Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 20

The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble - According to the view expressed in the introduction to the psalm, this is the language of the people praying for their king, or expressing the hope that he would be delivered from trouble and would be successful in what he had undertaken, in the prosecution of a war apparently of defense. The word "trouble" here used would seem to imply that he was beset with difficulties and dangers; perhaps, that he was surrounded by foes.

It seems that he was going forth to war to deliver his country from trouble, having offered sacrifices and prayers (Psalms 20:3) for the purpose of securing the divine favor on the expedition. The point or the moment of the psalm is when those sacrifices had been offered, and when he was about to embark on his enterprise.

At that moment the people lift up the voice of sympathy and of encouragement, and pray that those sacrifices might be accepted, and that he might find the deliverance which he had desired.

The name of the God of Jacob - The word "name" is often used in the Scriptures for the person himself; therefore, this is equivalent to saying, "May the God of Jacob defend you" (Psalms 9:10; Psalms 44:5; Psalms 54:1; Exodus 23:21).

Jacob was the one of the patriarchs from whom, after his other name, the Hebrew people derived their name Israel, and the word seems here to be used with reference to the people rather than to the ancestor .

The God of Jacob, or the God of Israel, would be synonymous terms, and either would denote that he was the Protector of the nation. As such he is invoked here; and the prayer is, that the Great Protector of the Hebrew people would now defend the king in the dangers which beset him, and in the enterprise which he had undertaken.

Defend thee - Margin, as in Hebrew, set thee on a high place. The word means the same as defend him, for the idea is that of being set on a high place, a tower, a mountain, a lofty rock, where his enemies could not reach or assail him.

Send you help - Margin, your 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 dwelt 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 offerings (Psalms 20:3). The prayer here is that God would accept those offerings, hear those supplications, and now send the desired help from the sanctuary where he resided; that is, that he would grant his protection and aid.

And strengthen you - Margin, as in Hebrew, support you. The idea is that he would grant his upholding hand in the day of peril.

Out of Zion - The place where God was worshipped; the place where the tabernacle was erected. See the note at (Psalms 2:6).

Remember all thy offerings - On the meaning of the word used here, see the note at (Isaiah 1:13), where it is translated as 'oblations.' The word occurs often in the Scriptures and is sometimes translated as 'offering' and sometimes as 'oblation.' The word means an offering of any kind or anything that is presented to God, except a bloody sacrifice—anything offered as an expression of thankfulness, or with a view to obtain his favor.

It is distinguished from bloody sacrifices, which are expressed by the word in the following clause. The word used here occurs in the Psalms only in the following places: (Psalms 20:3); (Psalms 40:6); (Psalms 96:8); where it is translated as 'offering' and 'offerings'; (Psalms 45:12), translated as 'gift'; (Psalms 72:10), translated as 'presents'; and (Psalms 141:2), translated as 'sacrifice.' The use of the word in this place proves that such offerings had been made to God by the one who was about to go out to war; and the prayer of the people here is that God would remember all those offerings—that is, that he would grant the blessing which the one who had offered them had sought to obtain.

And accept - The margin reads, 'turn to ashes,' or 'make fat.' The Hebrew word—דשׁן (dâshên)—properly means to make fat or marrowy (Proverbs 15:30); to pronounce or regard as fat; to be fat, satiated, or abundantly satisfied (Proverbs 13:4). It also conveys the notion of reducing to ashes, perhaps from the fact that the victim which had been fattened for sacrifice was reduced to ashes; or, as Gesenius supposes (Lexicon, see דשׁן (deshen)), because “ashes were used by the ancients for fattening, that is, manuring the soil.” The prayer here seems to be that God would “pronounce the burnt offering fat;” that is, that he would regard it favorably or accept it.

This also proves that a sacrifice had been made with a view to propitiate the divine favor concerning the expedition that had been undertaken; that is, a solemn act of devotion, according to the manner of worship that then prevailed, had been performed with a view to secure the divine favor and protection. The example is one that suggests the appropriateness of always beginning any enterprise with solemn acts of worship or by supplicating the divine blessing; that is, by acknowledging our dependence on God and asking for his guidance and his protecting care.

Thy burnt sacrifice - The word used here denotes bloody offerings; see the note at (Isaiah 1:11). These offerings were designed especially for the expiation of sin and for thus securing the divine favor. They were an acknowledgment of guilt, and they were offered with a view to secure the pardon of sin and, in connection with that, the favor of God. In similar circumstances, we approach God, not by an offering that we make, whether bloody or bloodless, but through the one great sacrifice made by the Redeemer on the cross for the sins of the world.

Grant thee according to thine own heart - According to your wishes; according to the desires of your heart.

And fulfil all thy counsel - All that you have designed or undertaken in the matter; that is, may he enable you to execute your purpose.

We will rejoice in thy salvation - According to the idea of the psalm suggested in the introduction, this is a response of the king and those associated with him in going forth to battle. It expresses the joy that they would have in the expected deliverance from danger, and their conviction that through his strength they would be able to obtain it.

The word salvation here means deliverance; namely, from the anticipated danger. The phrase implies that God would interpose to save them; it expresses both their confidence in that, and the fact that such a deliverance would fill their hearts with joy and rejoicing.

And in the name of our God - This indicates a sense of dependence on God, and also that the enterprise undertaken was to promote his honor and glory. It was not in their own strength, nor was it to promote the purposes of conquest and the ends of ambition; it was so that God might be honored, and it was with confidence of success derived from his anticipated aid.

We will set up our banners - We will erect our standards; or, as we should say, we will unfurl our flag. All people, when they go to war, have standards or banners, whether flags or some other ensigns, around which they rally, which they follow, under which they fight, and which they feel bound to defend.

Each nation has its own standard, but it is difficult to determine what precisely was the form of the standards used among the ancient Hebrews. Military standards, however, were early used (Numbers 2:2–3, Numbers 2:10, Numbers 2:18, Numbers 2:25; Numbers 10:14, Numbers 10:25) and indeed were necessary whenever armies were mustered for war. For the forms of ancient standards, see the article in Kitto’s Cyclopaedia of the Bible, “Standards.”

The Lord fulfil all thy petitions - The prayers offered in connection with the sacrifice referred to in Psalm 20:3 . This, according to the view suggested in the introduction, is the response of the people, expressing their desire that the king might be successful in what he had undertaken, and that the prayers which had been offered for success might be answered.