John Calvin Commentary Psalms 20

The inscription shows that the psalm was composed by David; but though he was its author, there is no absurdity in his speaking of himself in the person of others. The office of a prophet having been committed to him, he with great propriety prepared this as a form of prayer for the use of the faithful.

In doing this, his aim was not so much to commend his own person, by authoritatively issuing a royal ordinance enjoining the people to use this prayer, as to show, in the exercise of his office as a teacher, that it was for the whole Church to concern itself and to strive that the kingdom God had established might continue safe and prosperous.

Many interpreters view this prayer as offered up only on one particular occasion; but in this I cannot agree. The occasion of its composition at first may have arisen from some particular battle which was about to be fought, either against the Ammonites, or against some other enemies of Israel.

But the design of the Holy Spirit, in my judgment, was to deliver to the Church a common form of prayer, which, as we may gather from the words, was to be used whenever she was threatened with any danger. God commands his people, in general, to pray for kings, but there was a special reason, and one which did not apply to any other kingdom, why prayer was to be made on behalf of this kingdom; for it was only through David and his seed that God had determined to govern and maintain his people.

It is particularly to be noticed that under the figure of this temporal kingdom, a government far more excellent was described, on which the whole joy and blessedness of the Church depended. The aim, therefore, which David expressly had in view was to exhort all the children of God to cherish such a holy concern for the kingdom of Christ as would stir them up to continual prayer on its behalf.

May Jehovah hear thee, etc. The Holy Spirit, by introducing the people as praying that God would answer the king’s prayers, is to be viewed as also admonishing kings that it is their duty to implore God’s protection in all their affairs.

When he says, In the day of trouble, he shows that they will not be exempt from troubles, and he does this so that they may not become discouraged if at any time they should happen to be in dangerous circumstances. In short, the faithful, so that the body may not be separated from the head, advance the king’s prayers by their common and united supplications.

The name of God is here put for God himself, and not without good reason; for since the essence of God is incomprehensible to us, we ought to trust in him, insofar as his grace and power are made known to us. From his name, therefore, confidence in calling upon him proceeds.

The faithful desire that the king may be protected and aided by God, whose name was called upon among the sons of Jacob. I cannot agree with those who think that the patriarch is mentioned here because God tried him with various afflictions, not unlike those with which he tried his servant David.

I am rather of the opinion that, as is usual in Scripture, the chosen people are denoted by the term Jacob. And from this name, the God of Jacob, the faithful encourage themselves to pray for the defense of their king, because it was one of the privileges of their adoption to live under the guidance and protection of a king set over them by God himself.

Hence we may conclude, as I have said before, that under the figure of a temporal kingdom a government much more excellent is described to us. Since Christ our King, being an everlasting priest, never ceases to make intercession with God, the whole body of the Church should unite in prayer with him; and further, we can have no hope of being heard unless he goes before us and leads us to God.

And it greatly helps to assuage our sorrows to consider that Jesus Christ, when we are afflicted, considers our distresses his own, provided we, at the same time, take courage and continue resolute and magnanimous in tribulation; for this we should be prepared, since the Holy Spirit here forewarns us that the kingdom of Christ would be subject to dangers and troubles.

May he send you help. That is to say, may he help you from Mount Zion, 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 allow people 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 Zion 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 from Zion, was undoubtedly mindful of this sacred bond of union.

Therefore I conjecture that this psalm was composed by David in his old age, and about the close of his life. Some think he spoke of Zion by the Spirit of prophecy before it had been appointed that the ark should be placed there; but this opinion seems strained, and to have little probability.

May he remember. I understand the word remember as meaning to have regard for, as it is to be understood in many other places; just as to forget often signifies to neglect, or not to condescend to regard, or even to behold, the object to which it is applied.

It is, in short, a prayer that God would actually show that the king’s sacrifices were acceptable to Him. Two kinds of them are mentioned here: first, the מנחה, mincha, mentioned in the first clause of the verse, which was the appointed accompaniment of all sacrifices and was also sometimes offered by itself; and, secondly, the holocaust, or whole burnt offering.

But under these two kinds, David intended to comprehend, by synecdoche, all sacrifices; and under sacrifices, he comprehends requests and prayers. We know that whenever the fathers prayed under the Law, their hope of obtaining what they asked was founded upon their sacrifices. In the same way, today our prayers are acceptable to God only insofar as Christ sprinkles and sanctifies them with the perfume of His own sacrifice.

