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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms XX].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM XX.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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It is the will of God that prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings,
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should be made, in special manner, for kings and all in authority. This
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psalm is a prayer, and the next a thanksgiving, for the king. David was
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a martial prince, much in war. Either this psalm was penned upon
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occasion of some particular expedition of his, or, in general, as a
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form to be used in the daily service of the church for him. In this
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psalm we may observe,
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I. What it is they beg of God for the king,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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II. With what assurance they beg it. The people triumph
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:5">ver. 5</A>),
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the prince
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:6">ver. 6</A>),
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both together
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:7,8">ver. 7, 8</A>),
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and so he concludes with a prayer to God for audience,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:9">ver. 9</A>.
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In this, David may well be looked upon as a type of Christ, to whose
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kingdom and its interests among men the church was, in every age, a
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hearty well-wisher.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps20_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Petitions against Sin.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>To the chief musician. A psalm of David.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hear
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thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend
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thee;
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2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of
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Zion;
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3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice;
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Selah.
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4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy
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counsel.
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5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God
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we will set up <I>our</I> banners: the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> fulfil all thy petitions.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This prayer for David is entitled <I>a psalm of David;</I> nor was it
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any absurdity at all for him who was divinely inspired to draw up a
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directory, or form of prayer, to be used in the congregation for
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himself and those in authority under him; nay it is very proper for
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those who desire the prayers of their friends to tell them particularly
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what they would have to be asked of God for them. Note, Even great and
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good men, and those that know ever so well how to pray for themselves,
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must not despise, but earnestly desire, the prayers of others for them,
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even those that are their inferiors in all respects. Paul often begged
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of his friends to pray for him. Magistrates and those in power ought to
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esteem and encourage praying people, to reckon them their strength
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+12:5,10">Zech. xii. 5, 10</A>),
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and to do what they can for them, that they may have an interest in
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their prayers and may do nothing to forfeit it. Now observe here,</P>
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<P>
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I. What it is that they are taught to ask of God for the king.</P>
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<P>
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1. That God would answer his prayers: <I>The Lord hear thee in the day
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of trouble</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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and <I>the Lord fulfil all thy petitions,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Note,
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(1.) Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. It was often a
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day of trouble with David himself, of disappointment and distress, of
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treading down and of perplexity. Neither the crown on his head nor the
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grace in his heart would exempt him from the trouble.
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(2.) Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. David, though a
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man of business, a man of war, was constant to his devotions; though he
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had prophets, and priests, and many good people among his subjects, to
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pray for him, he did not think that excused him from praying for
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himself. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or of
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their ministers or friends for them, who are capable of praying for
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themselves, and yet neglect it. The prayers of others for us must be
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desired, not to supersede, but to second, our own for ourselves. Happy
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the people that have praying princes, to whose prayers they may thus
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say, <I>Amen.</I></P>
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<P>
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2. That God would protect his person, and preserve his life, in the
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perils of war: "<I>The name of the God of Jacob defend thee,</I> and
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set thee out of the reach of thy enemies."
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(1.) "Let God by his providence keep thee safe, even the God who
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preserved Jacob in the days of his trouble." David had mighty men for
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his guards, but he commits himself, and his people commit him, to the
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care of the almighty God.
