PSALM 20 DRAW NEAR TO THE KING

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 
¹ May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
³ May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah
⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.
⁶ Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
⁹ O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!

In days past, when countries were theocracies led by “divinely appointed” kings, such a liturgy would serve the purpose of preparing a people for battle by petitioning God to protect them and prosper their cause. It would be easy to dismiss this psalm as a reminder of the strong faith of our fathers and our need to recognize God’s presence and sovereign power in the world. If we do so we will miss its true application to our lives.

As members of the Kingdom of God we do have a King and we are engaged in a war against an enemy. The kingdom and the enemy do not take on the form of geographical or political countries. The battles are not the United States against Iraq or North Korea or the Taliban or Al Qaeda. In Scripture we read that “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

The people of God exist today in a different form and our battles have taken a different form, but the pattern of our battle plan remains the same. Our King, the Anointed One, is Jesus Christ and as we advance the kingdom against the hostility of the powers and principalities of this world we need to draw near to our King and draw near to one another as God’s people who will pray for our King as he fights on our behalf. In Christ we have a king who made great sacrifice, was blessed by God, and we have the assurance of victory and the confidence that we share in that victory because we have drawn near to him in faith.

The war may have been won, but the battles will continue to be fought until our King returns. Stay close to Christ, do not break ranks and “trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

As I face the adversities of life, both physical and spiritual, keep me from relying on anything or anyone but you, O Lord. May I always recognize that the true enemy is not my neighbor but the powers and principalities that rebel against you, my Lord. Give me the faith to stay close to you and within your flock as I daily face the battles…both those I see and those I do not see. And may I always rejoice in your victory. Amen.