Psalm 20
When a ship is in danger it sends out a distress signal for help. So a ship sails nearby, or an airplane flying in that area can notice this danger and do something to help them. Many times our prayers also can be a distress signal sent for God’s help. Psalm 20 is a call for help, a call unto God to save the king of Israel.
I would like to mention three points from this Psalm.
1). Verse 1 – May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you.
In the Old Testament several times God known Himself to others in the name of the Patriarchs, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here the Psalmist mentions the name of the God of Jacob. Probably it’s because Patriarch Jacob has gone through more troubles than other patriarchs.
Jacob faced troubles from his elder brother Esau, he ran to Paddan param finding refuge in the house of Laban. Laban also did not treat him well. We read in Genesis 31 – 41 – It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”
Here Jacob says- “But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands – God defended Jacob in his troubles, now the people of Israel praying for their King, probably before going out for a battle:
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
2). Our responsibility is to Pray for rulers.
Though this psalm was written by David, its sung by the people of Israel, King David, and the priests.Just before the nation goes out for a battle all of them pray to God for help and to save their king.
As Christians, it’s our responsibility to pray for our rulers, 1 Timothy 2 :1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence
3). Verse – 7.Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
In Psalm 33:17 we read – A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it rescue anyone by its great strength.
In the Holy Bible, we can see several passages that show how God helped the people to win the battles, sometimes it’s not by their might, God helped them in the battle. One angel of God killed 1,80,000 people in a single night. He slipped the wheels of Pharaoh’s chariots into the red sea. God helped Deborah to win over the bigger army of Sisera.