Sermon Tone Analysis

I’m continuing through the series, Following Jesus Through the Psalms.

Please open your Bibles to Psalm 20.

I’ve names this message, “I’m saved, but where is my trust?”

Let’s begin by reading through our passage this morning.

We see in this Psalm that there is trouble for King David and the nation of Israel.

Nobody here is probably facing anything difficult right?

Our lives are filled with troubles and hardships.

What I want you to think about this morning is answering the question, “Where are you placing your trust?”

What are you really trusting in?

Psalm 20 is written about a ceremony or ritual being performed before a battle.

We don’t know specifically which battle is taking place but it is unimportant to the message of this Psalm.

This is a prayer before a battle, and the following Psalm, 21, is a praise following a battle.

So you’ll want to listen in next week to hear that side of it.

The Psalm begins with intercessory prayer from the people for the King, King David, the LORD’s anointed one.

We come to understand this by reading verses 1-5 and 7-9 in the first person plural.

It’s saying, “we.”

Verse 6 is written in the first person singular.

It’s a declaration by either King David or maybe the High Priest.

The people are praying on behalf of the king for his safety and victory in the coming battle.

There is trouble and the people turn to God.

So there is a ceremony going on before going out to battle.

King David is following the Jewish law of warfare by first offering sacrifices and seeking the direction of God.

It appears that during this ceremony, King David is presently offering the sacrifices and the people are praying on his behalf.

King David is the commander of the military, the leader of the nation, and God’s anointed one.

This is a prophetic Psalm, in that it’s not just speaking about salvation for King David and the nation of Israel, but also points to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who would one day come and fight the ultimate battle.

He fought sin, and death, and Satan and was victorious.

He fought to provide us with the salvation we so graciously cling to.

As we work through this Psalm, you’ll see how we can see the correlation between the LORD providing help then and how He saved through Jesus.

Look with me at verse 1.

There is an emphasis in this Psalm on the name of the Lord.

People often think we are all talking about the same God, and we trust in the same being.

Not true.

This is referring to Yahweh, God’s personal name in His covenant with Israel.

The God of Jacob, Yahweh, is the God of their ancestors and the founder of the nation.

This is who they are praying to in their day of trouble.

The LORD’s name is often referred to.

Psalm 44:5 says,

It’s through God, through His name that victory comes.

King David knew this because he used the LORD’s name against Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45.

By the name of the LORD does victory come.

And we know today that salvation only comes through the name of Jesus.

That is the only way for our sins to be forgiven.

It is the only way to make it to heaven.

Setting us securely on high is portraying a tower or fortress; a place of strength and safety.

King David had placed the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle which was kept in Jerusalem on Mount Zion.

That’s where God was; that’s where He dwelled among His people and from where His help would come.

David is God’s anointed one so he knows that God will deliver him through this.

And when they leave the tabernacle to go to battle, they won’t be going alone for they know that God would be going with them.

They are asking for God to remember their offerings and accept their burnt offering.

This means that all offerings are not found acceptable to Him.

Remember how God refused Cain’s offering.

It must be done correctly and for the right reasons or God will not accept it.

But here we see King David offering the correct sacrifices before going off to battle.

Now there is a ‘Selah’ here.

I’m sure you know by now that this prompts a pause.

There is probably a change in the music so they could think about what they just prayed and sang.

God remember and find your offering acceptable.

Remember that this is prophetic Psalm.

Jesus was also an offering and sacrifice.

He suffered and died for us on the cross, not because of anything He did wrong, but to cover our sin; to pay the debt that we owe.

We was literally the burnt offering and He was indeed found acceptable; the perfect, spotless Lamb of God.

He was the burnt offering; so many times in the Old Testament we read about God’s burning wrath and judgement that is described as an all consuming fire.

Jesus bore that for us, so pause and reflect on that; what Jesus willingly did for us.

This is a request on behalf of the king.

King David had one desire, to defend the people of God.

They are praying that David’s desire be granted.

Here is a wonderful truth: if our desires line up with God’s, we can pray this same prayer in confidence.

He will give us what we ask when we are walking in His way and in His Spirit.

Jesus’ desire was the will of God as He went into battle to accomplish our salvation.

Remember how He struggled in the garden of Gethsemane?

His heart’s desire was that He would fulfill the plan of God.

He prayed, Luke 22:42 “Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

God has given each of us a purpose to fulfill.

Have you ever thought about that?

From the youngest in the room which I believe is my son Jermaine to the oldest; but I won’t embarrass anyone.

God has given all of us a purpose, a plan, a role in His great plan.

Instead of trying to fit God into your plans, what does God want from you? That’s the question we need to be asking.

Jesus submitted to the Father and we should do no less.

Going back to Gethsemane, look at what Jesus said in John 17:4.

God had a plan for Jesus and He wanted Him to complete it.

Paul also had a purpose in life.

Look at what he wrote at the end of his life in 2 Timothy 4:7.

Paul fought the fight of spreading the gospel to the Gentiles, and ran the race that was laid before him, that God had given to him.

We need to feel the same way about our lives.

What is God asking of us?

Let’s go back to the text and look at verse 5.

Here is a confident affirmation of victory before the battle even begins.

They are shouting for joy because of the coming victory and they are setting up banners in the name of their God, Yahweh.

Here we see His personal name mentioned again.

The old Puritan John Trapp said, “Our flags of defiance to the enemy, or our tokens of triumph to God’s glory, who hath given us the victory.”

Isn’t that a great idea, flying flags of defiance towards our enemies!? Jesus Christ is our victory and we should boldly proclaim Him.

Raising banners was a sign of victory.

Moses declared that one of God’s special names was “Yahweh is my Banner” in Exodus 17. Do you remember the account of the Israelites fighting the Amalekites, where Moses sent Joshua out to fight, and he held his staff over his head?

As long as the staff was held up, they were winning the battle.

When his arms got tired, Aaron and Hur had to hold his arms up and the Israelites defeated the Amalekites.

Afterwards Moses built an altar and declared, “The LORD is my banner.”

Now who really won that battle?

Was it by the strength of the men or God?

It was God who won the victory, and Moses recognized it and gave Him the credit by declaring Him his banner.

They are asking the LORD to fulfill all of King David’s petitions.