서론
無標題
英文原文
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, Ps 20:1-4. II. With what assurance they beg it. The people triumph (Ps 20:5), the prince (Ps 20:6), both together (Ps 20:7,8), and so he concludes with a prayer to God for audience, Ps 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.
1-5
Petitions against Sin
為王抵擋仇敵的祈求
交與伶長。大衛的詩。
¹ 願耶和華在你遭難的日子應允你；願名為雅各神的至高者高舉你。
² 願祂從聖所救助你，從錫安堅固你；
³ 記念你的一切素祭，悅納你的燔祭。細拉。
⁴ 將你心所願的賜給你，成就你的一切籌算。
⁵ 我們要因祢的救恩誇勝，奉我們神的名豎立旌旗。願耶和華成就你一切所求的。
這篇為大衛作的禱告，標題稱為大衛的詩；他既受神默示，為會眾編寫一份為自己和他手下掌權者禱告的指引或禱文格式，這並非荒唐之事；相反，那些渴望朋友代禱的人，理當特別告訴他們要為自己向神求甚麼。請注意，即便是偉大而善良的人，即便是那些極懂得為自己禱告的人，也不可輕看，反倒當懇切羨慕別人為他們禱告——即使是那些在各樣都不及他們的人。保羅常請求朋友為他禱告。掌權的長官理當看重並鼓勵禱告的人，看他們為自己的力量（亞12:5,10），又當盡力為他們做事，好使自己有分於他們的禱告，並且不做任何事使之失落。現在我們當注意，
一、他們受教要為君王向神求甚麼。
1. 求神應允他的禱告：願耶和華在你遭難的日子應允你（詩20:1），又願耶和華成就你一切所求的，詩20:5。請注意，(1) 即便是最大的人物也可能多經患難。大衛自己常有遭難的日子——失望與困苦、踐踏與窘困的日子。他頭上的冠冕、他心中的恩典，都不能使他免於患難。(2) 即便是最大的人物也當多禱告。大衛雖然事務繁忙、雖是爭戰之人，卻堅守他的靈修；他雖有先知、祭司和許多敬虔的臣民為他禱告，卻不認為這就可以免了他自己禱告的本分。凡能為自己禱告卻忽略不為的人，不要指望從教會、或牧者、或朋友的代禱中得益。別人為我們的禱告，當羨慕，不是要取代，而是要扶持我們為自己的禱告。那有禱告之君王的百姓是有福的——他們可以對君王的禱告說「阿們」。
2. 求神在戰爭的危險中保護他的人身、保全他的性命：「願名為雅各神的高舉你——保護你，使你超出仇敵所能及的範圍。」(1) 「願神以護理保守你安全——就是那在雅各遭難之日保守了雅各的神。」大衛雖有勇士作衛兵，他卻將自己交託、百姓也將他交託於全能神的看顧。(2) 「願神以恩典保守你安穩，脫離對禍患的恐懼。」——箴18:10：耶和華的名是堅固臺，義人憑信心奔入其中便得安穩；願大衛能如他素常所行的那樣，蒙扶持藏身於這堅固臺中。
3. 求神使他能在為公眾利益所從事的事上繼續前進——在爭戰之日，願祂從聖所救助你，從錫安堅固你——不是從尋常的護理，而是從約櫃、從神對祂選民以色列所懷的特殊恩寵。願祂成就應許、應允在聖所中所獻的禱告來幫助他。從聖所而出的憐憫是最甘美的憐憫——那是神特殊之愛的憑據，是我們自己神的賜福。從錫安而出的力量是屬靈的力量——在靈魂裡、在裡面之人裡的力量；這正是我們在事奉和受苦中最當為自己、為別人所渴慕的。
4. 求神悅納他在禱告中所獻的祭——按照當時的律法，在他出發進行危險遠征之前所獻的祭：願耶和華記念你的一切素祭，悅納你的燔祭（詩20:3），或作「使它化為灰燼」——就是說：「願耶和華將你帶著祭物藉禱告所求的勝利和成功賜給你，並藉此向你顯明祂悅納你的祭物，正如祂從前從天上降火點燃祭物那樣確鑿。」我們如今可以這樣知道神悅納我們屬靈的祭：祂若藉著祂的靈在我們靈魂中點燃敬虔屬天之情的聖火，並藉此使我們的心燃燒起來。
5. 求神以所願的成功加冕他為公眾福祉所經營的一切事業和高尚設計（詩20:4）：願耶和華將你心所願的賜給你。他們可以憑信心如此求，因為他們知道大衛是合神心意的人，他所設計的無非是神所喜悅的事。那些以榮耀神為業的人，可以期望神無論如何都使他們得著滿足；那些行在祂謀略中的人，可以指望祂成就他們的謀略。「你籀謀一件事，它必為你成立。」
二、他們對自己和賢王這些請求得著平安的答覆有何等的確信（詩20:5）：我們要因祢的救恩誇勝。我們作臣民的，要因君王的保全和昌盛而歡喜；或者更恰當地說：「神啊，我們要因祢的救恩誇勝——因祢施行拯救的大能和應許；這正是我們如今所倚靠的，也是我們在結局中必大有理由歡喜的。」那些始終仰望耶和華拯救的人，必心中滿了那拯救的喜樂：我們要奉我們神的名豎立旌旗。1. 「我們要奉祂的名爭戰；我們要看明我們的事業是正義的，在每一次出征中以祂的榮耀為目標；我們要在祂口中求謀略，把祂帶在我們身邊；我們要隨從祂的引導，懇求祂的幫助並倚靠它，並把結局交託給祂。」大衛正是奉萬軍之耶和華的名去攻擊歌利亞，撒上17:45。(2) 「我們要奉祂的名慶祝我們的得勝。當我們高舉旌旗、樹立勝利紀念之時，那必是奉我們神的名；祂要得著我們一切成功的全部榮耀，任何器皿都不可分享本當歸給祂的尊榮。」
我們唱這詩時，理當向神獻上對我們所處善政及其昌盛的誠心祝願。但我們還可以看得更遠；這些為大衛所作的禱告，乃是指著大衛的子孫基督的預言，並在祂裡面豐豐富富地得了應驗——祂承擔了我們救贖之工，向黑暗的權勢宣戰。在祂心裡甚是憂傷的遭難之日，耶和華聽了祂，在祂所敬畏之中聽了祂（來5:7），從聖所救助了祂——差遣天使從天上來加添祂的力量；在祂將自己的魂作為贖罪祭獻上之時，神也垂顧了祂的祭物，悅納了祂的燔祭，使它化為灰燼——那本當落在罪人身上的火，落在了祭物之上，神在此之上大大喜悅。祂又將祂心所願的賜給祂，使祂看見自己勞苦的功效，便心滿意足，使祂所喜悅的在祂手中亨通，成就了祂為自己和我們所求的一切；因為父總是聽祂，祂的代求也總是有效。
