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, and as a form to be used by the people for him, when he was about to go to war; particularly with the Ammonites and Syrians, 2 Samuel 10:6; mention being... [ Continue Reading ]
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 i... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER ALL THY OFFERINGS,.... The spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise which Christ, as the great High Priest, offers up for his people; or which they offer by him, and are acceptable to God through him, by virtue of the incense of his mediation; or the offering up of himself, which answers t... [ Continue Reading ]
GRANT THEE ACCORDING TO THINE OWN HEART,.... Which is to see his seed, the travail of his soul, and to have the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand; to have all his people called, preserved, and glorified; AND FULFIL ALL THY COUNSEL; whatever was agreed upon in the council and covenant of peac... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WILL REJOICE IN THY SALVATION,.... That is, "so will we", c. or "that we may" p, c. or "let us" these words, with what follow, point at the end of the church's requests, and what she resolved to do upon the accomplishment of the above things for instance, she would rejoice in the salvation of the... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW KNOW I THAT THE LORD SAVETH HIS ANOINTED,.... Not David, though he was the anointed of the God of Jacob, and was anointed with material oil to be king of Israel by Samuel, at the express order of God himself; but David is not here speaking of himself, nor the church of him, but of the Messiah; a... [ Continue Reading ]
SOME [TRUST] IN CHARIOTS, AND SOME IN HORSES,.... That is, in chariots and horses prepared for war; which, besides their use for carriage, did great annoyance to the enemy in battle, and were very terrible to them, and were greatly trusted in by those that possessed them, Deuteronomy 20:1; such char... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE BROUGHT DOWN AND FALLEN,.... These are they that rode in chariots and on horses, and trusted in them; who are brought down from their places of honour and safety; and fall, not into the hands of their enemies, and into a low and mean estate, but to the ground by death; as also such who, bei... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE, LORD,.... Not "the king", as the Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions read the words, joining the word "king" to them, which is in the next clause; but this, as Aben Ezra observes, is not right, because of the accent "athnach", which divides these words from the following; rather the word... [ Continue Reading ]