A Song of David—psalm 20

What a beautiful, profound, and heartwarming prayer Psalm 20:1, 2 is! Just the thought of the God of the universe focusing His commiserations on my infirmities by sending help from His Holy Place is more than my unpretentious mind can understand or even grasp. Is this real? Can this really be real? David had no doubt whatsoever about it. From the deepest recesses of his heart came forth the words of his song. There is a remarkable power in this prayer. But so that the blessing became fully understood and fully personal to the people of Israel, it also needed a visual component to it —especially in the context of the temple, where ritual actions were a focus.

Thus, the lifting of hands by the priest played an important part in the Hebrew worship when blessing the people. It particularly served as a reminder that the fullness of this blessing didn’t precisely come from the human priest but, rather, from the God of heaven, who gives the victory. And I want to think that this practice may have taken its meaning from the battle of Rephidim against the Amalekites, when Aaron and Hur aided Moses by holding up his hands. The lifting of hands by the priest made the worshiper conscious of their hopeless human condition, thus evoking true worship in the worshiper. Our hands are tied up when it comes to our victory over sin and death, for we are completely and fully dependent on God’s favor for our sustenance and our salvation.

When we realize this truth, true worship takes place in our heart.

Our understanding of our infirmities recedes in the fullness of God. Psalm 20 is the paramount of all blessings. It encompasses every holy and precious gift God anxiously desires to bestow upon His earthly children, empathy, good health, benevolence, mercy, richness, forgiveness, and the needed requisites for a dignified life.

David is saying that in Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven.

Olga Valdivia