Psalm 20 Text

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Guardian: Mari Strube

Listen & Read: Psalm 20

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Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Hebrew	Verse	English
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	1	For the director. A psalm by David.
יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה	2a	May YHWH answer you on the day of trouble!
יְ֝שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֤ם ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַעֲקֹֽב׃	2b	May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ	3a	May he send you help from the sanctuary
וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃	3b	and sustain you from Zion!
יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחָתְךָ	4a	May he remember every offering of yours
וְעוֹלָתְךָ֖ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃	4b	and accept your burnt offering! Selah.
יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ	5a	May he give you that which is according to your heart’s desire,
וְֽכָל־עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃	5b	and may he fulfill your whole plan!
נְרַנְּנָ֤ה ׀ בִּ֘ישׁ֤וּעָתֶ֗ךָ	6a	May we shout for joy over your victory,
וּבְשֵֽׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל	6b	and in the name of our God may we array ourselves with banners!
יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	6c	May YHWH fulfill all your requests!
עַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ׀ יְהוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ	7a	Now, I know that YHWH has granted victory to his anointed.
יַ֭עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ	7b	He will answer him from his holy heaven
בִּ֝גְבֻר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ׃	7c	with the saving mighty deeds of his right hand.
אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים	8a	Some [boast] in chariotry and others [boast] in horses,
וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃	8b	but we will boast in the name of YHWH our God.
הֵ֭מָּה כָּרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ	9a	They have collapsed and fallen,
וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֝֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד׃	9b	but we have risen and stood upright.
יְהוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ	10a	YHWH, grant victory to the king!
יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃	10b	May he answer us on the day of our calling!

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Speaker	Structure	Hebrew	Verse	English		Addressee
	Superscription	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	1	For the director. A psalm by David.
The people	Victory Desired	יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה	2a	May YHWH answer you on the day of trouble!	confident	YHWH's anointed
		יְ֝שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֤ם ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַעֲקֹֽב׃	2b	May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
		יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ	3a	May he send you help from the sanctuary
		וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃	3b	and sustain you from Zion!
		יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחָתְךָ	4a	May he remember every offering of yours
		וְעוֹלָתְךָ֖ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃	4b	and accept your burnt offering! Selah.
		יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ	5a	May he give you that which is according to your heart’s desire,
		וְֽכָל־עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃	5b	and may he fulfill your whole plan!
		נְרַנְּנָ֤ה ׀ בִּ֘ישׁ֤וּעָתֶ֗ךָ	6a	May we shout for joy over your victory,
		וּבְשֵֽׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל	6b	and in the name of our God may we array ourselves with banners!
		יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	6c	May YHWH fulfill all your requests!
YHWH's anointed	Victory Assured	עַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ׀ יְהוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ	7a	Now, I know that YHWH has granted victory to his anointed.	triumphant	The people
		יַ֭עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ	7b	He will answer him from his holy heaven
		בִּ֝גְבֻר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ׃	7c	with the saving mighty deeds of his right hand.
The people		אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים	8a	Some [boast] in chariotry and others [boast] in horses,
		וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃	8b	but we will boast in the name of YHWH our God.
		הֵ֭מָּה כָּרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ	9a	They have collapsed and fallen,
		וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֝֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד׃	9b	but we have risen and stood upright.
	Victory Requested	יְהוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ	10a	YHWH, grant victory to the king!	confident	YHWH; The people
	Victory Requested	יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃	10b	May he answer us on the day of our calling!	confident	YHWH; The people

