Berean Standard Bible · Public domain

Psalm 20

Israel’s prayers give language for praise, grief, repentance, and trust. Poetry uses imagery and parallel lines; each psalm should be read as a whole rather than as a detached promise.

Historical context & book outline

1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2May He send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion.

3May He remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Selah

4May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

5May we shout for joy at your victory and raise a banner in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your petitions.

6Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand.

7Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

8They collapse and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

9O LORD, save the king. Answer us on the day we call.

Read closely

  1. What repeated words, contrasts, or actions stand out in this chapter?
  2. How does this chapter fit the surrounding chapters and the book’s purpose?
  3. What did it communicate to its first hearers, before applying it to your life?