Psalm 20: The Lord's Name

by Tom Brown

PSALM 20:7 – “SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS AND SOME IN HORSES, BUT WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.”

Here, the people of Israel are making a request for God to grant favor to their king. They sing in unison and rally together in a singular plea, “Lord, save our leader!” Yet we can no longer sing this psalm from the same position that they did. That particular request is no longer available to be made because the answer has already been given: the Eternal King, the one and only Messiah of the Lord has come! He has not trusted in chariots and horses, in legions of angels, or in the abuse of his own power. He has faced his enemy head-on with the solitary weapon of faith-fueled obedience to his Father’s every request. The bitter cup of judgment against our sin was poured for him to drink, and because it was his Father’s will, he drank every drop—even unto death. Yet, death could not keep him. For, “The Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.” Christ was crushed under the weight of our sin, and yet he has been vindicated by the saving might of the Almighty God. The resurrection is heaven’s most firm declaration to the souls of this world, “Jesus is the King of the Ages! Jesus is the Messiah! Jesus is God’s Chosen One! Jesus is Lord! No one shall be saved by any other name.”

The people of old sang verse five with hope, but it was hope mingled with uncertainty. Christ’s resurrection from the grave has removed all uncertainty for us and given the Church unending cause for joyous celebration.  Let the banners be raised in our hearts afresh each day! For whatever small skirmishes may yet be won or lost in our daily lives, whatever troubles encompass us or whatever sorrows we shall face, they are—at worst—temporary. Eternal life has been secured for every believing heart through the conquering victory of Christ our King—the war is already won! Nothing in life or death, in heaven or hell, in past or present is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39). “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.”