Psalm 20

TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID.

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!

May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

This 2023 was a year I claimed to be a Year of Movement with Christ, where we would do our best to move forward, to move higher and deeper, and to move wider. It’s been a recurring revelation, and there have been enough events throughout the year supporting this claim – Things have moved, and we have moved forward. In our own way, we moved, but no matter how the results of our own efforts fared, it was the Lord who was the One who ushered in the movement in all directions specified: Not only forward, but the Lord moved in us and around us, that we would be taken higher, wider, and deeper. The Lord moved, in spite of our movement or lack thereof, and the Lord certainly moved, in spite of all the other movement around the world and happening all around us, beyond our own control.

In this Movement we’ve see that it’s not always going to be pleasurable. I mean, I always say that we enjoy the presence of the Lord no matter what happens, and I guess I’m saying that His presence is no guarantee that things will happen according to our own expectations – no, simply put, things have happened beyond our expectations, regardless of this being to our benefit, or to our downfalls. There HAVE been days of trouble, and it’s a breath of fresh air, a good assurance for us to read the opening line of this Psalm – For, indeed, what the Psalmist asked for, Christ answered. Or, rather, the Lord answers us in our own day of trouble, and this Answer comes in no less than our Savior, Christ.

And it’s the same thing for the rest of this portion of the Psalm – The name of the God of Jacob protects us, because of Christ and His finished work. Now off the bat I’m reminded of Steve Kuban’s classic praise song where he quotes another Psalm, singing that the name of the Lord is a strong tower, and that the righteous run into it (the name of the Lord, I’m assuming) and they are safe. It doesn’t really make sense to me as much as I want it to now that I think about it; How can we run to a name? Also, how does a name protect us? What’s in a name?

Going to eSword, I see the following used in place of ‘name’ where it’s found in Psalm 20: שֵׁם / shêm / shame / A primitive word (perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: – + base, [in-] fame [-ous], name (-d), renown, report. Looking at this makes me think I’m a little further from where I started, or it just gives me a bigger idea of what it DOES mean to run to a ‘name’, or depending on a ‘name’ to protect us – without too much fluff, it’s really just trusting in the Lord; Beyond His name, we recognize His honor, His authority, and His character in our own day of trouble, and when we do need protection.

It probably gives us a bit of a wake-up call when it comes to our own names… may we be reminded that our names do carry with them a level of honor, authority, and character. Or rather, with our name, we carry our honor, authority and character. It may not mean much to some people but this is something we definitely need to keep in mind, especially those of us who have taken on the ministry.

Going back, if we were to take all we’ve seen so far, we could also say that it’s the name of the Lord, and therefore, it’s His honor, His authority, and His character that protect us in the day of trouble – all represented by no less than Christ, who by His finished work has been given the name above every other name, to whom has been given all authority on heaven and earth… and even in and through all we do to compromise our own name, honor, character, and authority, it is the name of Christ that is exalted, recognized and celebrated; It’s His faithfulness that is ever present and visible in our clear lack of trust and faith: He is faithful when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13)…

…And as we see in the rest of the passage, He helps when we are helpless, from no less than His sanctuary, with support from no less than Zion.

May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!

May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Looking at these passages from the light of the finished work of Christ, from His death and resurrection (leading to our being made new creations) up to His ascension (ensuring the Holy Spirit poured down upon us), I feel as if our Savior now has a hand in stirring up our hearts with desire, directing and establishing our thoughts and our plans. I see this also as Christ being the source and target of our desires now that we have been made new beings with new hearts, just as He is the fulfillment of all our plans (and petitions as we read a little later), now that we have been given new minds, as well.

It’s as if we’re being led to realize, understand and appreciate that Christ is also our Answer in the day of trouble, just as much as He is the Help from the sanctuary, and Support from Zion. And as we do I feel it is inevitable for our beings to respond with such overwhelming and overflowing gratitude, much so that we do shout for joy over Christ, our Salvation; testifying by our words and also by setting up our own banners, as if to take and hold territory.

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

One of the thoughts I’ve birthed and nurtured during this final quarter of 2023 was as follows: That, in light of Thanksgiving being celebrated last November, we who are in the body of Christ would be Trustgiving just as much as it is quite natural for us to be Thanksgiving. Giving thanks is an act of trust, and the degree of trust we’re given by the power of the Holy Spirit leads us to give thanks in all circumstances – That means, among other things, that we give thanks before, during, and after any plans and petitions we find ourselves trusting the Lord with.

This has been my first walkthrough this Psalm, but I don’t think it’ll be my last – there’s so much more to look at from just this small portion of Scripture, and I am thankful that through it we can see a very possible theme for the coming year.

I mean, I thought I was going to close here but I just have to point out that it’s in line with what I just wrote about, concerning the ‘unifying equation’ of all that’s been going on in my mind this last quarter – for, indeed, how could we say that God is with us (Emmanuel) without a trace of trusting in Him? And, in our trusting in the Lord in this here season of what I’m calling Trustgiving, how can we NOT give thanks, knowing that the name (and therefore, the honor, authority, and character) of God is for us, by being with us, in all that we’re going through?

Thanks and trust, trust and thanks; Trust and presence, presence, and trust. So many parallels that pay homage to the salvation Christ paid such a dear price for us to have.

Until the next post, God bless you!

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