Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 20:3

"Remember all thy offerings, And accept thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah" — Psalms 20:3 (ASV)

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.