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Text -- Psalms 20:1-2 (NET)

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Context
Psalm 20
20:1 For the music director; a psalm of David. May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble; may the God of Jacob make you secure! 20:2 May he send you help from his temple; from Zion may he give you support!
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · David a son of Jesse of Judah; king of Israel,son of Jesse of Judah; king of Israel
 · Jacob the second so of a pair of twins born to Isaac and Rebeccaa; ancestor of the 12 tribes of Israel,the nation of Israel,a person, male,son of Isaac; Israel the man and nation
 · Zion one of the hills on which Jerusalem was built; the temple area; the city of Jerusalem; God's people,a town and citidel; an ancient part of Jerusalem


Dictionary Themes and Topics: War | Temple | Symbols and Similitudes | Psalms | PSALMS, BOOK OF | OMNIPRESENCE | Intercession | HELP | GOD, 2 | David | DAY | Church | BIBLE, THE, IV CANONICITY | Afflictions and Adversities | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , PBC , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Psa 20:1 - -- God had made a covenant with Jacob and his posterity.

God had made a covenant with Jacob and his posterity.

Wesley: Psa 20:2 - -- From the tabernacle in Zion, where the ark then was; toward which the Israelites directed their prayers.

From the tabernacle in Zion, where the ark then was; toward which the Israelites directed their prayers.

JFB: Psa 20:1 - -- David probably composed this Psalm to express the prayers of the pious for his success as at once the head of the Church and nation. Like other compos...

David probably composed this Psalm to express the prayers of the pious for his success as at once the head of the Church and nation. Like other compositions of which David in such relations is the subject, its sentiments have a permanent value--the prosperity of Christ's kingdom being involved, as well as typified, in that of Israel and its king. (Psa 20:1-9)

JFB: Psa 20:1 - -- Graciously (Psa 4:1).

Graciously (Psa 4:1).

JFB: Psa 20:1 - -- Or manifested perfections, as power, wisdom, &c.

Or manifested perfections, as power, wisdom, &c.

JFB: Psa 20:1 - -- Set thee on high from danger (Psa 9:9; Psa 18:3).

Set thee on high from danger (Psa 9:9; Psa 18:3).

JFB: Psa 20:2 - -- Sustain in conflict; even physical benefits may be included, as courage for war, &c., as such may proceed from a sense of divine favor, secured in the...

Sustain in conflict; even physical benefits may be included, as courage for war, &c., as such may proceed from a sense of divine favor, secured in the use of spiritual privileges.

Clarke: Psa 20:1 - -- The Lord hear thee - David had already offered the sacrifice and prayed. The people implore God to succor him in the day of trouble; of both persona...

The Lord hear thee - David had already offered the sacrifice and prayed. The people implore God to succor him in the day of trouble; of both personal and national danger

Clarke: Psa 20:1 - -- The name of the God of Jacob - This refers to Jacob’ s wrestling with the Angel; Gen 32:24 (note), etc. And who was this Angel? Evidently none ...

The name of the God of Jacob - This refers to Jacob’ s wrestling with the Angel; Gen 32:24 (note), etc. And who was this Angel? Evidently none other than the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus, in whom was the name of God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He was the God of Jacob, who blessed Jacob, and gave him a new name and a new nature. See the notes on the above place in Genesis.

Clarke: Psa 20:2 - -- Send thee help from the sanctuary - This was the place where God recorded his name; the place where he was to be sought, and the place where he mani...

Send thee help from the sanctuary - This was the place where God recorded his name; the place where he was to be sought, and the place where he manifested himself. He dwelt between the cherubim over the mercyseat. He is now in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. This is the true sanctuary where God must be sought

Clarke: Psa 20:2 - -- Strengthen thee out of Zion - The temple or tabernacle where his prayers and sacrifices were to be offered.

Strengthen thee out of Zion - The temple or tabernacle where his prayers and sacrifices were to be offered.

Calvin: Psa 20:1 - -- 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 per...

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.