英文原文
Petitions against Sin
To the chief musician. A psalm of David.
¹ The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
² Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
³ Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
⁴ Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
⁵ We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
This prayer for David is entitled a psalm of David; nor was it any absurdity at all for him who was divinely inspired to draw up a directory, or form of prayer, to be used in the congregation for himself and those in authority under him; nay it is very proper for those who desire the prayers of their friends to tell them particularly what they would have to be asked of God for them. Note, Even great and good men, and those that know ever so well how to pray for themselves, must not despise, but earnestly desire, the prayers of others for them, even those that are their inferiors in all respects. Paul often begged of his friends to pray for him. Magistrates and those in power ought to esteem and encourage praying people, to reckon them their strength (Zec 12:5,10), and to do what they can for them, that they may have an interest in their prayers and may do nothing to forfeit it. Now observe here,
I. What it is that they are taught to ask of God for the king.
1. That God would answer his prayers: The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble (Ps 20:1), and the Lord fulfil all thy petitions, Ps 20:5. Note, (1.) Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. It was often a day of trouble with David himself, of disappointment and distress, of treading down and of perplexity. Neither the crown on his head nor the grace in his heart would exempt him from the trouble. (2.) Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. David, though a man of business, a man of war, was constant to his devotions; though he had prophets, and priests, and many good people among his subjects, to pray for him, he did not think that excused him from praying for himself. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or of their ministers or friends for them, who are capable of praying for themselves, and yet neglect it. The prayers of others for us must be desired, not to supersede, but to second, our own for ourselves. Happy the people that have praying princes, to whose prayers they may thus say, Amen.