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Expanded Paraphrase
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	1	For the director. A psalm by David.
יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה יְ֝שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֤ם ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַעֲקֹֽב׃	2	As a battle approaches, and the king prepares to lead his army in battle, the people address the king and pray on his behalf: May YHWH answer you, king, on the day of trouble! For YHWH is known to answer in times of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob protect you as YHWH protected our ancestor Jacob on the day of his trouble! YHWH has also promised to protect his people.
יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃	3	May he send you help from his earthly dwelling place, the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion, where the sanctuary is located!
יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחָתְךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ֖ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃	4	You have offered sacrifices to YHWH before the battle as a way of seeking his favor, as it is appropriate for kings to do. May he remember every offering of yours and accept your burnt offering (i.e. , may he show you favor in the troublesome time)! Selah .
יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃	5	May he give you that which is according to your heart's desire, (i.e., victory), and may he fulfill your whole plan for the battle! In other words, may YHWH reward your dependence on him.
נְרַנְּנָ֤ה ׀ בִּ֘ישׁ֤וּעָתֶ֗ךָ וּבְשֵֽׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	6	When you are victorious in battle, the whole kingdom will flourish, and so we, your people, want you to achieve victory. May we shout for joy over your victory against our enemies, and in the name of our God may we array ourselves with banners! The banners will symbolize our submission to YHWH as well as his leadership and protection of us. We will raise these banners in celebration of the victory YHWH will win for us. Then, everyone will see that we are YHWH's people and he is our God. May YHWH fulfill all your requests!
עַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ׀ יְהוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ יַ֭עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ בִּ֝גְבֻר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ׃	7	After the king and the people have both called to YHWH, the king has confidence to say: Now, I know that even though the battle has yet to start, YHWH will deliver his anointed because he promises to answer those who call on him. And so I will proclaim: YHWH has granted victory to his anointed king. This means I am confident that I will win in the upcoming battle. The help that YHWH provides is better than any earthly means of achieving victory. He himself is the source of all power and authority, and he dispenses his power from his holy heaven. He YHWH will answer him the anointed king from the seat of his power, his holy heaven. Indeed, he will answer with the saving mighty deeds of his right hand. YHWH's right hand symbolizes his power, and he saves those who seek refuge at his right hand.
אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃	8	YHWH has proven to his people that victory belongs to him (Prov. 21:31). Therefore, they say: Some [boast] in chariotry and others [boast] in horses, but we will boast in the name of YHWH our God. Horses and chariots are prestigious weapons of war. They demonstrate wealth and military might, and they are vastly superior to ordinary infantry. Nevertheless, YHWH's king is instructed to not be fooled by the visible might of horses and chariots, but is able to depend on YHWH alone for victory.
הֵ֭מָּה כָּרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֝֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד׃	9	This is what we have seen as the pattern until now: They who trusted in horses and chariots have collapsed and fallen, but we have risen and stood upright. We are confident this pattern will continue, now.
יְהוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃	10	YHWH, grant victory to the king in the coming battle! We call on the name of YHWH to bring us victory. May he YHWH answer us on the day of our calling!

Psalm 20/Prominence/Text

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

Participant Color-Coding

There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 20:

YHWH's anointed

King

YHWH

"God"

"God of Jacob"

YHWH's name

YHWH's right hand

The people

"Those who boast in chariotry and horses"

YHWH's anointed is identified as the king in v.10. However, the psalm does not present an explicit reference to the king's name.
V. 10: “Unnamed King:” Although Psalm 20 does not reveal the name of the king, the superscription suggests king David as a plausible candidate. Additionally, Psalm 20 presents similar language to passages related to David:
- Psalm 18 closes with a statement about God's love to David, the anointed king (cf. Ps 18:50 and 2 Sam 7). Psalm 20 mentions YHWH's anointed king (cf. vv. 7 and 10). In Psalm 18:6, David called YHWH in his trouble, distress. In Psalm 20:1, the people prayed on behalf of YHWH's anointed king asking YHWH to answer him on the day of trouble. In addition, Villanueva noted that "as David declared that God was his 'stronghold' (misgab) (18:2), so they pray God will 'protect' (sagab) (20:1) their king."^[1] Moreover, both psalms mention God's right hand as well as God's answer coming from heaven.^[2]
- In Ps 20:8, we read about some people who go to battle trusting in their military weapons (horses and chariots). God's people, however, go to battle trusting in the name of YHWH. "According to the law Israel was to have no standing army; and the law that was laid down for the king speaks warmly against his multiplying horses to himself (Deut. xvii. 16). Both during the time of the Judges and also in the reign of David these regulations were observed; but under Solomon, who acquired for himself a vast number of horses and chariots (1 Kings x. 26-29), matters already became different. It is therefore a confession, which harmonises with the time of David, that is made here in v. 8, that, as compared with their enemies, more especially the Syrians, Israel’s glory is solely the sure defence and weapon of the name of their God. David speaks in the same way to Goliath (1 Sam. xvii. 45)."^[3]
- In conclusion, the king to whom Psalm 20 refers was likely David. However, he remains unnamed so that the psalm's message would not be exclusive to David. Instead, the message of Psalm 20 would be suitable for other kings and perhaps even other addressees who may find themselves facing a day of trouble.^[4]
From Story Behind: The anointed one is a person who was chosen and empowered by YHWH to accomplish a certain task. He was afforded special blessing and protection from God.^[5] Often, God's blessing was affirmed by anointing the chosen one with oil. Since kings were typically anointed with oil for the task of ruling over Israel,^[6] the designation "anointed one" became synonymous with "king."^[7]
The people are those under the king's authority. They pray on behalf of the king and trust YHWH's power to grant victory.
Those who boast in chariotry and horses": They were opponents of the king and his people, although their exact identity is unknown. Israelite kings were forbidden from accumulating horses just as Israel was forbidden from having a standing army.^[8] Rather than trusting in weapons of war and soldiers, the Israelites were to trust in God's power to win victory. In fact, overconfidence in military might was considered just as impious as reliance on foreign nations.^[9]

