สดุดี 20:8 วิจารณ์

It is the will of God that prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, should be made, in special manner, for kings and all in authority. This psalm is a prayer, and the next a thanksgiving, for the king. David was a martial prince, much in war. Either this psalm was penned upon occasion of some particular expedition of his, or, in general, as a form to be used in the daily service of the church for him. In this psalm we may observe, I. What it is they beg of God for the king (Psa 20:1-4). II. With what assurance they beg it. The people triumph (Psa 20:5), the prince (Psa 20:6), both together (Psa 20:7, Psa 20:8), and so he concludes with a prayer to God for audience (Psa 20:9). In this, David may well be looked upon as a type of Christ, to whose kingdom and its interests among men the church was, in every age, a hearty well-wisher. To the chief musician. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 20 To the chief Musician, a Psalm of David. This psalm is thought, by some, to be written by David, on account of himself, and as a form to be used by the people for him, when he was about to go to war; particularly with the Ammonites and Syrians, Sa2 10:6; mention being made of chariots in it, Psa 20:7; of which there was a great number in that war: Arama thinks it was made by him when he got the victory over the Philistines; others think it was written by one of the singers on David's account, and should be rendered, "a psalm, for David", as Psa 72:1, but rather it is a psalm concerning David; concerning the Messiah, whose name is David; or a psalm of David concerning the Messiah, since he is expressly mentioned, Psa 20:6; and Aben Ezra says, there are some that interpret it of the Messiah; and some passages in it are, by Jewish writers (m), applied unto him, as Psa 20:6; and our countryman, Mr. Ainsworth, says, the whole psalm is a prophecy of Christ's sufferings, and his deliverance out of them, for which the church with him triumphs. Theodoret takes it to be a prophecy of Sennacherib's invasion of Judea, and of Rabshakeh's blasphemy, and of Hezekiah's distress and prayer on that account. (m) Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 18. 1. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 44. 2.

They are brought down and fallen,.... These are they that rode in chariots and on horses, and trusted in them; who are brought down from their places of honour and safety; and fall, not into the hands of their enemies, and into a low and mean estate, but to the ground by death; as also such who, being like Capernaum, lifted up to heaven with their own outward attainments, and think to get thither by them, are brought down to hell, and fall into the pit of corruption; but we are risen, and stand upright; who remember the name of the Lord, and trust in him; the church is sometimes in a very low and depressed condition; it consists of a poor and an afflicted people, and who are persecuted by men; so the church has been under the Heathen Roman emperors, and under the Papacy, and will be as long as she is in the wilderness, and the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth; and especially when they will be slain, and their bodies lie on the earth unburied; but these shall rise and stand upright, and ascend to heaven; there will be a glorious state of the church; there will be a reviving of the interest of Christ, through the bringing in the fulness and forces of the Gentiles, and the conversion of the Jews; the dry bones will live again, and stand upon their feet, an exceeding great army; in those days the righteous will flourish and have abundance of peace and prosperity. This may also include the first resurrection, which the saints will have a part in; the dead in Christ will rise first, and will stand before the Lord with confidence, and not be ashamed; when the ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in, the congregation of the righteous; for though these words are expressed in the present tense, because of the certainty of them, they belong to future times; hence the following petitions.

They say these things will happen in the time of the advent of that Savior. Then all the powers of the adversaries and those hidden and secret enemies of God who have turned their backs on the Savior will be laid low. All who receive that Savior will rise from the first fall. Therefore, Simeon says, “Behold, this child is destined to cause the rising and falling of many,” namely, the ruin of his enemies and adversaries and the resurrection of those who, having fallen once, have been rescued by him.

"They have been bound, and fallen" [Psalm 20:8]. And therefore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by "the Romans:" [John 11:48] and rushing violently on the stone of offense and rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope: to whom the blindness in part of Israel has happened, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish their own. "But we are risen, and stand upright." But we, that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones raised up as children to Abraham, [Matthew 3:9] who followed not after righteousness, have attained to it, and are risen; [Romans 9:30] and not by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand upright.

We will rise upright as others are collapsing, because our King is saved, and arising from the dead he ascends into the heavens, and as he sits on the right hand of God the Father he hears us in the day we call him. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Those who trust in human honors have been snared by their own perverse desires and have fallen into the pit of death.

A Christian is said to rise in two senses; first, when he is freed by grace from the death of vices in this life and he continues in God’s grace of justification.… Second, there is also the general resurrection at which the just will receive their eternal rewards. In this passage it is clear that both senses of resurrection are appropriate. For this reason, when he adds “we have been raised,” it is because in any sort of resurrection the faithful arise from their humble status and are elevated to divine rewards.

"They." Here the diverse outcome is set forth, which is the outcome of the wicked. Jerome has "bowed down," and then it is clear, because bowing down is the way to falling, and so the power of the world gradually fails. Or "bound," because temporal goods bind, and especially sinners: Wis. 14: "The creatures of God were made for hatred and as a snare for the feet of the foolish," that is, of sinners. Hence he says, "And they have fallen," because in the end they shall be crushed: Is. 8: "They shall fall and be crushed, and shall be ensnared and captured." Likewise the outcome of power: when he says, "But we have risen up gradually"; Mic. 7: "I have fallen; I shall rise again. When I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light." "And we have been set upright." Just as bowing down is the way to a fall, so being set upright is the way to the rectitude of one's state. And this is in holiness.

David probably composed this Psalm to express the prayers of the pious for his success as at once the head of the Church and nation. Like other compositions of which David in such relations is the subject, its sentiments have a permanent value--the prosperity of Christ's kingdom being involved, as well as typified, in that of Israel and its king. (Psa 20:1-9) hear thee--graciously (Psa 4:1). name of--or manifested perfections, as power, wisdom, &c. defend thee--set thee on high from danger (Psa 9:9; Psa 18:3).

They--that is, who trust in horses, &c. stand upright--literally, "we have straightened ourselves up from our distress and fears."