April 30, 2014
Tom Lowe
Psalm 20 (KJV)
Title: When a Nation Goes to War.
To the Chief Musician. 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 own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD 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.
Introduction
Throughout history, God has frequently used war as his whip to chastise rebellious nations. Indeed, as we read through the Old Testament, we cannot help but see how frequently God’s people, Israel, were at war. The pages of Hebrew history resonate with the clamor of strife. It is just as true of America; our history reads like one long period of war with, at intervals, only brief periods of peace.
Psalm 20 and 21 are twin warfare proceedings. Psalm 20 is mostly ceremony before a battle, while psalm 21 is mostly ceremony after a battle. In the theocracy of Israel, these were to be considered holy wars with the chain of command being as follows:
1) The Lord is commander-in-chief over the anointed king-general and the theocratic people.
2) The soldiers.
Psalm 20, in anticipation of a military campaign commemorates a three-phased ceremony regularly conducted by the people in the presence of the commander-in-chief on behalf of the king-general.
I. An Offering of Their Prayers (20:1-5)
II. A Confirmation of Their Confidence (20:6-8)
III. A Reaffirmation of Their Dependence (20:9)
Psalm 20 is a prelude to war; it tells how a nation should prepare for war. There comes a time in the history of every nation when, faced with the aggression of others, it must say: “That will be enough. One step more and we will fight.” We are considering a nation, faced with the eminent possibility of war, preparing its heart for what lies ahead. Those who have a problem with the military aspects of some of David’s psalms should remember that David went to war only when the enemy attacked Israel. He did not attack other nations just to gain territory and he was fighting the Lord’s battles (2 Chron. 20:15{4]).
Jesus teaches in the New Testament that men are to turn the other cheek, to be peacemakers, and to choose to suffer affliction rather than go to war. But His teachings were not for the world at large, but for those who are saved and in the kingdom of God. Many people have misunderstood this and have adopted a position toward war which is insincere and uncertain. They espouse a philosophy of national peace—peace at any price. They preach appeasement, pacifism, and surrender of the nation to those who would destroy its precious liberties.
The psalm, of course, was concerned with Israel and with one of those wars which became a significant feature of David’s reign. By application, its message can relate to the nation in which we live in a time of world crises when at any moment like it or not, for the sake of its own survival the nation might have to fight. As I compose this study, America is facing threats made by Muslim terrorists, Russia has invaded its former satellites, North Korea is planning another Hydrogen bomb test, and small wars, with the potential of involving world powers are being contested in Africa and other places. It’s a dangerous world that we live in.
Commentary
Verses 1-3: There can be no doubt that when war looms on the horizon people tend to become more religious [The increase in church attendance following the events of 9-11 would bear this out.]. Even though they may have a double standard for themselves, they expect their leaders to be devout. With war clouds gathering on the horizon, the people of Israel looked to their king. It is uncertain whether the scene of the prayer is the sanctuary in Zion or the vicinity of the battlefield.
1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
In other words, the psalmist says, “You may be successful, you may be skillful, but are you spiritual?” That is what matters in this time of national emergency. Are you in touch with God? Are you able to pray? In verse 1 it is the eve of the battle, and the people are praying; they ask God to answer the king’s prayers and lift him up above the enemy (“defend”), and turn them back in crushing defeat.
Names are often put for persons, and the “name of God” for God (Deut. 28:58{3]). David calls Him the “God of Jacob,” or Israel, partly to distinguish Him from false gods, and partially as an argument to reinforce the prayer, because God had made a covenant with Jacob and his posterity, who are called by the name of Israel (a synonym for Jacob).
“The name of the God of Jacob” implies practical trust. “The God of Jacob” is a God of compassion and care. There was nothing deserving about Jacob. He was a scheming, crooked arm-twister, a crafty cattleman, not a bit above lying and cheating if it served his purpose. If I lived back then, I don’t think I would have liked him at all. Yet God met Jacob, they had a wrestling match and God got the best of him; then He molded Jacob, magnified Jacob, and multiplied Jacob. The God of Jacob is the God who loves us in spite of our faults and failings.
To call on the “name of the God of Jacob” implies a practical trust in God. It is saying, “Here we are Lord; we need You desperately. We are weak and wayward by nature. But we are looking to You to meet us where we are.”
“The name of our God” implies personal trust. It is not just a matter of “the name of God.” So often in national life a politician will acknowledge “God” but he will use a term which is vague, general, and indefinite. The politician doesn’t want to offend Jews and Muslims, so he will not pray “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” He doesn’t want to offend the atheist so he addresses himself to Providence. That will not do! We must make it personal and use “the name of our God.” God does not want our patronage, and He doesn’t need it; He wants our prayer based on personal trust.
