Psalm 20:6

Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Now know I.—Better, now know I that Jehovah hath saved his anointed, i.e., the king who is the subject of the poem, it being out of keeping with the rest of the poem to understand “Israel” or the “ideal” king here. The now is emphatic. After seeing the sacrifice performed, and feeling sure of its acceptance, this confidence is expressed.

From his holy heaven.—The prayer in Psalm 20:2 had mentioned the sanctuary as the residence of the Divine power, and its symbol, the ark, being deposited there (1Samuel 4:4). The inspiration now expresses a yet higher conviction. The manifestation of succour will not be through any earthly symbol of God’s might, but immediately from His dwelling-place on high.

With the saving.—Better, with the might of the help of.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:1-9 This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with relation to Christ. - Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or their friends, who are capable of praying for themselves, yet neglect it. Pray that God would protect his person, and preserve his life. That God would enable him to go on in his undertakings for the public good. We may know that God accepts our spiritual sacrifices, if by his Spirit he kindles in our souls a holy fire of piety and love to God. Also, that the Lord would crown his enterprises with success. Our first step to victory in spiritual warfare is to trust only in the mercy and grace of God; all who trust in themselves will soon be cast down. Believers triumph in God, and his revelation of himself to them, by which they distinguish themselves from those that live without God in the world. Those who make God and his name their praise, may make God and his name their trust. This was the case when the pride and power of Jewish unbelief, and pagan idolatry, fell before the sermons and lives of the humble believers in Jesus. This is the case in every conflict with our spiritual enemies, when we engage them in the name, the spirit, and the power of Christ; and this will be the case at the last day, when the world, with the prince of it, shall be brought down and fall; but believers, risen-from the dead, through the resurrection of the Lord, shall stand, and sing his praises in heaven. In Christ's salvation let us rejoice; and set up our banners in the name of the Lord our God, assured that by the saving strength of his right hand we shall be conquerors over every enemy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed - Saveth, or will save, the king, who had been anointed, or consecrated by anointing to that office. Compare the note at Psalm 2:2. This, according to the view given in the introduction, is the response of the king. It expresses his confident assurance of success from the interest which the people had expressed in the enterprise, as referred to in the previous verses, and from the earnestness of their prayers in his behalf and in behalf of the enterprise. They had manifested such zeal in the cause, and they had offered so earnest petitions, that he could not doubt that God would smile favorably on the undertaking, and would grant success.

He will hear him from his holy heaven - Margin, "from the heaven of his holiness." So the Hebrew. Compare 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 9:27-28; Psalm 14:2; Psalm 102:19. heaven is represented as the dwelling-place of God, and it is there that he hears and answers our prayers. The meaning of the word "hear" in this passage is, that he will "favorably hear," or regard; that is, that he will "answer" the petition, or grant the request.

With the saving strength - That is, he will interpose with that saving strength. Literally, "with the strengths of salvation." The answer to the prayer will be manifest in the strength or power put forth by him to save.

Of his right hand - The right hand is the instrument by which mainly we execute our purposes; and by constant use it becomes in fact more fully developed, and is stronger than the left band. Hence, it is used to denote "strength." See Exodus 15:6; Judges 5:26; see Psalm 17:7, note; Psalm 18:35, note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. He speaks as if suddenly assured of a hearing.

his anointed—not only David personally, but as the specially appointed head of His Church.

his holy heaven—or, literally, "the heavens of His holiness," where He resides (Ps 2:6; 11:4).

saving … hand—His power which brings salvation.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

We are already sure of victory, by the consideranon of God’s power, and faithfulness, and love to David, and to his people. They speak as one person, because they were united and unanimous in this prayer.

Saveth, i.e. will certainly save.

His anointed; our lord and king.

with the saving strength of his right hand: this shows how God will hear him, even by saving him with a strong hand.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now know I that the Lord saveth his Anointed,.... Not David, though he was the anointed of the God of Jacob, and was anointed with material oil to be king of Israel by Samuel, at the express order of God himself; but David is not here speaking of himself, nor the church of him, but of the Messiah; anointed by Jehovah king over his holy hill of Zion, with the oil of gladness, or the Holy Spirit. The church in prayer rises in her faith, and is strongly assured of the salvation of the Messiah; that though his troubles would be many and great, he should be delivered out of them all; should be heard and helped in the day of salvation, and be freed from the sorrows of death and hell, he should be encompassed with; that he should be raised from the dead; have all power in heaven and earth given him; ascend on high, and triumph over all his enemies; and all his people, all the members of his body, should be saved through him, which is in a sense the salvation of himself;

he will hear him from his holy heaven; where his throne and temple are, which is the habitation of his holiness, whither the prayers of the Messiah when on earth ascended, where they were received, heard, and answered. Before the church prays that he might be heard, now she believes he would; and that,

with the saving strength of his right hand; that is, by the exertion of his mighty power, in strengthening him as man to bear up under his sorrows, go through his work, and finish it; by upholding him with his right hand while engaged in it, and by raising him up from the dead with it, and setting him down at it in the highest heavens.

Geneva Study Bible

Now {e} know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his {f} holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

(e) The Church feels that God had heard their petition.

