Who Will Answer in the Day of Trouble?
By Sarah Ivill, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.
Psalm 20:9
Our view of God is often far too small. This is especially true when circumstances arise that seem too big for us to handle. We are tempted to forget that the Lord is a Mighty Warrior who can fight for us. When things seem dark and hopeless, we are tempted to forget that the Lord is our Shepherd who protects us and leads us through the valleys. But sometimes it is when life seems monotonous that our view of God is too small. We forget to stand in awe of who He is—the Warrior King, the Shepherd King, and the Glorious King. Perhaps you have done the same. Psalms 20-25 powerfully remind us that the King on the throne is fiercer than we imagined, kinder than we thought, and more glorious than we can ever fathom. Equipped with such truths, we will face enmity with an eternal perspective, and be comforted in the King who keeps us on the right way. Today, we will focus on Psalm 20.
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
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!
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.
Psalm 20 is a prayer for the king on a day of trouble. In this particular context, David is the king, and it’s noteworthy that he didn’t despair in the day of distress. When enemies arose, he knew where to go, and so did his people. Preparing for battle meant primarily one thing—prayer. Israel believed that the Lord was behind each and every victory. King David offered sacrifices while the people prayed for him to be victorious in battle. Their confidence was in the Lord.
The nations around Israel trusted in horses and chariots to secure their victory, but the Lord specifically instructed Israel not to rely on these things (see Deut. 17:16). Instead, they were to rely on their Covenant King, the Creator, and Redeemer. This is difficult to do, as you have likely found in your own day of distress.
Psalm 20 points us to a greater King. Jesus is our answer in the day of trouble. He has secured the victory in the battle against Satan, sin, and death. In Christ we have been granted our heart’s desire and His resurrection is the first fruits of our own resurrection from the dead. Our Father answers us when we call because King Jesus has secured our salvation and opened up the way to the throne of grace again.
PRAYER
Father, when we are facing a day of distress, please help us to fix our eyes on King Jesus. Help us to remember that He has secured the victory over our enemies—the world, the devil, and our own flesh, and has accomplished our redemption so that we can “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Amen.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.