Psalm 20 – The Lord Answer You
Our psalm for this week is a prayer made for someone else. We hear in the first line of Psalm 20 – the Lord answer you. Who are they praying for and what do they want for this person?
Psalm 20
Psalm 20 is a prayer for the king. The psalmist is praying for victory for the king, though he starts out with a more generic prayer.
“The Lord answer you in time of distress;
the name of the God of Jacob defend you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary,
from Zion be your support.
May he remember[ your every offering,
graciously accept your burnt offering, Selah.” (1-3)
The writer goes on to pray:
“Grant what is in your heart,
fulfill your every plan.
May we shout for joy at your victory,
raise the banners in the name of our God.
The Lord grant your every petition!” (4-5)
Then he states his confidence in God, that God will grant what he asks for:
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.” (7-8)
How to Pray for Others
This psalm is an example of how to pray for others. Where other psalms ask God to hear, this one asks God to answer. Sometimes it’s not enough to be heard. Sometimes we need answers.
While it is directed to the king, it certainly can be used to pray for anyone. At the heart of this psalm is the phrase: “Grant what is in your heart, fulfill your every plan.” A beautiful prayer. The psalmist is asking God to give this person their hearts desire. In the case of the king, he is asking for victory.
The only problem with this is that our hearts are not always pure. That’s where this prayer becomes tricky.
What is our Hearts Desire?
If asked, what is your heart’s desire, what would you say? Some may say they want to win the lottery, or win the love of a particular person, or they may desire power or to become president. Or they may have more altruistic desires – for world peace, to end hunger, or to make a difference.
But if we go to the deepest recesses of our heart, there lies the desire for God. Our God who formed us and breathed life into us, has placed within us this desire. If we purify our desire and align them with God’s will, then this is a beautiful prayer. If we continue to hold onto worldly desires then it can be a dangerous prayer. Thankfully God doesn’t give us everything we pray for. Sometimes God hears but the answer is no because God knows what we are praying for isn’t in our best interest.
Psalm 20 – The Lord Answer You
So how do we pray for others? The words of Psalm 20 – the Lord answer you – gives you one way. If we pray that God answer the prayers of others, we can’t go wrong. God may not give the answer they want, but to hear from God is always a good thing. To pray for God’s will is also always a good way to go.
It’s important to pray for our leaders. They need our prayers. But most of all the world and our leaders needs to hear God’s answer.
What is your heart’s desire? What are your prayers for others?
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 20: What’s in a Name? – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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