(f) As by the visible sanctuary God's familiarity appeared toward his people, so by the heavenly is meant his power and majesty.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. Now know I] Cp. Psalm 56:9, Psalm 135:5.

saveth] Lit., hath saved: i.e. will surely save. To faith the victory is already won. Cp. the tenses in Psalm 20:8, and see Appendix, Note IV.

his anointed] The title which expresses the king’s consecration to Jehovah is the pledge of his right to expect Jehovah’s help (Habakkuk 3:13).

he will hear him] R.V., he will answer him (as in Psalm 20:1; Psalm 20:9) from his holy heaven, of which the holy place in Zion (Psalm 20:2) is but the earthly type.

with the saving strength &c.] Lit., with mighty acts of salvation of his right hand: the mighty acts of deliverance (Psalm 106:2, Psalm 150:2) wrought by the right hand of the Most High (Psalm 17:7, Psalm 60:5). Cp. Psalm 21:13.

6–8. The sacrifice has been offered. Faith regards it as accepted, and in its acceptance sees the pledge of victory. The voice of a priest, or prophet, or possibly of the king himself, is now heard proclaiming this confidence (Psalm 20:6), and professing for himself and the people their trust in Jehovah alone (Psalm 20:7-8).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. Now know I. The employment of the first person singular marks a change in the speaker, and is best explained by supposing that either the high priest or the king himself takes the word. The offering of the solemn prayer (vers. 1-5) and of the sacrifices (see the comment on ver. 3) has been followed by a full conviction that the prayer is granted, and the triumph of David assured. What was previously hoped for is "now known." That the Lord saveth (or, hath saved) his anointed (comp. Psalm 18:50). He will hear him from his holy heaven; literally, from the heaven of his holiness. With the saving strength of his right hand. God will hear him, i.e., and, having heard him, will help and defend him "with the saving strength of his right hand." Psalm 20:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(Heb.: 20:7-9) While Psalm 20:2 were being sung the offering of the sacrifice was probably going on. Now, after a lengthened pause, there ascends a voice, probably the voice of one of the Levites, expressing the cheering assurance of the gracious acceptance of the offering that has been presented by the priest. With עתּה or ועתּה, the usual word to indicate the turning-point, the instantaneous entrance of the result of some previous process of prolonged duration, whether hidden or manifest (e.g., 1 Kings 17:24; Isaiah 29:22), is introduced. howshiya` is the perfect of faith, which, in the certainty of being answered, realises the fulfilment in anticipation. The exuberance of the language in Psalm 20:7 corresponds to the exuberance of feeling which thus finds expression.

In Psalm 20:3 the answer is expected out of Zion, in the present instance it is looked for from God's holy heavens; for the God who sits enthroned in Zion is enthroned for ever in the heavens. His throne on earth is as it were the vestibule of His heavenly throne; His presence in the sanctuary of Israel is no limitation of His omnipresence; His help out of Zion is the help of the Celestial One and Him who is exalted above the heaven of heavens. גּבוּרות does not here mean the fulness of might (cf. Psalm 90:10), but the displays of power (Psalm 106:2; Psalm 145:4; Psalm 150:2; Psalm 63:1-11 :15), by which His right hand procures salvation, i.e., victory, for the combatant. The glory of Israel is totally different from that of the heathen, which manifests itself in boastful talk. In Psalm 20:8 הזכּירוּ or יזכּירוּ must be supplied from the נזכּיר in Psalm 20:8 (lxx μεγαλυνθησόμεθα equals נגביר, Psalm 12:5); הזכּיר בּ, to make laudatory mention of any matter, to extol, and indirectly therefore to take credit to one's self for it, to boast of it (cf. הלּל בּ, Psalm 44:9). According to the Law Israel was forbidden to have any standing army; and the law touching the king (Deuteronomy 17:16) speaks strongly against his keeping many horses. It was also the same under the judges, and at this time under David; but under Solomon, who acquired for himself horses and chariots in great number (1 Kings 10:26-29), it was very different. It is therefore a confession that must belong to the time of David which is here made in Psalm 20:8, viz., that Israel's glory in opposition to their enemies, especially the Syrians, is the sure defence and protection of the Name of their God alone. The language of David to Goliath is very similar, 1 Samuel 17:45. The preterites in Psalm 20:9 are praet. confidentiae. It is, as Luther says, "a song of triumph before the victory, a shout of joy before succour." Since קוּם does not mean to stand, but to rise, קמנוּ assumes the present superiority of the enemy. But the position of affairs changes: those who stand fall, and those who are lying down rise up; the former remain lying, the latter keep the field. The Hithpa. התעודד signifies to show one's self firm, strong, courageous; like עודד, Psalm 146:9; Psalm 147:6, to strengthen, confirm, recover, from עוּד to be compact, firm, cogn. Arab. âd f. i., inf. aid, strength; as, e.g., the Koran (Sur. xxxviii. 16) calls David dhâ-l-aidi, possessor of strength, II ajjada, to strengthen, support, and Arab. 'dd, inf. add, strength superiority, V tāddada, to show one's self strong, brave, courageous.