Psalm 20 (19):7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Humiliation and Exaltation Those who possess worldly wisdom may perceive that the clouds often hover near the peaks of mountains, prompting them to ascend these heights in hopes of drawing nearer to the Divine. Do you desire your prayers to reach God? Then humble yourself. To clarify, when we ask ‘Do you want your prayer to touch God? Humble yourself,’ we do not mean this in the literal sense of descending into dark places—just as one should not seek merely the summit of mountains. Let your humility reside within your spirit, and God will lift you up. He will come to you and dwell in your heart.

Now I am aware that the Lord has delivered His Anointed One. As someone who has received enlightenment from the Spirit, he comprehends the mystery of the Resurrection. By the might of His right hand, salvation is within reach. He has redeemed us by revealing His mighty deeds. For here, He allows us to grasp that He also bestows works upon those who approach Him through the strength of His right hand. The term ‘right hand’ is employed again in a human context to signify the omnipotence of God.

I have come to understand that the Lord has rescued Christ: He will respond to Him from the heights of His sacred dwelling. This reveals to us through the very occurrences that our King, by placing His faith in God, will receive deliverance, and through His supplications in the earthly sanctuary, divine assistance will be granted from above. The Prophet's mention of praying in the earthly temple emphasizes that aid is dispatched from on high. "With the might of the salvation of His right hand," for the strongest force for salvation is indeed the might of His right hand, which He extends to those who approach Him. Here, the Prophet again employs the term "right hand" in anthropomorphic terms to indicate the Divine power at work.

Now I recognize that the Lord has delivered His Anointed. These words were declared by one of Hezekiah's companions upon receiving revelation from the Holy Spirit that the Lord would rescue him, for the Anointed One is here referred to as the king, chosen and consecrated with the holy oil. He will respond to him from His sacred dwelling in heaven. The speaker asserts that God will indeed hear the king, who resides in heaven and has sanctified the temple; hence, there are times when prayers are made for God’s response from heaven and at other times specifically from the temple. Heaven is referred to as holy, symbolizing the divine abode of God.

Eternal salvation is thus acknowledged as our source of strength. This salvation is unaffected by illness or overwhelmed by grief; rather, it empowers us and sustains us through its everlasting nature.

The Psalmist perceives, as if for the first time, that the Lord safeguards His Anointed, protects Him, and delivers Him: ‘Now,’ he declares, ‘I know that the Lord has saved His Christ’ (Psalm 19:7). The angel heralds Christ, who is indeed the Lord Himself—Christ, the chosen one of God, whom, as another prophet states, God ‘anointed to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and recovery of sight for the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair’ (Is.

This passage offers congratulations through which the faithful express their recognition of God's grace in safeguarding the king's well-being. It emphasizes that God's very intervention affirms that the kingdom of David endures by divine strength, rooted in His covenant. By invoking the name of Christ, the Anointed One, David is honored, allowing the faithful to understand that their sovereign is appointed by God Himself, validated through a sacred anointing. With this knowledge, reflecting on the various dangers and adversities from which God rescued David, they attribute his safety to divine favor. Furthermore, they highlight that God exalted him by providing protection and ordained him as king for his righteous attributes.

Psalm 19 serves as a heartfelt plea from the entire nation of Israel, as depicted in verse 8, where the people are unified in purpose. They ask for divine favor to grant victory to their king, who is preparing to confront formidable foes. It remains unclear if this psalm was composed for a specific event, such as preceding the conflicts with the Ammonites, or if it was designated for occasions of warfare in general. What is certain is that it was intended to be sung at the tabernacle, during sacrificial offerings, and in the presence of the king as he prepared for battle. The people seek God’s attention for their king, who is praying and making sacrifices, asking Him to respond to their pleas in his time of trouble. In times of sorrow, God graciously accepts such offerings.

Through the redemptive suffering of Christ’s death and resurrection, humanity finds a listening ear in God. The prophet, guided by the Spirit, discerned that God the Father would deliver His people, and this promise is embodied in the Messiah, who is anointed with the Holy Spirit. In His name, individuals are consecrated with the tranquility of holy baptism unto salvation. God the Father acknowledges the intercessions of our Lord Christ, both from earth and His celestial abode, where He is exalted at the right hand of the Father, advocating on our behalf. The hand of Christ, representing the omnipotent grace He extends, is essential, for without it, a person cannot perform good deeds or attain salvation; this realization comes not from our own merits but is a gift from God (2 Cor. 3:5).