Faithful on Fridays Blog

Psalm 20:6-9

As we arrive at the close of this intercessory prayer from the people for the king there’s a definite twist; David began to respond. He must’ve written the prayers of the people since he’s the author, however he writes that now he knows that Yahweh, the LORD who desires relationship with us, saves, delivers, heals, and rescues His anointed. He’d been physically anointed by the prophet Samuel years before as the future king, but now that promise is fulfilled … and yet he still needs intercessory prayer. 

David acknowledged his anointing and made a declaration of faith that God will answer his prayers with His great power and authority (His right hand). Someone who’s anointed by God has a specific position in the Kingdom of God such as prophets, priests, and kings in the Old Testament, but it’s true for us in the church as well. As believers in Jesus Christ our anointing of the Spirit remains in us (1 John 2:20, 27), giving us that knowledge as He teaches us to discern what’s right and wrong in our lives. David was having adversarial troubles, opposition in his reign, so the people stepped up, and now his confidence has increased: he experienced the LORD in a new way through the prayers of others.

Our pastors and church leaders are also anointed by the Holy Spirit to help us learn, grow, and experience God every week; it’s our role to cover them in prayer so they accomplish God’s plans. They also experience spiritual warfare needing help and support, and people who will become their ‘middle man’. 

David recognized that leaders can fall into the trap of trusting the world’s ways of handling problems, conversely, he declared his trust in God’s character expressed in His names. He’s their provider, defender, counselor, and strategist among so many names, and because of the prayers of the people his trust in Yahweh has deepened. David won’t rely on military strategy, chariots and horses, since he knows they’ll eventually fall in collapsing defeat; his reliance is on the LORD who causes His leaders to rise and stand confidently in position. 

Our church leaders deserve prayer warriors who’ll pray this warfare prayer, Psalm 20, in their time of trouble, but also committing to daily or weekly prayer so they’re prepared when that troublesome time arrives. As a prayerful people let’s not always be ‘putting out fires’, being reactive, but get ahead of the enemy’s fiery darts, proactive, with shields of faith in position for our pastors and leaders.

David closed this Psalm with a bookend; he repeats verse one so we hear it again. 

“May He answer us when we call.”

He changed the people’s cry for him (vs. 1) to us in full assurance that God will indeed respond to them: he’s experienced a spiritual strengthening. 

Let’s show love and care for our leaders by surrounding them with warfare prayer during their times of trouble, but more importantly, committing to regularly praying for them.