1.May Jehovah hear thee, etc The Holy Spirit, by introducing the people as praying that God would answer the prayers of the king, is to be viewed as at the same time admonishing kings that it is their duty to implore the protection of God in all their affairs. When he says, In the day of trouble, he shows that they will not be exempted from troubles, and he does this that they may not become discouraged, if at any time they should happen to be in circumstances of danger. In short, the faithful, that the body may not be separated from the head, further the king’s prayers by their common and united supplications. The name of God is here put for God himself and not without good reason; for the essence of God being incomprehensible to us, it behoves us to trust in him, in so far as his grace and power are made known to us. From his name, therefore, proceeds confidence in calling upon him. The faithful desire that the king may be protected and aided by God, whose name was called upon among the sons of Jacob. I cannot agree with those who think that mention is here made of that patriarch, because God exercised him with various afflictions, not unlike those with which he tried his servant David. I am rather of opinion that, as is usual in Scripture, the chosen people are denoted by the term Jacob. And from this name, the God of Jacob, the faithful encourage themselves to pray for the defense of their king; because it was one of the privileges of their adoption to live under the conduct and protection of a king set over them by God himself. Hence we may conclude, as I have said before, that under the figure of a temporal kingdom there is described to us a government much more excellent. 470 Since Christ our King, being an everlasting priest, never ceases to make intercession with God, the whole body of the Church should unite in prayer with him; 471 and farther, we can have no hope of being heard except he go before us, and conduct us to God. 472 And it serves in no small degree to assuage our sorrows to consider that Jesus Christ, when we are afflicted, accounts our distresses his own, provided we, at the same time, take courage, and continue resolute and magnanimous in tribulation; which we should be prepared to do, since the Holy Spirit here forewarns us that the kingdom of Christ would be subject to dangers and troubles.

Calvin: Psa 20:2 - -- 2.May he send thee help That is to say, may he succor thee out of mount Sion, where he commanded the ark of the covenant to be placed, and chose for ...

2.May he send thee help That is to say, may he succor thee out of mount Sion, where he commanded the ark of the covenant to be placed, and chose for himself a dwelling-place. The weakness of the flesh will not suffer men to soar up to heaven, and, therefore, God comes down to meet them, and by the external means of grace shows that he is near them. Thus the ark of the covenant was to his ancient people a pledge of his presence, and the sanctuary an image of heaven. But as God, by appointing mount Sion to be the place where the faithful should continually worship him, had joined the kingdom and priesthood together, David, in putting into the lips of the people a prayer for help out of Sion, doubtless had an eye to this sacred bond of union. Hence I conjecture that this psalm was composed by David in his old age, and about the close of his life. Some think he spake of Sion by the Spirit of prophecy before it had been appointed that the ark should be placed there; but this opinion seems strained, and to have little probability.

TSK: Psa 20:1 - -- am 2968, bc 1036 hear : Psa 41:1, Psa 46:1, Psa 50:5, Psa 60:11, Psa 91:15, Psa 138:7; Jer 30:7; Mat 26:38, Mat 26:39; Heb 5:7 name : Psa 9:10, Psa 83...

TSK: Psa 20:2 - -- thee help : Heb. thy help from : Psa 73:17; 1Ki 6:16, 1Ki 8:44, 1Ki 8:45; 2Ch 20:8, 2Ch 20:9 strengthen : Heb. support thee out : 2Sa 5:7, 2Sa 6:17; I...

thee help : Heb. thy help

from : Psa 73:17; 1Ki 6:16, 1Ki 8:44, 1Ki 8:45; 2Ch 20:8, 2Ch 20:9

strengthen : Heb. support thee

out : 2Sa 5:7, 2Sa 6:17; Isa 12:6, Isa 14:32, Isa 37:34, Isa 37:35

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Psa 20:1 - -- The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble - According to the view expressed in the introduction to the psalm, this is the language of the people...

