Psalm 20, Blessing Before Battle

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Psalm 20: 1-5, Blessing

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; 

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May he send you help from the sanctuary 

and grant you support from Zion.

May he remember all your sacrifices 

and accept your burnt offerings.

Selah.

May he give you the desire of your heart 

and make all your plans succeed.

We will shout for joy when you are victorious 

and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. 

May the LORD grant all your requests.

Notice that this is all in second person.  Instead of David speaking in first person to God, there is a  a "blessing" given to a single individual, a request for God to give success to the king.  (Commentator Derek Kidner says that the Hebrew pronoun translated "you" here is singular.)

The phrases "help from the sanctuary" and "support from Zion" are interesting.  They seem to describe a location for God, from whence help comes.

That God "remembers" the sacrifices and burnt offerings is a statement about the righteousness and sincerity of the individual being blessed.

"May the LORD grant all your requests."  Amen!  :-)

Psalm 20: 6-8, But we trust in YHWH

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; 

he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, 

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall, 

but we rise up and stand firm.

Kidner sees this psalm in 3 parts: Verses 1-5 are the blessing given by the people to the king before battle.  Verses 6-8, above ("Now I know...") is the response of the king (God's "anointed") to that blessing.  And finally, below, is the people's climactic final shout.

Psalm 20: 9, God save the king!

O LORD, save the king! 

Answer us when we call!

Deuteronomy 17: 15-17 gives three things kings of Israel were not  to collect.  What are they?  Why do you think kings were forbidden to collect these objects?  (Look at verse 7 of Psalm 20!)

In 2 Kings 6:15-19, God opens the eyes of Elisha's servant so that he can see the spiritual army protecting Elisha.  How does this supplement the message of Psalm 20?