2. That God would protect his person, and preserve his life, in the perils of war: "The name of the God of Jacob defend thee, and set thee out of the reach of thy enemies." (1.) "Let God by his providence keep thee safe, even the God who preserved Jacob in the days of his trouble." David had mighty men for his guards, but he commits himself, and his people commit him, to the care of the almighty God. (2.) "Let God by his grace keep thee easy from the fear of evil.—Pr 18:10, The name of the Lord is a strong tower, into which the righteous run by faith, and are safe; let David be enabled to shelter himself in that strong tower, as he has done many a time."
3. That God would enable him to go on in his undertakings for the public good—that, in the day of battle, he would send him help out of the sanctuary, and strength out of Zion, not from common providence, but from the ark of the covenant and the peculiar favour God bears to his chosen people Israel. That he would help him, in performance of the promises and in answer to the prayers made in the sanctuary. Mercies out of the sanctuary are the sweetest mercies, such as are the tokens of God's peculiar love, the blessing of God, even our own God. Strength out of Zion is spiritual strength, strength in the soul, in the inward man, and that is what we should most desire both for ourselves and others in services and sufferings.
4. That God would testify his gracious acceptance of the sacrifices he offered with his prayers, according to the law of that time, before he went out on a dangerous expedition: The Lord remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt-sacrifices (Ps 20:3), or turn them to ashes; that is, "The Lord give thee the victory and success which thou didst by prayer with sacrifices ask of him, and thereby give as full proof of his acceptance of the sacrifice as ever he did by kindling it with fire from heaven." By this we may now know that God accepts our spiritual sacrifices, if by his Spirit he kindles in our souls a holy fire of pious and divine affection and with that makes our hearts burn within us.
5. That God would crown all his enterprises and noble designs for the public welfare with the desired success (Ps 20:4): The Lord grant thee according to thy own heart. This they might in faith pray for, because they knew David was a man after God's own heart, and would design nothing but what was pleasing to him. Those who make it their business to glorify God may expect that God will, in one way or other, gratify them: and those who walk in his counsel may promise themselves that he will fulfil theirs. Thou shalt devise a thing and it shall be established unto thee.
II. What confidence they had of an answer of peace to these petitions for themselves and their good king (Ps 20:5): "We will rejoice in thy salvation. We that are subjects will rejoice in the preservation and prosperity of our prince;" or, rather, "In thy salvation, O God! in thy power and promise to save, will we rejoice; that is it which we depend upon now, and which, in the issue, we shall have occasion greatly to rejoice in." Those that have their eye still upon the salvation of the Lord shall have their hearts filled with the joy of that salvation: In the name of our God will we set up our banners. 1. "We will wage war in his name; we will see that our cause be good and make his glory our end in every expedition; we will ask counsel at his mouth, and take him along with us; we will follow his direction, implore his aid and depend upon it, and refer the issue to him." David went against Goliath in the name of the Lord of hosts, 1Sa 17:45. (2.) "We will celebrate our victories in his name. When we lift up our banners in triumph, and set up our trophies, it shall be in the name of our God; he shall have all the glory of our success, and no instrument shall have any part of the honour that is due to him."
In singing this we ought to offer up to God our hearty good wishes to the good government we are under and to the prosperity of it. But we may look further; these prayers for David are prophecies concerning Christ the Son of David, and in him they were abundantly answered; he undertook the work of our redemption, and made war upon the powers of darkness. In the day of trouble, when his soul was exceedingly sorrowful, the Lord heard him, heard him in that he feared (Heb 5:7), sent him help out of the sanctuary, sent an angel from heaven to strengthen him, took cognizance of his offering when he made his soul an offering for sin, and accepted his burnt-sacrifice, turned it to ashes, the fire that should have fastened upon the sinner fastening upon the sacrifice, with which God was well pleased. And he granted him according to his own heart, made him to see of the travail of his soul, to his satisfaction, prospered his good pleasure in his hand, fulfilled all his petitions for himself and us; for him the Father heareth always and his intercession is ever prevailing.
