Psa 20:8 | KingComments | STEP | In , it is evident that the believing remnant does not doubt that their prayer will be answered, which was inspired in them by the Spirit of Christ. They see by faith that the Messiah will return from His battle as Victor (cf. ). Therefore, they set up the banners as a sign of victory. A banner is placed on a conquered territory. Here there are many banners, for the victories will be numerous. The reign of God’s King will be established everywhere. The banners are set up “in the name of our God”. The remnant is thereby saying that the God of their King is also their God. They give God all the glory for all the victories of their King. This means that they will also give their King that honor, for He is their God (cf. ). In connection to that, they do not ask the LORD for victory for His chosen King, but that He will fulfill all His petitions. All His petitions have the glorification of God as their goal. In , the psalmist speaks as the mouth of the believing remnant. Based on the prayer and desires in his heart, he expresses his confidence that the LORD will save His Anointed. The expression “now I know” means “I have come to the conclusion that” (cf. ; ). The word “save” is closely related to the word for victory. It means that David or the believing remnant is convinced that the LORD gives His Anointed the victory. The Anointed is given victory on the basis of His prayer to God in “His holy heaven”. His LORD will answer Him by fighting for His King “with the saving strength of His right hand”. Thus God has heard His Anointed by raising Him from the dead by the power of “His right hand”. This is His first mighty act of salvation. Countless more mighty acts of salvation will follow as He raises all who belong to Christ from the dead by the power of His right hand ( ). In , the remnant speaks again. They speak the same language of faith as the Messiah and join in what He has just said. First, they point to the resources that the opponents rely on. The Israelite kings may not own many horses ( ). They must learn to rely on God’s strength, for in themselves they are weak. God’s power is accomplished in weakness ( ). The faithful call to mind and make mention of the name of God, which means that God is with them ( ). The word “[boast]” is not in the original text, but has been added for the sake of readability, indicated by the square brackets. It is derived from the word “boast” in , which literally is “make mention of”; or “praise the name”. There are those who make mention of their trust “in chariots”, while others make mention of their trust “in horses” (cf. ). These are poor, not to say ridiculous means compared to the One in Whom they trust. Pharaoh experienced this ( ). But “we”, the remnant says emphatically, “will make mention of the name of the LORD our God” (cf. ). It involves remembering or thinking about “the name”, which is all that that Name contains. The opposite result of trust is described in . The two parties are sharply contrasted by an emphatic “they” and an emphatic “we”. “They”, that is, those who trust in chariots and horses, are forced to bow down, that is, bend their knees, before Him Who has overcome them ( ). Then they fall down, without ever getting up again. It is written here in the prophetic past tense, which means that it is stated as an accomplished fact, while in reality it still has to happen. That is how certain the outcome is. The same applies to ‘we’, that is the faithful remnant, but in complete contrast to the enemies. They seemed to have bowed down before the enemy and have fallen down. They also felt as though they were doomed, but they “have risen and stood upright”. It gives the picture of a resurrection from the dead and entering into life.

‏ Psalms 20:8

Assurance of the Answer

In Psa 20:5, it is evident that the believing remnant does not doubt that their prayer will be answered, which was inspired in them by the Spirit of Christ. They see by faith that the Messiah will return from His battle as Victor (cf. Isa 63:1-6). Therefore, they set up the banners as a sign of victory. A banner is placed on a conquered territory. Here there are many banners, for the victories will be numerous. The reign of God’s King will be established everywhere.

The banners are set up “in the name of our God”. The remnant is thereby saying that the God of their King is also their God. They give God all the glory for all the victories of their King. This means that they will also give their King that honor, for He is their God (cf. Psa 44:4). In connection to that, they do not ask the LORD for victory for His chosen King, but that He will fulfill all His petitions. All His petitions have the glorification of God as their goal.

In Psa 20:6, the psalmist speaks as the mouth of the believing remnant. Based on the prayer and desires in his heart, he expresses his confidence that the LORD will save His Anointed. The expression “now I know” means “I have come to the conclusion that” (cf. Exo 18:11; 1Kgs 17:24). The word “save” is closely related to the word for victory. It means that David or the believing remnant is convinced that the LORD gives His Anointed the victory.

The Anointed is given victory on the basis of His prayer to God in “His holy heaven”. His LORD will answer Him by fighting for His King “with the saving strength of His right hand”. Thus God has heard His Anointed by raising Him from the dead by the power of “His right hand”. This is His first mighty act of salvation. Countless more mighty acts of salvation will follow as He raises all who belong to Christ from the dead by the power of His right hand (1Cor 15:20-23).

In Psa 20:7, the remnant speaks again. They speak the same language of faith as the Messiah and join in what He has just said. First, they point to the resources that the opponents rely on. The Israelite kings may not own many horses (Deu 17:16). They must learn to rely on God’s strength, for in themselves they are weak. God’s power is accomplished in weakness (2Cor 12:9). The faithful call to mind and make mention of the name of God, which means that God is with them (Psa 121:2). The word “[boast]” is not in the original text, but has been added for the sake of readability, indicated by the square brackets. It is derived from the word “boast” in Psa 20:7b, which literally is “make mention of”; or “praise the name”.

There are those who make mention of their trust “in chariots”, while others make mention of their trust “in horses” (cf. Isa 31:1-3). These are poor, not to say ridiculous means compared to the One in Whom they trust. Pharaoh experienced this (Exo 15:1 ; 3-4).

But “we”, the remnant says emphatically, “will make mention of the name of the LORD our God” (cf. 1Sam 17:45). It involves remembering or thinking about “the name”, which is all that that Name contains.

The opposite result of trust is described in Psa 20:8. The two parties are sharply contrasted by an emphatic “they” and an emphatic “we”. “They”, that is, those who trust in chariots and horses, are forced to bow down, that is, bend their knees, before Him Who has overcome them (Phil 2:9-11). Then they fall down, without ever getting up again. It is written here in the prophetic past tense, which means that it is stated as an accomplished fact, while in reality it still has to happen. That is how certain the outcome is.

The same applies to ‘we’, that is the faithful remnant, but in complete contrast to the enemies. They seemed to have bowed down before the enemy and have fallen down. They also felt as though they were doomed, but they “have risen and stood upright”. It gives the picture of a resurrection from the dead and entering into life.