Now this I know:
Psalm 20:6-9
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!
Scripture Notes
King David was so confident that God would answer the prayers of His people that he expressed this confidence in this Psalm. Many times, we may pray and wonder if God is listening. Like David, we can be confident that God can and will answer our prayers. We can have every confidence that our prayers are important to God, and we can trust that He will answer them from a place of great importance, His heavenly sanctuary or throne.
David, as king, had gone through many wars. Over just a few years, David defeated the Philistines, the Moabites, the Syrians of Zobah, the Arameans of Damascus, and the Edomitesin the Valley of Salt (the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea). His kingdom and vassal states now stretch to the River Euphrates (2Sam 8:1-18). Many of these nations relied on the power of their army. They were certain of the speed of their horses, the strength of their chariots, and their men. However, this is not where David put his trust, nor did he base his hope of success on his army. David knew that no matter how many horses and chariots you put on the battlefield, that was not where success came from. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Chariots and horses make an imposing show, and with their rattling, and dust, and fine caparisons, make so great a figure that vain man is much taken with them; yet the discerning eye of faith sees more in an invisible God than in all these.”
David trusted in the first cause, not the second cause. First cause is “God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing of all his creatures, and their actions. We should understand that the first cause and second causes are not on the same plane, nor do they coordinate with one another. But one is most certainly subordinate to the other. The second causes are the forces of nature and the free actions of people whom God created. This is very important. God is not limited to the second causes. Actually, God uses second causes to accomplish what is in accordance with His eternal purpose. Second causes are a means that He employs exactly as He wills (Monergism).
The cause of David’s victories over the many nations was God and God alone. The nations defeated by David’s army relied on and trusted in secondary causes: military might, wealth, and domination. David completely trusted in God for his life, his understanding, and his victories.
In Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” What a great comfort! Trusting in God, we have victory. Jeremiah 17:9 says, The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?” This is a great contrast. When we trust in God, we have victory over the enemies of this world, we are directed on a path of righteousness, and we recognize God’s works in providence. When we rely on our own feelings, possessions, knowledge, and understanding, we can stray off onto a crooked path, one that has us rely less on God and more on ourselves.
We already know that we cannot trust ourselves, as evidenced by Jeremiah 17:9, but trusting in God is most favorable. He is in infinite. He knows all things. He knows us better than we know ourselves. We are finite. Our knowledge is limited. We cannot fully trust ourselves, but we can certainly trust in our Prophet, Priest, and King – Jesus, as well as our Father who is in heaven, who has our best interests at heart. He loved us enough to send His Son to be sacrificed for our sins so that we might be saved. If He can do that, how much more can we trust Him with our lives, battles, and our trials? When we humble ourselves before God, we will see more clearly His work in our lives, giving Him worship for being our source of strength.
By P.D. Deckard
MEMORY VERse
Italian, Veronese. Battle between Romans and Barbarians, Late 16th century. The Art Institute of Chicago
Related Verses
More verses about confidence in God:
Prayer Invitation
Application Questions
- Instead of military might, consider what modern resources, talents, or institutions you look to for answers?
- Do you find yourself trusting in financial assets, physical strength, personal intellect, or professional status more than God?
- How could you be more willing to trust more in God than yourself?
- How can you embrace a posture of confidence and security in the Lord, even when facing uncertainties or setbacks?
MANÁ 
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