The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble. The name of the God of Jacob defend thee (2) — send thee help from the sanctuary — and strengthen thee out of Zion (3) — remember all thy offerings — and accept thy burnt sacrifice — Selah (4) — grant thee according to thine own heart — and fulfill all thy counsel.” Ps.20:1-4
Truly, there is nothing more deserving of our thankfulness than the Lord God’s answers and responses unto our most desperate and earnest prayers. Life and times in this fallen world are filled with “trouble” — of this there is no doubt. But, the good news is — we have the governor and controller of all our circumstances as our Savior and our God! Praise His Name!
This Psalm is literally a call to arms unto the Captain of our salvation — and all of us who are in His earthly army: 2Ti.2:3-4 “Thou therefore endure hardness — as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (4) No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life — that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
These first four verses of this Psalm are a description of the reality that takes place for the saved one who — without hesitation — obediently follows the Lord in and through the battles that they encounter here in this world. By God’s grace — all eight of the realities listed here are ours — through the person and work of the Lord Jesus who first exhibited them on our behalf during His divine tenure on earth in His incarnation. He is our Surety and Substitute and, therefore, our Savior! Because of Him all eight of these are ours:
1. The Lord hears us [Or, lit. answers us] in the day of trouble.
2. The Name of the God of Jacob defends us [Or, lit. sets us on high].
3. The Lord sends our Help — from the heavenly Sanctuary.
4. The Lord strengthens us [Or, lit. supports us] out of Zion.
5. The Lord remembers all our offerings — and —
6. The Lord accepts our burnt sacrifice [Or, lit. the atonement that He has eternally wrought for us through His death for us]
7. The Lord gives unto us the desires of our own heart [which He has made the same as that which is His — our eternal salvation]
8. The Lord fulfills — on our behalf — His divine purpose and plan concerning us.
This is descriptive of the power of His resurrection — which everyone of us — like the apostle Paul — who have been redeemed by Christ’s blood — earnestly long to know — even while we are yet in the midst of the troublesome warfare of this world: Phil.3:10 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection — and the fellowship of His sufferings — being made conformable unto His death…” This desire of our hearts — He brings to pass. For which we are eternally thankful!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
– John Carpenter
