God Save the King – Psalm 20

How do you pray for your nation’s leader?  This prayer of David’s could be a good guide to prayer for our President, here in the U.S.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!   May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!  May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!  May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!  May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!  May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.  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.

O LORD, save the king!   May he answer us when we call.  (Psalm 20 ESV)

The people used this psalm to pray for their king, that in a day in which he faced enemy nations Yahweh would deliver him and his army.  Having offered sacrifices to Yahweh for sin and to express devotion, they looked for His favor in the field and hoped to raise their army’s banners in victory.  They were confident that Yahweh would deliver His anointed one, the king, because they trusted in His promise to bless the work of the king’s hand, and because their trust was not in their army but in God’s power.  “God,” they prayed, “save the king!”  We pray for our leaders as well, because they represent us and their victory is our victory, and because God commands us to pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1,2).