Psalms 20 Overview
The people ask God to hear the king, receive his offerings, fulfill his counsel, and save His anointed; they reject confidence in chariots and horses.
Before you read Psalms 20
Coming from
Psalm 19 centered on god revealed in creation and in his perfect law. Psalms is an anthology rather than a continuous chronological story, so the connection here is canonical and thematic.
In this chapter
The people ask God to hear the king, receive his offerings, fulfill his counsel, and save His anointed; they reject confidence in chariots and horses.
Leads into
Psalm 21 turns to thanksgiving for the king's god-given victory, continuing the Psalter’s arranged movement without requiring that the two psalms describe consecutive historical events.
Key understandingExplore deeper
Psalm 20 belongs to Book I of the Psalter (Psalms 1–41). This is a corporate royal prayer rooted in Israel's covenant warfare setting.
Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper
Central truth
Prayer for the king before battle.
Royal truth
In Psalm 20, every human throne is dependent on and accountable to the LORD’s higher kingship.
Prayer truth
In Psalm 20, prayer in this psalm is grounded in who God is and in dependence upon Him.
Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper
Royal connection
2 Samuel 7:12-16 establishes the Davidic covenant that stands behind many royal psalms. This connection helps frame Psalm 20.
Prayer connection
Philippians 4:6 teaches believers to bring requests to God with thanksgiving. This connection helps frame Psalm 20.
What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper
Keep royal in context
Keep Psalm 20 in its Israelite royal setting, then follow later Scripture where it extends the language to the Messiah.
Keep prayer in context
Prayer in Psalm 20 is dependence on God, not a technique for controlling Him.
Read Psalms 20 watching for…
day of trouble.
sanctuary help.
remember offerings.
chariots and horses.
save LORD.