A Prayer For The King.

A PRAYER FOR THE KING.

Psalm 20:1-9.

Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John and instructed them to ‘watch’ with Him (cf. Matthew 26:38), and to ‘watch and pray’ (cf. Matthew 26:41). I wonder what prayers they might have made on His behalf if their sleepy heads could have stayed awake long enough? Psalm 20 is unashamedly a prayer for the king as He goes into battle, and would certainly have suited well enough the enormous spiritual battle which Jesus was now accomplishing.

When Israel had asked for a king, one of their reasons had been ‘that our king’ may ‘go out before us and fight our battles’ (cf. 1 Samuel 8:20). Now Jesus was going out before His church to fight the battle of His life on our behalf – and His own innermost disciples could not ‘watch’ with Him for just one hour (cf. Matthew 26:40)!

I have often wondered what ‘Psalms’ the Lord opened up to His disciples on the first Easter evening (cf. Luke 24:44). Peter, James and John might then have reflected that, back in Gethsemane, they could have given Jesus the kind of encouragement that is contained in PSALM 20:1-2. Retrospectively, they might have considered that Jesus had been offering Himself as a ‘burnt sacrifice’ on our behalf (PSALM 20:3).

Perhaps they could have “set up their banners” behind Jesus in the reassurance that the LORD would “fulfill” all His counsel and petitions (PSALM 20:4-5). They could have expressed their confidence in “the LORD” and “His Anointed,” and reassured themselves of the “saving strength” of the LORD (PSALM 20:6). Such prayers, such encouragements, such confidence, such assurances will always have a happy issue (PSALM 20:7-8).

His sacrifice of Himself on our behalf has been accepted, and therefore we may ‘boldly approach the throne of grace’ (cf. Hebrews 4:16) in the assurance that the LORD, and His King (Jesus) will also “hear us when we call” (PSALM 20:9).