6-9
The Subject's Prayer for the Sovereign
臣民為君王的禱告
⁶ 現在我知道耶和華拯救他的受膏者；必從他的聖天上應允他，用右手拯救的能力救護他。 ⁷ 有人靠車，有人靠馬；但我們要題起耶和華我們神的名。 ⁸ 他們都屈身仆倒；我們卻起來，立得正直。 ⁹ 耶和華啊，求你拯救；我們呼求的時候，願王應允我們。
在這裏， I. 聖潔的大衛自己，因他得著了敬虔之人的代禱這份情誼而歡欣（詩20:6）：「現在我知道（我這寫詩篇的人知道）耶和華拯救他的受膏者」，因為他激動了雅各子孫的心為他禱告。請注意，對任何君王和百姓而言，當神將禱告的靈傾倒在他們身上時，這是個好兆頭，也可正當地視為美滿的預兆。他若看見我們尋求他，他必被我們尋見；他若使我們對他的話存盼望，他也必向我們堅立他的話。如今既有這麼多在天上有份的人為他代禱，他便不疑惑神必聽允他、賜他平安的答覆；這答覆將： 1. 從上頭發起：他必從他的聖天上應允他——這聖天正是聖所所預表的（來9:23），是他在天上所預備的寶座，正是施恩座所預表的。 2. 在下面發生功效：他必用右手拯救的能力應允他；他必給他和他朋友的禱告一個真實的答覆——不是藉著書信，也不是藉著口傳，而是（這更好得多）藉著他的右手，藉著他右手拯救的能力。他必藉著他為他所行的事，顯明他聽允了他。
II. 他的百姓因神、並因他們與神的關係、以及神向他們的啟示而歡欣；他們藉此將自己與那些在世上沒有神的人分別出來。 1. 看屬世之人與屬神之人在所信靠的事上的分別（詩20:7）。今世之子倚靠次要的因，以為只要這些向他們微笑，一切便都好了；他們靠車靠馬，能把越多戰車馬兵帶上戰場，便越有把握在戰爭中得勝。大衛在此大概是指著亞蘭人說的，他們的軍隊多半由戰車和馬兵組成，正如我們在大衛戰勝他們的歷史中所見的（撒下8:4，10:18）。但以色列人說：「我們既沒有車馬可倚靠，也不需要它們；即使有，我們也不會把得勝的盼望建立在其上；但我們要題起、並倚靠耶和華我們神的名——題起我們與他作為耶和華我們神所站的關係，並題起我們藉他的名對他的認識」，就是他藉以顯明自己的一切；這些我們都要記念，並在每次記念時得著鼓勵。請注意，以神和他的名為自己讚美的人，也可以神和他的名為自己的倚靠。 2. 看他們所信靠之事的結局有何分別——我們當憑此判斷選擇的智慧；事情的結果證明其本質；看誰要因自己的信靠蒙羞，誰不至蒙羞（詩20:8）。「那些倚靠車馬的人已經屈身仆倒；他們的車馬非但不能拯救他們，反而助長了他們的傾覆，使他們更易成為征服者手中更豐富的擄物（撒下8:4）。但我們這些倚靠耶和華我們神之名的人，不僅立得正直、守住陣地，更是興起、向仇敵得著了地土，並勝過了他們。」請注意，對神和他的名存著信而順服的信靠，是晉升與堅立、興起與站立正直最穩妥的途徑；當受造之物所信靠的失敗之時，這信靠必成為我們的幫助。
III. 他們以一句「和散那」結束為王的禱告——「主啊，求你如今拯救我們！」（詩20:9）。這節經文照我們所讀的，可理解為求神不僅賜福君王——「耶和華啊，求你拯救，使他亨通」——更求神使他成為他們的祝福：「我們呼求的時候，願王應允我們」，無論是為公正還是為憐憫。凡想從官長得益處的人，都當這樣為他們禱告；因為他們與一切受造之物一樣，對我們而言只是（也僅僅是）神使他們成為的那樣。或者這話也可指著彌賽亞、那位君王、萬王之王說的；願我們呼求時他應允我們；願他照著應許、在所定的時候來到我們這裏；願他作為偉大的代求者，收納我們一切的祈求並呈獻於父面前。但許多譯者對這節經文作了另一種讀法，就是改變停頓的位置——「主啊，求你拯救王，在我們呼求時應允我們」；如此這節便是全篇詩的摘要，也被採入我們英文的《公禱書》之中：「主啊，求你拯救王，在我們呼求你時，以憐憫應允我們。」
我們唱詩20:6-9時，當激勵自己信靠神，並盡我們當盡的本分，懇切地為在上有權柄的人禱告，使我們可以在我們的主裏、在敬虔與端正中，過安靜和平的生活。
英文原文
The Subject's Prayer for the Sovereign
⁶ Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
⁹ Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.