“The name of the Lord our God” implies perfect trust. The name of Jehovah, our Elohim! That is, He is the God of covenant as well as the God of creation. He is the God who has revealed himself; who has given His Word; who has spoken in specific, understandable, moral and spiritual terms. He is the God who is not only there; He is known. And because He is known, He can be trusted—perfectly!
It is a great thing for a nation when its leaders are men who have this practical, personal, and perfect trust in God and who are not afraid to let it be known. In an hour of international crisis nothing else will do. The people of Israel wanted their king to be prayerfully in touch with God.
“The day of trouble” means more than any twenty-four hour period. Of course day in the Old Testament can mean just that. But in Israel’s worship the word means that moment in human experience when the external world breaks in upon our human existence in a threatening manner. We can all look back on such days, such experiences, most of which are too prized to discuss, or held too dear to describe to other people. But there can also come a “moment” when the powers of evil seem to be let loose in a person’s heart. If such a thing does happen to us, then there is only one defense against it, and that is the power which comes from “the name of the God of Jacob.”
“The God of Jacob” is Israel’s Redeemer God. All down the centuries He has rescued Israel from each and all of her foes. So He can be relied on at this juncture to do the same as He has always done. The name in olden days was an exact picture of the nature of its owner. So the name of Yahweh, as we have seen before, means something important now: “I will be with you” (Ex. 3:12, 14{2]).
2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
The “sanctuary” was a place where a person could expect to receive an infusion of spiritual power. “Zion” was the great citadel of David, and the military stronghold of Jerusalem. The one could not be divorced from the other, since they were designations for the place of God’s symbolic presence in the ark which David had recaptured and installed in a tabernacle on Mount Zion. The nation’s military and strategic power was essentially linked with the nation’s moral and spiritual power. All the victories of God’s people are from Him and arise out of His gracious acceptance of a perfect sacrifice.
3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
In this hour of crisis the people did not want a king who made vague gestures of a religious nature. They wanted a king who knew the power of God and trusted in Him. The king’s faithful obedience in bringing “offerings” and “burnt sacrifices” is presented as a special reason why the Lord should remember him with favor.
Since there is a “Selah” at the end of the verse, that is, a pause preceded by a blast of loud music, it may be that at this point in the proceedings a priest offered up a “burnt offering” on behalf of the young man seated before him on the throne. Then there would follow a recitation of the prayer we find at verse 4. Human beings can sure make stupid plans, but, says our poet, God can overrule even these and make them into something good.
Verses 4 and 5: Unless a leader listens to God, his strategies and decisions will be based on mere human reasoning. The people of Israel was definite about what they wanted in this regard: they wanted their king to be listening to God.
4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
The only way they could expect God to fulfill the war councils of their king were if those military plans were made in the presence of God.
How can a nation plan the battle properly if its leaders and lawmakers refuse to recognize any kind of dependence on God? The people of Israel told their king that they wanted him to be listening to God so that he could plan the battle properly and thus be victorious.
5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
“In the name of our God” here means to the honor of God, as the Conqueror.
The word for “banner” is one which occurs only in this psalm and in Song of Solomon 5:1, where it is translated “the chiefest”: “My beloved is . . . the chiefest among ten thousand.” It really means: “The standard bearer among ten thousand.”
This psalm in its prophetic dimension has to do with the Messiah going forth to battle against His foes. Historically, this was the banner the leaders were to lift up, as they prepared the nation for war. The people were to rally around the Standard Bearer, the Chiefest among ten thousand, the living Lord himself. That’s how to go into battle properly. After the battle, raising the banners and waving them was a sign of victory, and “Jehovah our banner” was one of God’s special names (Ex. 17:15-16{5]).
The Lord is our “banner” (Ex. 15:17{1]) and we will succeed if we go forward in His name and for His glory. Verse 5 is the central verse in the psalm, a confident affirmation of victory even before the battle started.
Verses 6-9: The speaker is no longer the people but the king or a prophet. We will learn three things about his prayer.
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.
It is not clear whether the king, or possibly a prophet present at the liturgy, is speaking; in either case the note of confidence is intended for the Lord’s anointed one, whom the Lord will answer from heaven by mighty acts of salvation.
The people looked to the king; the king looked to the King of kings. Interesting enough, the word “saveth” is in the past tense. David expressed the truth that the battle was already won because of God’ power and faithfulness, and His love for David and His people. The actual deployment of the army on the battlefield was a mere formality. The battle had already been won the moment the people expressed a sense of their need of God, the moment the king prepared himself to pray.