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(2.) "Let God by his grace keep thee easy from the fear of evil.--
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+18:10">Prov. xviii. 10</A>,
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<I>The name of the Lord is a strong tower, into which the righteous
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run</I> by faith, <I>and are safe;</I> let David be enabled to shelter
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himself in that strong tower, as he has done many a time."</P>
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<P>
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3. That God would enable him to go on in his undertakings for the
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public good--that, in the day of battle, he would <I>send him help out
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of the sanctuary, and strength out of Zion,</I> not from common
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providence, but from the ark of the covenant and the peculiar favour
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God bears to his chosen people Israel. That he would help him, in
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performance of the promises and in answer to the prayers made in the
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sanctuary. Mercies out of the sanctuary are the sweetest mercies, such
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as are the tokens of God's peculiar love, the blessing of God, even our
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own God. Strength out of Zion is spiritual strength, strength in the
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soul, in the inward man, and that is what we should most desire both
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for ourselves and others in services and sufferings.</P>
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<P>
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4. That God would testify his gracious acceptance of the sacrifices he
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offered with his prayers, according to the law of that time, before he
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went out on a dangerous expedition: <I>The Lord remember all thy
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offerings and accept thy burnt-sacrifices</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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or <I>turn them to ashes;</I> that is, "The Lord give thee the victory
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and success which thou didst by prayer with sacrifices ask of him, and
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thereby give as full proof of his acceptance of the sacrifice as ever
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he did by kindling it with fire from heaven." By this we may now know
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that God accepts our spiritual sacrifices, if by his Spirit he kindles
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in our souls a holy fire of pious and divine affection and with that
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makes our hearts burn within us.</P>
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<P>
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5. That God would crown all his enterprises and noble designs for the
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public welfare with the desired success
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>The Lord grant thee according to thy own heart.</I> This they might
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in faith pray for, because they knew David was a man after God's own
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heart, and would design nothing but what was pleasing to him. Those who
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make it their business to glorify God may expect that God will, in one
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way or other, gratify them: and those who walk in his counsel may
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promise themselves that he will fulfil theirs. <I>Thou shalt devise a
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thing and it shall be established unto thee.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. What confidence they had of an answer of peace to these petitions
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for themselves and their good king
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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"<I>We will rejoice in thy salvation.</I> We that are subjects will
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rejoice in the preservation and prosperity of our prince;" or, rather,
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"In thy salvation, O God! in thy power and promise to save, will we
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rejoice; that is it which we depend upon now, and which, in the issue,
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we shall have occasion greatly to rejoice in." Those that have their
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eye still upon the salvation of the Lord shall have their hearts filled
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with the joy of that salvation: <I>In the name of our God will we set
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up our banners.</I>
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1. "We will wage war in his name; we will see that our cause be good
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and make his glory our end in every expedition; we will ask counsel at
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his mouth, and take him along with us; we will follow his direction,
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implore his aid and depend upon it, and refer the issue to him." David
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went against Goliath in the name of the Lord of hosts,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+17:45">1 Sam. xvii. 45</A>.
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(2.) "We will celebrate our victories in his name. When we lift up our
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banners in triumph, and set up our trophies, it shall be in the name of
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our God; he shall have all the glory of our success, and no instrument
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shall have any part of the honour that is due to him."</P>
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<P>
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In singing this we ought to offer up to God our hearty good wishes to
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the good government we are under and to the prosperity of it. But we
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may look further; these prayers for David are prophecies concerning
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Christ the Son of David, and in him they were abundantly answered; he
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undertook the work of our redemption, and made war upon the powers of
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darkness. In the day of trouble, when his soul was exceedingly
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sorrowful, the Lord heard him, heard him in that he feared
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+5:7">Heb. v. 7</A>),
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<I>sent him help out of the sanctuary,</I> sent an angel from heaven to
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strengthen him, took cognizance of his offering when he made his soul
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an offering for sin, and accepted his burnt-sacrifice, turned it to
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ashes, the fire that should have fastened upon the sinner fastening
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upon the sacrifice, with which God was well pleased. And he granted him
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according to his own heart, made him to see of the travail of his soul,
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to his satisfaction, prospered his good pleasure in his hand, fulfilled
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all his petitions for himself and us; for him the Father heareth always
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and his intercession is ever prevailing.</P>
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<A NAME="Ps20_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps20_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Subject's Prayer for the Sovereign.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 Now know I that the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> saveth his anointed; he will hear
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him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right
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hand.
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7 Some <I>trust</I> in chariots, and some in horses: but we will
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remember the name of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> our God.
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8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand
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upright.
