Dwell in the Word: Psalm 20

Consider these questions while you dwell in Psalm 20:

1. How does Psalm 20:7 challenge our tendency to trust in worldly powers and resources, and how can we practically shift our trust to the Lord in our daily lives?

2. What does it mean to align our desires with the will of God, as mentioned in Psalm 20, and how can we discern and pursue God's will more faithfully in our personal plans and goals?

3. In what ways does the victory of Jesus Christ, as the anointed one of God, provide us with confidence and hope in the face of life's challenges and uncertainties?

Transcript:

Here we have more well-known statements from the Book of Psalms. Verse 7 is 1 of those phrases that when you read it you think, oh, that's where that is found in the book of Psalms. It's a popular verse to put in songs, or it's even just a verse that people quote. It's a statement that's important for the people of God regardless of time or place, and we'll get to that verse eventually, but first we need to take a moment and set up the context of it. We see that Psalm 20 is another Psalm of David, and it starts with a great statement. May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble. That is a blessing that we all have hope to have. When difficulty comes, we want to have a confidence that God is protecting us. And we want to have a trust that the 1 who holds all things is holding on to us. And this idea is what the beginning of this psalm is all about. In the middle of everything that is happening around us, in times when it seems as though the world is crumbling, we have a hope that does not waver and is a firm foundation. The psalmist here is also making an interesting statement. He says, may he grant you your heart's desires and fulfill all your plans. Now, hey, that's something we can pretty easily get on board with, right? But the important thing to remember here is that we need to be working to conform our desires with the will of God. David isn't hoping here that your selfish sinful plan will get fulfilled. And we see this in the idea that he desires to joy over salvation. That the things that come against them are an attempt to overcome the people of God and instead they are rescued from the plans of the enemy and in this the name of God is glorified because he is truly the only 1 who can rescue his people. And we see this as we come to verse 6. The psalmist knows that God saves his anointed, that which he has built up and established he's going to protect. And what we see here in the context in which it was written is the king of Israel, that God would protect that king and his chosen nation from their enemies by the might of his right hand. And it is with this in mind that we come to verse 7. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord, our God. The enemies of the people of God, they're going to build up their armies and they are going to scheme to have the most powerful forces to overcome Israel. But none of that is going to mean anything because they are waging war against the mighty and holy 1 of Israel, not with the people themselves. David says that they trust in the things of this world, but they trust in the God who has set them apart to be his people. And from this, I want us to think about 2 points of application for us today. The first is that we can read these words and know that God did protect his anointed. The Lord Jesus Christ, David's greater son, came and it seemed as though the forces of this world had overcome him. But with the saving might of God's right arm he was resurrected and he was victorious over all his enemies. And while we tend to look to earthly salvation in the devices of this world, ultimate victory is that victory over sin, death, hell, and the devil. So may this psalm point us to that greater victory as we think on it today. And in light of that great truth, May we daily put our trust in the anointed 1 of God who has won victory for us. May this be our prayer and our focus each day, even though the temptation to put our trust in the things of man is very strong. We serve a God who is stronger than even the greatest instruments of war. May we daily humble ourselves and put our trust in the things of God instead of on the things of man.