The big picture
Psalms 20 opens in verse 1 with “The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;”, reaches its middle movement near verse 5 with “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners…”, and closes in verse 9 with “Save, LORD : let the king hear us when we call.” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, hear, name, fulfil, remember. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 9Psalms 20:1-5
1–5: The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob…
Psalms 20:1–5 opens with “The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;” and reaches “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by fulfil, LORD, name.
Psalms 20:1-5
King James Version1The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
2Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
3Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
4Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
5We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
Psalms 20:6-9
6–9: Know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy…
Psalms 20:6–9 opens with “Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the…” and reaches “Save, LORD : let the king hear us when we call.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by LORD, hear, some.
Psalms 20:6-9
King James Version6Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
7Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
8They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
9Save, LORD : let the king hear us when we call.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 20:1 begins with “The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 20:6 forms a natural hinge: “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.”
The final note
Psalms 20:9 leaves the reader with “Save, LORD : let the king hear us when we call.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, hear, name, fulfil, remember, some help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What assumption drives Abraham's deception?
He assumes there is no fear of God in the place and that he will be killed.
How does the chapter expose that assumption?
Abimelech responds seriously to God's warning and confronts Abraham about wrongdoing.
KJV words made clear
- thee
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.