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble - According to the view expressed in the introduction to the psalm, this is the language of the people praying for their king, or expressing the hope that he would be delivered from trouble, and would be successful in what he had undertaken, in the prosecution of a war apparently of defense. The word"trouble"here used would seem to imply that he was beset with difficulties and dangers; perhaps, that he was surrounded by foes. It seems that he was going forth to war to deliver his country from trouble, having offered sacrifices and prayers Psa 20:3 for the purpose of securing the divine favor on the expedition. The point or the moment of the psalm is when those sacrifices had been offered, and when he was about to embark on his enterprise. At that moment the people lift up the voice of sympathy and of encouragement, and pray that those sacrifices might be accepted, and that he might find the deliverance which he had desired.

The name of the God of Jacob - The word name is often put in the Scriptures for the person himself; and hence, this is equivalent to saying, "May the God of Jacob defend thee."See Psa 5:11; Psa 9:10; Psa 44:5; Psa 54:1; Exo 23:21. Jacob was the one of the patriarchs from whom, after his other name, the Hebrew people derived their name Israel, and the word seems here to be used with reference to the people rather than to the ancestor. Compare Isa 44:2. The God of Jacob, or the God of Israel, would be synonymous terms, and either would denote that he was the Protector of the nation. As such he is invoked here; and the prayer is, that the Great Protector of the Hebrew people would now defend the king in the dangers which beset him, and in the enterprise which he had undertaken.

Defend thee - Margin, as in Hebrew, set thee on a high place. The word means the same as defend him, for the idea is that of being set on a high place, a tower, a mountain, a lofty rock, where his enemies could not reach or assail him.

Barnes: Psa 20:2 - -- Send thee help - Margin, thy help. So the Hebrew. The idea is, such help as he needed; such as would make him safe. From the sanctuary - ...

Send thee help - Margin, thy help. So the Hebrew. The idea is, such help as he needed; such as would make him safe.

From the sanctuary - From the tabernacle, or the holy place where God was worshipped, and where he was supposed to reside, Exo 28:43; Exo 29:30; Exo 35:19; Exo 39:1. This was his seat; his throne; where he abode among the people. Here, too, it would seem that he had been worshipped, and his aid implored, in view of this expedition; here the royal psalmist had sought to secure the divine favor by the presentation of appropriate sacrifices and offerings Psa 20:3. The prayer here is, that God would accept those offerings, and hear those supplications, and would now send the desired help from the sanctuary where he resided; that is, that he would grant his protection and aid.

And strengthen thee - Margin, as in Hebrew, support thee. The idea is, that he would grant his upholding hand in the day of peril.

Out of Zion - The place where God was worshipped; the place where the tabernacle was reared. See the note at Psa 2:6.

Poole: Psa 20:2 - -- From the sanctuary either, 1. From heaven, as it is expressed, Psa 20:6 . Or rather, 2. From the tabernacle in Zion, as it is explained in the next...

From the sanctuary either,

1. From heaven, as it is expressed, Psa 20:6 . Or rather,

2. From the tabernacle in Zion, as it is explained in the next words, where the ark then was; toward which the Israelites directed their prayers, and from which God heard and answered them.

PBC: Psa 20:1 - -- See Philpot: HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY Psalm 20: 1, 2

See Philpot: HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY Psalm 20: 1, 2

Haydock: Psa 20:1 - -- Praise to God for Christ's exaltation after his passion. Thy hand. O king, Messias, or God. No earthly monarch can always punish his enemies. But...

Praise to God for Christ's exaltation after his passion.

Thy hand. O king, Messias, or God. No earthly monarch can always punish his enemies. But none can escape the hand of the Almighty. He will bring all to judgment. (Berthier) ---

The just approve of God's decree in punishing. This is all a prediction. (Worthington) ---

Let thine enemies find thy power, so as to return to good. (St. Jerome) ---

To find, often means to attack, (Judges i. 5., and 3 Kings xiii. 24.) or to accomplish with ease, Deuteronomy xxxiii. 1.

