Psalms 20:2

_SEND THEE HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY, AND STRENGTHEN THEE OUT OF ZION;_ Help ... out of Zion. The help sought is on the ground of God's covenant with His people, whereof the sanctuary on Zion is the pledge. Zion is the destined seat of His throne (Psalms 2:6)....

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...

Verse Psalms 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 manifested himself. He dwelt between the _cherubim_ over the _mercy-seat_. He is now in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. This is the true sanctuary where God must be sought. _STRENGTHEN THEE OUT OF ZION_] The _temple_ or _tabernacle_ where his prayers and sacrifices were to be offered....

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, Exodus 28:43; Exodus 29:30; Exodus 35:19; Exodus 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 offer

EXPOSITION THIS psalm seems to have been composed for a special occasion, when David was about to proceed on an expedition against a foreign enemy. It is liturgical, and written to be recited in the court of the tabernacle by the high priest and people. The date of its composition is after the transfer of the ark from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David (2 Samuel 6:12-10), as appears from Psalms 20:2. The conjecture which attaches it to the Syrian War described in 2 Samuel 10:17-10, is probable. There is no reason to doubt the authorship of David, asserted in the title, and admitted by most critics. The psalm divides into two portions—the first of five, and the s

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, Psalms 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 th

The 20 th Psalm is a prayer for the King; not only for David or Solomon, but for «great David's greater Son,» the true King of the Church. As if the Church saw Jesus going forth to his work, she offers up a prayer for him. Psalms 20:1. _The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;_ And so it came to pass; in that dread night in Gethsemane, Jesus «was heard in that he feared.» The God of wrestling Jacob heard the cries of his dear Son, and defended him, or supported him, as it is in the marginal reading. Psalms 20:2. _Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;_ And you know how there came, from yonder heavenly Jerusalem, an angel strengthening him. The celestial messenger stood. at his side amidst

SANCTUARY Hebrew, "qodesh" (translated "holy,") (Psalms 20:6)....

Psalms 20 Christ and His Salvation as Contemplated by His People _ 1. What God has done for Christ (Psalms 20:1)_ 2. The salvation His people enjoy (Psalms 20:5) Psalms 20:1. “My Redeemer” was the last word of the previous Psalm. Christ the Redeemer of His people is revealed in this Psalm. His death and sacrificial work, revealed in Psalms 22:1, are here anticipated. He who humbled Himself has been heard by Jehovah, He has set Him upon high (marginal reading), He has sent Him help, He has accepted His great offering, the whole burnt of

XX. A prayer for deliverance from national disaster, changing (probably after the sacrifice has been offered) into confidence at Psalms 20:6; Now know I, etc. The mention of a king or anointed one would seem to place the Ps. in pre-exilic times, unless we are prepared to carry it down to the reign of Aristobulus I (p. 608), the first of the Maccabees who took the royal title (105 B.C.). Certainly the religious tone is in favour of a Maccabean date. PSALMS 20:9. Follow _mg._...