Hebrew	Verse	English
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	1	For the director. A psalm by David.
יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה	2a	May YHWH answer you on the day of trouble!
יְ֝שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֤ם ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַעֲקֹֽב׃	2b	May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ	3a	May he send you help from the sanctuary
וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃	3b	and sustain you from Zion!
יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחָתְךָ	4a	May he remember every offering of yours
וְעוֹלָתְךָ֖ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃	4b	and accept your burnt offering! Selah.
יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ	5a	May he give you that which is according to your heart’s desire,
וְֽכָל־עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃	5b	and may he fulfill your whole plan!
נְרַנְּנָ֤ה ׀ בִּ֘ישׁ֤וּעָתֶ֗ךָ	6a	May we shout for joy over your victory,
וּבְשֵֽׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל	6b	and in the name of our God may we array ourselves with banners!
יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	6c	May YHWH fulfill all your requests!
עַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ׀ יְהוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ	7a	Now, I know that YHWH has granted victory to his anointed.
יַ֭עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ	7b	He will answer him from his holy heaven
בִּ֝גְבֻר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ׃	7c	with the saving mighty deeds of his right hand.
אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים	8a	Some [boast] in chariotry and others [boast] in horses,
וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃	8b	but we will boast in the name of YHWH our God.
הֵ֭מָּה כָּרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ	9a	They have collapsed and fallen,
וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֝֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד׃	9b	but we have risen and stood upright.
יְהוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ	10a	YHWH, grant victory to the king!
יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃	10b	May he answer us on the day of our calling!

↑ Villanueva 2016, 125; cf. also Goldingay 2006, 302 and Ps 18: 50.
↑ Pss 18:9,13, 35, 50; 20:2, 6.
↑ Delitzsch 1883, 363.
↑ Cf. Ross 2011, 491.
↑ 1 Sam 2:10; 2 Sam 22:51; Pss 28:8; 105:5; Hab 3:13; NIDOTTE.
↑ Pss 2:2; 45:7.
↑ Bratcher and Reyburn 1991, 250; Silva and Tenney 2009, 196.
↑ Cf. Deut 17:14-20; Isa 30:16, 31: 1-3.
↑ Ps 33:17, Hos 1:7, Isa 31:4. DBI 1998, 140, 1620; Waltner 2006, 113.

[1] Villanueva 2016, 125; cf. also Goldingay 2006, 302 and Ps 18: 50.

[2] Pss 18:9,13, 35, 50; 20:2, 6.

[3] Delitzsch 1883, 363.

[4] Cf. Ross 2011, 491.

[5] 1 Sam 2:10; 2 Sam 22:51; Pss 28:8; 105:5; Hab 3:13; NIDOTTE.

[6] Pss 2:2; 45:7.

[7] Bratcher and Reyburn 1991, 250; Silva and Tenney 2009, 196.

[8] Cf. Deut 17:14-20; Isa 30:16, 31: 1-3.

[9] Ps 33:17, Hos 1:7, Isa 31:4. DBI 1998, 140, 1620; Waltner 2006, 113.

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Psalm 20 Text

Contents

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

May YHWH answer you!

Psalm 20

Listen & Read: Psalm 20

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.