David’s Prayer for Victory

Text: Psalm 20

Reflection and Question: One of my friends in ministry uses this psalm as the Benediction when he leads worship on Sunday morning. He takes this ancient prayer of the people of Israel for the king to triumph in battle and makes it ours in the 21st century. I easily translate the warnings about taking pride in chariots and horses into warnings about reliance on missiles and helicopters. And every time he asks that God “regard with favor your burnt sacrifices,” I wonder what those might be for me in my life. How do you bring into our time and experience the meaning of this psalm?

Prayer: Holy God, answer us when we call, give us support, grant our hearts’ desire, and fulfill our plans and petitions. We pray in the name of the God of Jacob and Rachel with a shout of joy for all Your blessings on us. Amen.

This meditation is based on the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).