Kings were “anointed,” priests were “anointed,” and individuals chosen for special duties were “anointed.” God chose David, and this anointed king has now regained his certainty of faith. I know, he says, that God will not let me down. He could say that with certainty because, in the covenant God made with David, He had promised him success in battle (2 Sam. 7:11{6]), and David claimed this promise by faith.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
The pronouns are important. David says: “They are trusting in their armaments and in their mobility, but we are trusting in the name of Jehovah our God.” This is the only kind of boasting allowed a believer: “God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Eph. 2:8-9{7]). Israel’s kings were commanded not to acquire great numbers of horses and chariots (Deut. 17:16{8]), a law that Solomon disobeyed (1 Ki. 10:26-27{9]).
So, we trust in our twentieth century horses and chariots. David trusted in the name of the Lord his God. It would be better for America and the world if we had spiritual giants leading the West instead of politicians, scientists, and military chiefs of staff.
In today’s world, a country which does not have a powerful arsenal with which to confront aggressors would be acting foolishly. David did not disband his armies simply because he had faith in God. But neither did he put his trust in troops as his first and main line of defense. He had some able generals. There was Joab, as tough as any leader who ever took his troops into battle. There was Asahel and Shammah and Benaiah and Abishai. But David’s trust went far beyond men like that: his trust was in the name of the Lord his God. God’s people, in every age, don’t boast of their personal resources, but in the God who alone can save them in every situation.
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.
The reality that one might die in the coming battle produced tension throughout the army of Israel even as they assembled to plead for victory. In the Bible, assurance never breeds complacency, but rather offers ground for urgent prayer and calling upon God to save.
They were “brought down” from their “horses” and “chariots” in which they trusted. They were unable to stand any longer because of their mortal wounds; but we stand firm on our two legs, and keep the field as conquers use to do.
“God save the king!” It was from that familiar phrase that Great Brittan developed her national anthem. But Brittan, like America, has come a long ways down the road to degeneration and disaster since those days when faith in God was the first line of defense.
“They are brought down . . . we are risen . . . God save the king.” Such total deliverance because of total dependence is what we need today.
It is just at that moment when things seem to be at their very worst that in the name of the Lord our God we shall rise and stand upright. What a great statement of faith! God’s right hand was the one that acted for Him. That is why, using this theoretical picture, the New Testament can speak of Christ seated at the right hand of God; for Christ is now the executor of God’s saving love and redemptive judgment.
“Save, LORD!” Let the king—the King eternal, immortal, invisible—let the King hear us when we call. The sense here is either:
1. O Lord, preserve and aid the king so that when we are distressed and call out to him for help, he may be ready and able to help. Or,
2. God, the supreme Monarch, the King of kings, and in a peculiar manner the King of Israel, hear and answer us, when we pray for our king and people.
“Save, Lord,” is Hosanna in the Hebrew. This is a great Hosanna psalm. May God make it real to our hearts.
But before we end our meditation on this psalm and send it off to the Chief Musician, let us remember that these principles apply to our individual life as much as to our national life. Only, our enemies are spiritual, unseen, and demonic. If we want total deliverance from the problems and powers that beset us, we too must have total dependence. Our first step to victory in spiritual warfare is to trust only in the mercy and grace of God; all who trust in themselves will soon be “brought down.” Believers triumph in God and in His revelation of Himself to them, by which they distinguish themselves from those that live without God in the world.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE AND SPECIAL NOTES
{1] (Ex. 15:17) Moses built an altar there and called it "The LORD Is My Banner."
{2] (Ex. 3:12, 14) Then God told him, "I will be with you. And this will serve as proof that I have sent you: When you have brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you will return here to worship God at this very mountain." . . . God replied, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS. Just tell them, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
{3] (Deut. 28:58) "If you refuse to obey all the terms of this law that are written in this book, and if you do not fear the glorious and awesome name of the LORD your God,
{4] (2 Chron. 20:15) He said, "Listen, King Jehoshaphat! Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
{5] (Ex. 17:15-16) Moses built an altar there and called it "The LORD Is My Banner."
He said, "They have dared to raise their fist against the LORD's throne, so now the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation."
{6] (2 Sam. 7:11) from the time I appointed judges to rule my people. And I will keep you safe from all your enemies." 'And now the LORD declares that he will build a house for you -- a dynasty of kings!
{7] (Eph. 2:8-9) God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
{8] (Deut. 17:16) The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the LORD has told you, 'You must never return to Egypt.'
{9] (1 Ki. 10:26-27) Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses. He stationed many of them in the chariot cities, and some near him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones. And valuable cedarwood was as common as the sycamore wood that grows in the foothills of Judah.