The faithful, therefore, desire here that the solemn prayers of the king, which were accompanied by sacrifices and oblations, might have their effect in the successful outcome of his affairs. That this is the meaning can be gathered still more clearly from the following verse, in which they commend to God the desires and plans of the king.

But since it would be absurd to ask God to grant foolish and wicked desires, it is certain that the king described here was neither given to ambition, nor inflamed with avarice, nor driven by the desire for whatever his unruly passions might suggest. Instead, he was wholly intent on the charge committed to him and entirely devoted to the advancement of the public good. Consequently, he asks nothing but what the Holy Spirit dictated to him, and what God, by His own mouth, commanded him to ask.

That we may rejoice in your salvation. This verse may be explained in two other ways, besides the meaning it has according to the translation I have provided. Some consider it to be a prayer, as if it were said, "Lord, make us rejoice." Others think that the faithful, after finishing their prayer, encourage themselves to cherish good hope; or rather, already inspired with an assured hope of success, they begin to sing, so to speak, of the victory, just as it is usual for David to mix such rejoicings with his prayers, thereby stirring himself up to continue more eagerly in prayer.

But after considering the whole more carefully, my opinion is that what is meant to be expressed is the effect or fruit that would result from the bestowal of God's grace and favor, for which the people prayed; and therefore, I have thought it necessary to add the word that at the beginning of the verse.

The faithful, as an argument to obtain God's favor toward their king, express the joy they would all experience together in seeing it exercised toward him, and the thanksgiving they would offer together for it. The meaning of their language is: It is not for the preservation and welfare of one man that we are concerned; it is for the safety and well-being of the whole Church.

The expression, In your salvation, can refer to God as well as to the king, for the salvation God bestows is often called the salvation of God; but the context requires that it be understood as referring to the king. The people lived, to use the words of Jeremiah, under the shadow of the king (Lamentations 4:20); and therefore, the faithful now testify that as long as he is safe and prosperous, they will all be joyful and happy.

At the same time, to distinguish their joy from pagan dances and rejoicings, they declare that they will set up their banners in the name of God; for the Hebrew word דגל, dagal, used here, means to set or lift up a banner. The meaning is that the faithful, in grateful acknowledgment of God's grace, will celebrate his praises and triumph in his name.

Now I know. Here follows grateful rejoicing, in which the faithful declare that they have experienced the goodness of God in the preservation of the king. To this is also added a doctrine of faith: namely, that God showed by the outcome that He exerted His power in maintaining the kingdom of David, because it was founded upon His calling.

The meaning is this: it appears from definite experience that God is the guardian of the kingdom which He Himself established, and of which He is the founder. For David is called Messiah, or anointed, so that the faithful might be persuaded that he was a lawful and sacred king, whom God had attested, by outward anointing, to be chosen by Himself.

Thus, the faithful ascribe to the grace of God the deliverance which had been accomplished for David from the greatest dangers. At the same time, they particularly mention the cause of this: that God had determined to protect and defend him who, by His commandment, had been anointed king over His people.

They confirm their hope for the future still more clearly in the following clause: God will hear him out of heaven. I do not translate the verb used here into the past tense, but retain the future tense, for I have no doubt that, from the experience God had already given them of His goodness, they concluded that it would be subsequently exercised in the continual preservation of the kingdom.

Here the Psalmist mentions another sanctuary, namely, a heavenly sanctuary. As God then graciously condescended to descend among the Israelites by the ark of the covenant, to make Himself more familiarly known to them, so, on the other hand, He intended to draw the minds of His people upwards to Himself.

This was to prevent them from forming carnal and earthly conceptions of His character and to teach them that He was greater than the whole world.

Thus, under the visible sanctuary, which was made with hands, the fatherly goodness of God and His familiarity with His people are set forth. In contrast, under the heavenly sanctuary, His infinite power, dominion, and majesty are shown.

The words, In the mightiness of the salvation, mean His mighty salvation, or His saving power. Thus, in the expression itself, there is a transposition of the words.

The sense is this: May God, by His wonderful power, preserve the king who was anointed by His commandment!

The Holy Spirit, who dictated this prayer, clearly saw that Satan would not allow David to live in peace but would exert all his efforts to oppose him. This would make it necessary for David to be sustained by more than human power.

However, I do not disapprove of the other interpretation which I have noted in the margin, according to which the faithful, for their greater encouragement, present to themselves this truth: that the salvation of God’s right hand is in mightiness—in other words, is sufficiently strong to overcome all obstacles.