Psalm 20 Devotional:

A prayer of the people unto God, that it would please him to hear their king and receive his sacrifice, which he offered before he went to battle against the Ammonites. (2 Sam. 10)

To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

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

3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.

4 Grant thee according to thine heart, and fulfil all thy counsel:

5 That we may rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners: when the Lord shall fulfil all thy petitions.

6 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.

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

9 Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call.

In the previous Psalm, the focus was instruction and doctrine, showing forth the efficacy of the word of God and the upright affections that true believers have through and account of the word. Here in the next Psalm, a prime example of prayer is brought forth, showing in what manner the godly lift up their voice to God. David, in the person of the whole congregation both desires help and salvation from the Lord and confidently assures himself that what he asked, even that would the Lord grant. For this is truly the proper pattern of prayer that all the godly must follow, even to take our desires and petition to God, to call upon His name, and to be confidently assured that He is able and willing to save us from our trials and to bless us with grace and righteousness from above. This then is a general prayer used by those in leadership asking God to bless His people and hear them in the day of trouble. For it is the practice of saints to prepare themselves for the day of calamity by fortifying themselves against the vain thoughts of iniquity. For we are often beset and assailed by numerous enemies, and we far too often give heed to seducing spirits sent to vex and trouble us and take us from our assured comfort. Therefore David, and all godly leaders, prays both for himself and for all the people that God would answer them in the day of their trouble, knowing first that “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward”, and all of the trouble that befalls us in this life is of our own procuring, seeing that none of us can claim absolute purity, and second that he is unable of his own strength to deliver himself out of the least of his troubles. For our enemies are much stronger than we, even as the least of the devil’s servants is greater than the greatest of all men. And so we see that even as David was a king over an army, so every Christian is to be mindful of his soul and body as a living city or temple in which dwells the living God, and we ought to strive to the utmost not to displease Him or allow anything defiled to enter therein. As it is written, “if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” and again, “But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” For our enemies are not those of flesh and blood, but devils, false doctrines, wicked opinions and evil practices, such as malice, discontent, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, and the lusting after this world which is idolatry. Forasmuch then as we cannot of ourselves resist the least emissary of Satan, let us call out to God in the day of trouble, and before then also, resolving first to pray when that day comes. Let us resist evil and submit to God, that is when temptation first arises, and let us pray for deliverance rather than yielding to the flesh, for it is certain that all of our sorrow is on account of sin, and that which we suffer with a clean conscience is rather a joy to us through Christ our Lord. And so resolving to pray to God for deliverance may we ever say with David, “The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.”

Calvin,
The inscription shows that the psalm was composed by David; but though he was its author, there is no absurdity in his speaking of himself in the person of others. The office of a prophet having been committed to him, he with great propriety prepared this as a form of prayer for the use of the faithful. In doing this, his object was not so much to commend his own person, by authoritatively issuing a royal ordinance enjoining upon the people the use of this prayer, as to show, in the exercise of his office as a teacher, that it belonged to the whole Church to concern itself, and to use its endeavors that the kingdom which God had erected might continue safe and prosperous. Many interpreters view this prayer as offered up only on one particular occasion; but in this I cannot agree. The occasion of its composition at first may have arisen from some particular battle which was about to be fought, either against the Ammonites, or against some other enemies of Israel. But the design of the Holy Spirit, in my judgment, was to deliver to the Church a common form of prayer, which, as we may gather from the words, was to be used whenever she was threatened with any danger. God commands his people, in general, to pray for kings, but there was a special reason, and one which did not apply to any other kingdom, why prayer was to be made in behalf of this kingdom; for it was only by the hand of David and his seed that God had determined to govern and maintain his people. It is particularly to be noticed, that under the figure of this temporal kingdom, there was described a government far more excellent, on which the whole joy and felicity of the Church depended. The object, therefore, which David had expressly in view was, to exhort all the children of God to cherish such a holy solicitude about the kingdom of Christ, as would stir them up to continual prayer in its behalf.

Henry,
It is the will of God that prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, should be made, in special manner, for kings and all in authority. This psalm is a prayer, and the next a thanksgiving, for the king. David was a martial prince, much in war. Either this psalm was penned upon occasion of some particular expedition of his, or, in general, as a form to be used in the daily service of the church for him. In this psalm we may observe, I. What it is they beg of God for the king, Psalms 20:1-4. II. With what assurance they beg it. The people triumph (Psalms 20:5), the prince (Psalms 20:6), both together (Psalms 20:7; Psalms 20:8), and so he concludes with a prayer to God for audience, Psalms 20:9. In this, David may well be looked upon as a type of Christ, to whose kingdom and its interests among men the church was, in every age, a hearty well-wisher.”

And so, looking unto Christ our captain for deliverance and victory may we go forth and do battles against the devil, the world and the flesh, knowing that the victory belongs unto God and He will make it certain on behalf of His people who trust in Him and pray to Him in the day of their trouble.

Opening Prayer.

Lesson 22.

The necessity of understanding the historical and religious atmosphere in which we live. Part 2. New Testament History. The Gospels.

Intro.
Manton and the other author of this Preface understood their circumstances, therefore they exhorted parents to teach their children sound doctrine through the catechisms.
Augustine’s City of God is a testament to Christian understanding of history.
History is essential to our refutation of heresy.
The true church has ever been afflicted and rejected by the world and hypocrites in the church.
I. The Holy Scripture is part History. (therefore history is necessary)
i. Review. Old Testament saints looked forward to the promise. Heb. 11. In both Old and New Testament history, we relate with the saints of old. Either in expectation or realization of the promises. In waiting, we hope. In the fulfillment, we give thanks.

ii. New Testament History.
The Gospels, Acts, Revelation.
|i. The Gospels.
The genealogy.
The miraculous birth of Christ.
The baptism of Christ.
The temptation.
Sermons.
Calling of the 12.
Miracles.
Parables.
Transfiguration.
Triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Cleansing the temple.
Defending the gospel against the Pharisees.
Olivet discourse.
Gethsemane.
Arrest and trial.
Crucifixion.
Sayings at the cross.
Burial.
Resurrection.
Post Resurrection sightings.
Ascension.

Conclusion.

Closing Prayer.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/PVc7KsYodl8