Psalm 20
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.May the Lord grant all your requests.
6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!
For me, this is as much a prayer as it is a Psalm. I have prayed this for myself and for numerous friends who are undergoing difficulties or transitions in their lives.
It beautifully expresses our dependence upon God, our inability to do things in our own strength, and our trust in the Lord. We trust that He desires good for us and that His “good” is better for us than the good we would ask for ourselves.
We trust that He is both willing and able to help us. For a god who is only willing OR able, but not both, is not much help to us. A god who is willing, but not able, sounds pleasant but ultimately useless. A god who is able, but unwilling, sounds frightening or harsh. But our God has both, the desire and the ability. He is all powerful, all knowing and loving. Thank God we have a God like that.
So, today, if you are facing uncertainty or difficulty, I pray this Psalm for you. May the Lord give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. I pray this for myself, today, as I take the leap of faith of sending one hope out into the world and wait to see how it is received. May we shout for joy when we succeed and raise our banners high in the name of our Lord and Savior who loves us more than we love ourselves, and has the wisdom, the will, and the ability to order our lives for His glory. Amen.
