Psalm 20: The Lord Will Answer You In Time’s of Distress
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the Name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3 May He remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
4 May He give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5 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.
6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to His anointed.
He answers him from His Heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of His right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the Name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!
During the Golden Ages, the people’s fate depended on the success of their king. If he won the battle, they won; if he lost, they lost. They needed a victory, and there was only one way to assure one: God.
While our times may vary from that of the psalmist’s, we certainly share a few things in common — most notably life’s daily battle — both physical and spiritual. And we, too, need divine assistance for the victory. Despite many contemporary opinions, we can not do it in our own might and strength. We need God’s intercession – His divine protection, provision, strength, guidance, wisdom, and mercy.
King David begins this psalm with a prayer: “May the Lord protect you when you are in distress … May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” He ends with, “Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to His anointed.” David praises God and then encourages everyone to “rise up and stand firm.” Because they trusted in the Name of the Lord, they were indeed given the victory. And the same can be said for us today.
We can learn much from our forbearers. Their strong faith serves as a powerful reminder that if we stand firm in the face of challenges; if we strengthen our faith daily, call out to the Lord in our distress, and trust Him completely, He will fight the battle for us. He is our Strong Tower and our ultimate Vindicator. Let us never forget that we are called to fight “the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) because … we can (and will!) do all things through Christ Who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
“Lord Jesus, thank You for going before us. Thank You for fighting this battle for us, and for reminding us that we can cast all our cares unto You. With You on our side, who dare be against us? We will have the victory! In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.”