Haydock: Psa 20:1 - -- David, after his victory over the Ammonites; (Du Pin; Calmet) though many passages relate only to the Messias, as the Chaldean and even some of the m...

David, after his victory over the Ammonites; (Du Pin; Calmet) though many passages relate only to the Messias, as the Chaldean and even some of the modern Jews confess, (Kimchi; Muis) with the holy Fathers, who explain all of Him. (Calmet) ---

Those who overcome the devil, are here concerned. (Worthington)

Haydock: Psa 20:2 - -- King. Chaldean adds, "the Messias shall reign; and how shall he rejoice when thou shalt have delivered him!" The people had promised to return than...

King. Chaldean adds, "the Messias shall reign; and how shall he rejoice when thou shalt have delivered him!" The people had promised to return thanks in the former psalm. (Haydock) ---

Christ our king as man, having by his divine power overcome his enemies, rejoiceth. (Worthington)

Gill: Psa 20:1 - -- The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble,.... All the days of Christ were days of trouble; he was a brother born for adversity; a man of sorrows, and ...

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble,.... All the days of Christ were days of trouble; he was a brother born for adversity; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs; he had his own sorrows, and he bore the griefs of others; he was persecuted by Herod in his infancy; he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness; he was harassed by the Scribes and Pharisees continually; he was grieved at the hardness, impenitence, and unbelief, of that perverse and faithless generation of men, and was sometimes made uneasy by his own disciples: at some particular seasons his soul or spirit is said to be troubled, as at the grave of Lazarus, and when in a view of his own death, and when he was about to acquaint his disciples that one of them should betray him, Joh 11:33; but more particularly it was a day of trouble with him, when he was in the garden, heavy, and sore amazed, and his sweat was, as it were, drops of blood falling on the ground, and his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; but more especially this was his case when he hung upon the cross, and is what seems to be principally respected here; when he was in great torture of body through the rack of the cross; when he endured the cruel mockings of men, of the common people, of the chief priests, and even of the thieves that suffered with him; when he had Satan, and all his principalities and powers, let loose upon him, and he was grappling with them; when he bore all the sins of his people, endured the wrath of his Father, and was forsaken by him: now in this day of trouble, both when in the garden and on the cross, he prayed unto his Father, as he had been used to do in other cases, and at other times; and the church here prays, that God would hear and answer him, as he did: he always heard him; he heard him at the grave of Lazarus; he heard him in the garden, and filled his human soul with courage and intrepidity, of which there were immediate instances; he heard him on the cross, and helped him as man and Mediator, Isa 49:8;

the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; that is, God himself, who is named the God of Jacob, whom Jacob called upon, and trusted in as his God, and who answered him in the day of his distress: Jacob was exercised with many troubles, but the Lord delivered him out of them all; and which may be the reason why the Lord is addressed under this character here; besides, Israel is one of the names of the Messiah, Isa 49:3; on whose account the petition is put to which may be added, that Jacob may design people of God, the spiritual sons of Jacob, the church of the living God, whose God the Lord is; and the phrase may be here used by the church, to encourage her faith in prayer: the petition, on account of the Messiah, is, that God would "defend" him, or "set" him on "an high place" n; or "exalt" him: he was brought very low in his state of humiliation; he was in the form of a servant; he was in a very low and mean condition throughout the whole of his life; through the suffering of death he was made lower than the angels, and he was laid in the lower parts of the earth: the church, in this petition, prays for his resurrection from the dead; for his ascension into the highest heavens; for his exaltation at the right hand of God; for the more visible setting him on his throne in his kingdom; in all which she has been answered.

Gill: Psa 20:2 - -- Send thee help from the sanctuary,.... Meaning either from the tabernacle, the holy place, where was the ark, the symbol of the divine Presence; or ra...