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9 Save, L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>: let the king hear us when we call.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. Holy David himself triumphing in the interest he had in the prayers
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of good people
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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"<I>Now know I</I> (I that pen the psalm know it) <I>that the Lord
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saveth his anointed,</I> because he hath stirred up the hearts of the
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seed of Jacob to pray for him." Note, It bodes well to any prince and
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people, and may justly be taken as a happy presage, when God pours upon
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them a spirit of prayer. If he see us seeking him, he will be found of
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us; if he cause us to hope in his word, he will establish his word to
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us. Now that so many who have an interest in heaven are praying for him
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he doubts not but that God will hear him, and grant him an answer of
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peace, which will,
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1. Take its rise from above: <I>He will hear him from his holy
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heaven,</I> of which the sanctuary was a type
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:23">Heb. ix. 23</A>),
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from the throne he hath prepared in heaven, of which the mercy-seat was
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a type.
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2. It shall take its effect here below: He will hear him <I>with the
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saving strength of his right hand;</I> he will give a real answer to
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his prayers, and the prayers of his friends for him, not by letter, nor
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by word of mouth, but, which is much better, by his right hand, by the
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saving strength of his right hand. He will make it to appear that he
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hears him by what he does for him.</P>
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<P>
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II. His people triumphing in God and their relation to him, and his
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revelation of himself to them, by which they distinguish themselves
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from those that live without God in the world.
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1. See the difference between worldly people and godly people, in their
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confidences,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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The children of this world trust in second causes, and think all is
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well if those do but smile upon them; they trust <I>in chariots and in
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horses,</I> and the more of them they can bring into the field the more
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sure they are of success in their wars; probably David has here an eye
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to the Syrians, whose forces consisted much of chariots and horsemen,
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as we find in the history of David's victories over them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+8:4,10:18">2 Sam. viii. 4; x. 18</A>.
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"But," say the Israelites, "we neither have chariots and horses to
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trust to nor do we want them, nor, if we had them, would we build our
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hopes of success upon that; <I>but we will remember,</I> and rely upon,
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<I>the name of the Lord our God,</I> upon the relation we stand in to
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him as the Lord our God and the knowledge we have of him by his name,"
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that is, all that whereby he makes himself known; this we will remember
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and upon every remembrance of it will be encouraged. Note, those who
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make God and his name their praise may make God and his name their
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trust.
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2. See the difference in the issue of their confidences and by that we
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are to judge of the wisdom of the choice; things are as they prove; see
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who will be ashamed of their confidence and who not,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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"Those that trusted in their chariots and horses are brought down and
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fallen, and their chariots and horses were so far from saving them that
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they helped to sink them, and made them the easier and the richer prey
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to the conqueror,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+8:4">2 Sam. viii. 4</A>.
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But we that trust in the name of the Lord our God not only stand
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upright, and keep our ground, but have risen, and have got ground
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against the enemy, and have triumphed over them." Note, A believing
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obedient trust in God and his name is the surest way both to preferment
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and to establishment, to rise and to stand upright, and this will stand
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us in stead when creature-confidences fail those that depend upon
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them.</P>
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<P>
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III. They conclude their prayer for the king with a <I>Hosanna, "Save,
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now, we beseech thee,</I> O Lord!"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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As we read this verse, it may be taken as a prayer that God would not
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only bless the king, "Save, Lord, give him success," but that he would
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make him a blessing to them, "<I>Let the king hear us</I> when we call
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to him for justice and mercy." Those that would have good of their
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magistrates must thus pray for them, for they, as all other creatures,
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are that to us (and no more) which God makes them to be. Or it may
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refer to the Messiah, that King, that King of kings; let him hear us
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when we call; let him come to us according to the promise, in the time
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appointed; let him, as the great Master of requests, receive all our
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petitions and present them to the Father. But many interpreters give
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another reading of this verse, by altering the pause, <I>Lord, save the
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king, and hear us when we call;</I> and so it is a summary of the whole
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psalm and is taken into our English Liturgy; <I>O Lord! save the king,
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and mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.</I></P>
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<P>
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In singing
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+20:6-9">these verses</A>
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we should encourage ourselves to trust in God, and stir up ourselves to
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pray earnestly, as we are in duty bound, for those in authority over
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us, that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all
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godliness and honesty.</P>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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