Here is, I. Holy David himself triumphing in the interest he had in the prayers of good people (Ps 20:6): "Now know I (I that pen the psalm know it) that the Lord saveth his anointed, because he hath stirred up the hearts of the seed of Jacob to pray for him." Note, It bodes well to any prince and people, and may justly be taken as a happy presage, when God pours upon them a spirit of prayer. If he see us seeking him, he will be found of us; if he cause us to hope in his word, he will establish his word to us. Now that so many who have an interest in heaven are praying for him he doubts not but that God will hear him, and grant him an answer of peace, which will, 1. Take its rise from above: He will hear him from his holy heaven, of which the sanctuary was a type (Heb 9:23), from the throne he hath prepared in heaven, of which the mercy-seat was a type. 2. It shall take its effect here below: He will hear him with the saving strength of his right hand; he will give a real answer to his prayers, and the prayers of his friends for him, not by letter, nor by word of mouth, but, which is much better, by his right hand, by the saving strength of his right hand. He will make it to appear that he hears him by what he does for him.
II. His people triumphing in God and their relation to him, and his revelation of himself to them, by which they distinguish themselves from those that live without God in the world. 1. See the difference between worldly people and godly people, in their confidences, Ps 20:7. The children of this world trust in second causes, and think all is well if those do but smile upon them; they trust in chariots and in horses, and the more of them they can bring into the field the more sure they are of success in their wars; probably David has here an eye to the Syrians, whose forces consisted much of chariots and horsemen, as we find in the history of David's victories over them, 2Sa 8:4,10:18. "But," say the Israelites, "we neither have chariots and horses to trust to nor do we want them, nor, if we had them, would we build our hopes of success upon that; but we will remember, and rely upon, the name of the Lord our God, upon the relation we stand in to him as the Lord our God and the knowledge we have of him by his name," that is, all that whereby he makes himself known; this we will remember and upon every remembrance of it will be encouraged. Note, those who make God and his name their praise may make God and his name their trust. 2. See the difference in the issue of their confidences and by that we are to judge of the wisdom of the choice; things are as they prove; see who will be ashamed of their confidence and who not, Ps 20:8. "Those that trusted in their chariots and horses are brought down and fallen, and their chariots and horses were so far from saving them that they helped to sink them, and made them the easier and the richer prey to the conqueror, 2Sa 8:4. But we that trust in the name of the Lord our God not only stand upright, and keep our ground, but have risen, and have got ground against the enemy, and have triumphed over them." Note, A believing obedient trust in God and his name is the surest way both to preferment and to establishment, to rise and to stand upright, and this will stand us in stead when creature-confidences fail those that depend upon them.
III. They conclude their prayer for the king with a Hosanna, "Save, now, we beseech thee, O Lord!" Ps 20:9. As we read this verse, it may be taken as a prayer that God would not only bless the king, "Save, Lord, give him success," but that he would make him a blessing to them, "Let the king hear us when we call to him for justice and mercy." Those that would have good of their magistrates must thus pray for them, for they, as all other creatures, are that to us (and no more) which God makes them to be. Or it may refer to the Messiah, that King, that King of kings; let him hear us when we call; let him come to us according to the promise, in the time appointed; let him, as the great Master of requests, receive all our petitions and present them to the Father. But many interpreters give another reading of this verse, by altering the pause, Lord, save the king, and hear us when we call; and so it is a summary of the whole psalm and is taken into our English Liturgy; O Lord! save the king, and mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
In singing Ps 20:6-9 we should encourage ourselves to trust in God, and stir up ourselves to pray earnestly, as we are in duty bound, for those in authority over us, that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.
神的旨意，是要人特別為君王和一切在位的懇求、禱告、代求、祝謝。本篇是為君王的禱告，下一篇則是為君王的感恩。大衛是一位尚武的君王，多經戰事。本篇或是因他某次特殊出征而寫，或是作為教會每日為他服事時所通用的一種禮文。在本篇中我們可注意：一、他們為君王向神求甚麼（詩二十1-4）。二、他們以何等的確據來祈求。百姓歡呼（詩二十5），君王也歡呼（詩二十6），兩者一同歡呼（詩二十7、8），於是他以向神求告蒙允作結（詩二十9）。在此，大衛可恰當地被視為基督的預表——教會在歷代都是祂國度及其在人中利益的全心祝願者。