Psalm 20

From: Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character By: John Gifford Bellett

Psalm 20 • 1 min. read • grade level: 11

I read this Psalm as the utterance of the Jewish Remnant exercising very lively faith in their Messiah in the day when He will take their trouble upon Himself, and come forth to assert His kingdom against His and their enemy. They accordingly commend Him to the care of Jehovah, and anticipate His victory, and that they themselves shall therefore, like their fathers (Ex. 17:15¹⁵And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: (Exodus 17:15)), have a banner in Jehovah, though in conflict with the true Amalek.

The people in this spirit commended Joshua to God’s care as he was going out to his battles (Josh. 1:17-18¹⁷According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. ¹⁸Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage. (Joshua 1:17‑18)). And according to the divine ordinance, when Israel went out to battle, they were to encourage themselves in God, and not be afraid of the multitudes of the enemy, or of their chariots and their horses. (See Deut. 20:1¹When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 20:1).) Jesus, as one fully obedient to this ordinance, here goes forth to the warfare in this spirit.

In the full power of Psalm 20:3³Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. (Psalm 20:3) we see our Lord leaving His priestly services in heaven, now that He is about to take this other service, this duty of “the God of battles,” the Redeemer of the inheritance, upon Him. And this present action, His going forth in due season against His enemies, had been pledged to Him as soon as He took His seat in heaven. (See Psa. 110:1¹<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1).) And He had been expecting it (Heb. 10:13¹³From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:13)).

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