” *i.e., *of the smoke) and the bloodless offering (*minchah, *from root “to portion out”) of fine flour. (See Leviticus 2:1). Since the word rendered in our version *memorial *(Leviticus 24:7), which is a derivative of the verb here rendered “remem...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12. (Job 8:3). In opposition to Job, Job 34:5, will not--**cannot.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
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KJV Study Commentary
This royal psalm intercedes for the king, praying that God would grant the desires aligned with His will. The Hebrew word for 'counsel' (etzah) suggests divine purpose and plan. From a Reformed perspective, this verse illustrates that God sovereignly ordains the king's success, not through human strength but through divine favor. The prayer acknowledges that righteous desires originate from God an...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
13. If the world were not God's property, as having been made by Him, but committed to His charge by some superior, it might be possible for Him to act unjustly, as He would not thereby be injuring Himself; but as it is, for God to act unjustly would undermine the whole order of the world, and so would injure God's own property (Job 36:23).
**disposed--**hath founded (Is 44:7), established the c...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong> This verse shifts from petition to confident anticipation—the people declare their future celebration as if God has already granted victory. 'Thy salvation' (<em>bishu'atekha</em>, בִּישׁוּעָתְךָ) uses the Hebrew root <em>yasha</em>, the same root as 'Jesus' ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **We will set up our banners.**—Rather, *we will wave our banners. *(Comp. Song of Solomon 6:10.) The whole army, or their representatives, assembled in the Temple courts, raise the encouraging shout.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
14-15. "If He were to set His heart on man," either to injure him, or to take strict account of his sins. The connection supports rather [Umbreit], "If He had regard to himself (only), and were to gather unto Himself (Psa 104:29) man's spirit, &c. (which he sends forth, Psa 104:30; Ec 12:7), all flesh must perish together," &c. (Ge 3:19). God's loving preservation of His creatures proves H...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. his holy: Heb. the heaven of his holiness with: Heb. by the strength of the salvation of
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.</strong> This verse marks a turning point—the shift from petition to certainty. 'Now know I' (<em>atah yadati</em>, עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי) expresses immediate, confident knowledge, possibly in response to a prophetic oracle delivered during the worship service. In anc...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **Now know I.**—Better, *now know I that Jehovah hath saved his anointed, i.e., *the king who is the subject of the poem, it being out of keeping with the rest of the poem to understand “Israel” or the “ideal” king here. The *now *is emphatic. After seeing the sacrifice performed, and feeling sure of its acceptance, this confidence is expressed.
**From his holy heaven.**—The prayer in Psalm 20...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
14-15. "If He were to set His heart on man," either to injure him, or to take strict account of his sins. The connection supports rather [Umbreit], "If He had regard to himself (only), and were to gather unto Himself (Psa 104:29) man's spirit, &c. (which he sends forth, Psa 104:30; Ec 12:7), all flesh must perish together," &c. (Ge 3:19). God's loving preservation of His creatures proves H...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.</strong> This verse presents one of Scripture's starkest contrasts between human strength and divine power. Chariots and horses represented ancient military superiority—they were the tanks and advanced weaponry of the ancient world. Nations with strong cavalry forces and chariot divisions dominat...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Trust.**—The poetry is weakened by the insertion of this word. Render, *These in chariots and these on horses; but we in the name of Jehovah our God make boast. *The mention of horses and chariots suggests a Syrian war, since the armies of Syria were peculiarly strong in this arm. For an interesting historical reference to this verse, see Macaulay’s *Hist. of England, *chap. ix.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
16. In Job 34:2, Elihu had spoken to all in general, now he calls Job's special attention.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
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KJV Study Commentary
The contrast between 'they' (enemies trusting in chariots and horses, v.7) and 'we' (trusting in the LORD) reaches its culmination here. The Reformed understanding emphasizes that those who trust in created things rather than the Creator will inevitably fall, while those whose confidence rests in God's sovereign power will stand. This verse demonstrates the practical outworking of sola fide—faith ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Stand upright.**—We seem to see a whole battle fought before our eyes, in which those formerly struck down rise, and returning to the fight, beat off their foes, and in their turn lay them low. “We were fallen, but have risen, and stand upright.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
17. "Can even He who (in thy view) hateth right (justice) govern?" The government of the world would be impossible if injustice were sanctioned. God must be just, because He governs (2Sa 23:3).
**govern--**literally, "bind," namely, by authority (so "reign," 1Sa 9:17, Margin). Umbreit translates for "govern, repress wrath, namely, against Job for his accusations.
**most just--**rather, "Him wh...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.</strong> This concluding verse returns to direct petition, bracketing the psalm with prayer (verses 1 and 9). 'Save' (<em>hoshi'ah</em>, הוֹשִׁיעָה) is an imperative plea for deliverance, using the same Hebrew root found in 'Jesus' (Yeshua)—salvation is the psalm's central theme. The verse creates a triangular relationship: the people call to ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **Save Lord . . .**—The Authorised Version follows the accentuation of the Masoretic text, but spoils the rhythm, and interrupts the sense. The LXX. and Vulg., followed by all modern commentators, dividing the verse differently render, “Jehovah, save the king,” whence our National Anthem. Jehovah thus becomes the subject of the verb *hear *in the last clause. “May He hear us in the day of our ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
18. Literally, (Is it fit) to be said to a king? It would be a gross outrage to reproach thus an earthly monarch, much more the King of kings (Ex 22:28). But Maurer with the Septuagint and Vulgate reads, (It is not fit to accuse of injustice Him) who says to a king, Thou art wicked; to princes, Ye are ungodly; that is, who punishes impartially the great, as the small. This accords with Job 34:19.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 20
This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.
--Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for the...
Read full commentary →