Send thee help from the sanctuary,.... Meaning either from the tabernacle, the holy place, where was the ark, the symbol of the divine Presence; or rather heaven, the habitation of God's holiness unless the same is meant by it as by Zion, in the next clause, the church of God, from whence he sends the rod of his strength;

and strengthen thee out of Zion; and the "help" and "strength" prayed for are not to be understood of that assistance and support, which Christ, as man, had from his Father, at the time of his sufferings, which were promised him, and he believed he should have, and had, Psa 89:21; since these petitions follow that which relates to his exaltation; but of the help and strength afforded to the apostles and ministers of Christ, after they had received the commission from him to preach the Gospel to every creature; when, as a full answer to these petitions, God worked with them, greatly assisted them, strengthened them with strength in their souls; confirmed the word with signs and wonders following; made it the power of God to salvation to multitudes; and so strengthened the cause, interest, and kingdom of the Redeemer.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 20:1 Heb “the name of the God of Jacob.” God’s “name” refers metonymically to his very person and to the divine characteristi...

NET Notes: Psa 20:2 Heb “from [the] temple.” The third masculine singular pronominal suffix (ן, nun) has probably been accidentally omitted by haplograp...

Geneva Bible: Psa 20:1 "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David." The ( a ) LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the ( b ) name of the God of Jacob defend thee; ( a ) By t...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Psa 20:1-9 - --1 The church blesses the king in his exploits;7 and expresses her confidence in God's succour.

MHCC: Psa 20:1-9 - --Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. E...

Matthew Henry: Psa 20:1-5 - -- This prayer for David is entitled a psalm of David; nor was it any absurdity at all for him who was divinely inspired to draw up a directory, or f...

Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 20:1-5 - -- (Heb.: 20:2-6) Litany for the king in distress, who offers sacrifices for himself in the sanctuary. The futures in Psa 20:2, standing five times at...

Constable: Psa 20:1-9 - --Psalm 20 Before a battle with an enemy, David found encouragement in the intercession of his people to t...

Constable: Psa 20:1-4 - --1. The intercession of the people 20:1-5 20:1-4 The people lifted their voices to God concerning their king (v. 6) and prayed God would give him succe...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Hebrew title of this book is Tehilim ("praises" or "hymns"), for a leading feature in its contents is praise, though the word occurs in the title ...

JFB: Psalms (Outline) ALEPH. (Psa 119:1-8). This celebrated Psalm has several peculiarities. It is divided into twenty-two parts or stanzas, denoted by the twenty-two let...

TSK: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Psalms have been the general song of the universal Church; and in their praise, all the Fathers have been unanimously eloquent. Men of all nation...

TSK: Psalms 20 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Psa 20:1, The church blesses the king in his exploits; Psa 20:7, and expresses her confidence in God’s succour.

Poole: Psalms (Book Introduction) OF PSALMS THE ARGUMENT The divine authority of this Book of PSALMS is so certain and evident, that it was never questioned in the church; which b...

Poole: Psalms 20 (Chapter Introduction) THE ARGUMENT This Psalm contains a prayer to be used by the people, both now on the behalf of king David, when he was undertaking some great expedi...

MHCC: Psalms (Book Introduction) David was the penman of most of the psalms, but some evidently were composed by other writers, and the writers of some are doubtful. But all were writ...

MHCC: Psalms 20 (Chapter Introduction) This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ.

Matthew Henry: Psalms (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Psalms We have now before us one of the choicest and most excellent parts of all the Old Te...

Matthew Henry: Psalms 20 (Chapter Introduction) 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...

Constable: Psalms (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible is Tehillim, which means...

Constable: Psalms (Outline) Outline I. Book 1: chs. 1-41 II. Book 2: chs. 42-72 III. Book 3: chs. 73...

Constable: Psalms Psalms Bibliography Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89." In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus,...

Haydock: Psalms (Book Introduction) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. INTRODUCTION. The Psalms are called by the Hebrew, Tehillim; that is, hymns of praise. The author, of a great part of ...

Gill: Psalms (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALMS The title of this book may be rendered "the Book of Praises", or "Hymns"; the psalm which our Lord sung at the passover is c...

Gill: Psalms 20 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 20 To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm is thought, by some, to be written by David, on account of himself, an...

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