"Thoughts toward Others" - an application of Psalm 20

(1) Context

I find this psalm an inspiring piece of writing, and an encouraging expose of faith in the face of challenge. This psalm originally captured the prayers of the people for their king as he and his army faced an opposing force. These people believed that Yahweh God was on their side, and should be called upon for help, as they faced opposition that had no regard for God (such was Israel’s worldview).

King David himself saw himself in a favoured position as far as God was concerned, yet also understood the strength of his enemies, and the folly of trying to lead his nation without first seeking out God’s help. Thus he understood his need of the people’s prayer support, and was confidently responsive to it.

Here we have expressed a sense of dependence upon God, as well as faith that God would bring about the desired victory. It is from this point that we can draw some relevance for us today. This psalm gives us a helpful model for expressing concern for the welfare of another, combined with faith that God will undoubtedly respond to such prayerful concern.

(2) Structure

In verses 1 to 5, King David’s supporters, in chorus, pray for his success and the presence of God to be with him.

In verse 6, with the change into a singular voice, either the king himself or another voice expresses confidence in God’s positive answer.

Then from verses 7 to 8, there is a further acknowledgement of God’s effectiveness; and thus the chorus of support rises again in the concluding verse.

(3) Content

The wording of this psalm suggests that in times of trouble we should seek God’s protection, guidance and the resolution of the issues surrounding us. As we see in verse 2, this help would come from the place where God resides. In other words, ultimately, such extensive and decisive help can come from no other place.

Yet there is more here than just that, for the request is made not for the speakers themselves, but rather on behalf of another, in this case the nation’s king. The people in chorus were universally recognising the need of their king; if he was going to survive the challenges he was facing, then he would certainly need the protection, guidance and help of God.

One possible application here would be our understanding of all the challenges that our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd faces, with asylum seekers, Afghanistan, climate change, indigenous health, and a long list of social issues including street violence and problem gambling. Wouldn’t we be drawn to pray for him!

Yet we can also apply the heart of this psalm to all those we know who are in need, for we know, even if they don’t, that they will need God’s help if they are to survive, let alone flourish. And we also have the advantage of knowing for sure that God is indeed available to help those who are open to such help.

Returning to verse 3, as the people fondly remember the qualities and past service of their king, they remind God of the worth and credibility of their leader, and that God’s help would be well invested in such a person. Whereas God probably doesn’t need to be reminded about such things, it doesn’t hurt to air how we feel about people in positive terms, and how badly we want to see them be saved and grow.

Such is the sentiment of verse 4, where the speakers (or choristers really) so much want the desires and Godly plans of their king to come to fruition. They would be assuming here that the king’s plans were first God’s plans, and that the success of the king’s activities would be in line with God’s purposes.

Then as the psalm builds, the people here, in verse 5, look forward to the time when they can acknowledge and celebrate the great outcomes that God has brought about. In nearly the same breath as making their requests, they acknowledge that they have been answered! Indeed they will wave “banners” expressing their praise and gratitude.

How might we interpret such banner-waving today?? Is it like the big banners that the football teams run through before the game, that often confidently predict the outcome before even the ball is bounced for the start of the game … “Carlton will give the dogs the blues!” Our worship is in a sense based on how things will turn out as much as how they now seem.

These choristers are saying “Amen” to the prayers of their king, as we can say “Amen” to the sincere prayers of our brothers and sisters (even when we aren’t aware of all the background and details). As we pray with the attitude … “may this be in accordance with your will O God” … then nothing bad can happen as a result of us saying “Amen” to another’s prayer.

The result of these expressions of support and prayer is that the king himself, as seen in verse 6, is encouraged in his faith that all will be well. He knew before, but now with the enthusiastic and sincere statements of his people behind him, the king really knows that God travels with him, indeed before him. This should be true for anyone we choose to prayerfully and practically support in such affirming ways. Our sense of God amplifies our friend’s sense of God toward greater levels of coping and commitment.

Verses 7 & 8 really reflect a strong stand and a complete assurance that our best future lies with trusting in God, rather than in any sense of independence or material acquisition. Human resources alone will be found lacking, and possessions will come and go, but those who live through God will stand up straight, grow strong and walk lightly. Verse 9 then reminds us of the central feature of this psalm – a heartfelt desire for a good outcome in the life of another.

(4) The Basis of Hope is Faith

How could this people think and pray in such a way as this? There is such great anticipation in the words of verse 5. This was not lukewarm or half-hearted or qualified thinking, but rather wholly expectant. They would pray in their best understanding of God’s will, and then were convinced of the outcome being a reality (way ahead of it actually coming to be).

This is the essence of faith … to be convinced about what we yet can’t see!! Where we read that famous definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”, we see practically expressed in Psalm 20:5 – “May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners”. The victory is as good as here (because we have prayed according to God’s will)! The Kingdom of God is near at hand!! Faith is built on the rational understanding of how God has beneficially acted in the past and on the resultant confidence that God will so act again.

This psalm conveys an increasing faith momentum. The corporate faith of the praying and worshipping people of verses 1 to 5, builds the personal faith of the one being prayed for (as evidenced in verse 6). Through this process the whole assembly is strengthened as we see in verses 7 & 8; then the prayer is restated again ever more confidently.

(5) Application

So a clear application of this psalm would be to pray for other people with the level of intensity and corporate concern that we see here! Part of reason for the emotional intensity we see here, is because the fate of the people and their life destiny, was so tied to the success of their king over their enemies (note verse 8b). I’m wondering if we could pray for others with this level of intensity and personal investment, seeing good outcomes for others being so intricately connected to ourselves!

This psalm gives us a picture of the whole company of God’s people gathered together in prayer as one body united in mind and heart for another’s need. There are New Testament examples of the power of such prayer. Remember when Peter was in chains in prison in Acts chapter 12, facing a very dire fate, and then he was miraculously able to escape right past the many guards … what was happening behind the scenes there?? “While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Later in this passage we read that, due to Peter’s imprisonment, “many” had gathered in the home of the mother of John Mark to pray.

The tragedy is (and I speak to myself as much as to anyone else) that this rich prayer/faith resource is so rarely utilised to its full potential. Often we can spend more time bemoaning certain negative realities (like the greed and violence around us in our society), rather than coming together to seek God’s face in prayer.

The sort of intercession we see in this psalm is based on an unshakeable trust in God’s goodness, mercy, and commitment to humanity. Such prayer is most powerful when God’s people stop relying on the world for answers, and when they give up self-reliance – to throw themselves fully on God’s wisdom, thus releasing God’s creative best toward humankind.

{So where there are more than 6,000 people groups in the world who have never heard of Jesus, because they do not have access to the gospel due to cultural, linguistic, political or other barriers, we can ask God to raise up more people who are passionate about serving among such people groups, and that the good news of Jesus might spread to them out of the witness of existing faith communities somewhere in the world.

In the face of great need, we can pray that the Yapa people and other indigenous peoples of Outback Australia will continue to grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus in distinctively indigenous ways, and pray for those like Bill and Pauline Morrison who minister in support of these communities.

And where so many people in places like Australia (and our very neighbourhoods) have turned their back on God for a variety of reasons, many of them understandable, we can pray that we will find new ways of relating the truth of the gospel story that will touch minds and hearts afresh, and renew interest in many people discovering their reason for being.}