Pastor Fredo Ramos: As we continue in praying the Psalms, we come to Psalm 20, and I I roll the sleeves up because we're going to work. And so let's read together starting at verse one. May the Lord answer you when you are in distress. May the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices and you accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire Verse five. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our god. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now this I know, the Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with 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. Verse nine, lord, give victory to the king. Answer us when we call.
You might notice by way of reflection the way that many of these lines begin with the word may. May the lord answer you. May he send you help. May he remember. May he give you.
It's almost like a prayer, but a but a benediction, right, which is another way for us to say this is a a prayer of a blessing. Some believe this would have been prayed over David before battle or this would have been prayed over a king before battle. And and that's why it has kind of the connotations of, man, we shout for victory. May God give us victory today. And I love there in verse six where it says God gives victory to his anointed.
And we know that David's great great great grandson Jesus was the anointed one. He is literally the Messiah. And it's in Jesus that we ourselves decide and believe that his victory has now become our victory and what life we have from there today. And it's because of that that we can also consider verse seven. Some trust in chariots and some in horses.
Now if you're in battle, those are those are, forms of technology and power and weaponry that would have helped you win. And all of us today as we begin our day, have the temptation in our hearts to lean on our technology, to lean on our own power, to lean on our own giftings as what we believe will bring us victory. And so let us resolve now in our hearts to know that we trust in the name of the Lord, and it's only in Jesus that we have victory and life today. And so may we resist the the forces of darkness at work that would lead us to trust in our own strength. Because at the end of the day, as beautiful as that chariot is, as as beautiful as your power is and your giftings are, they cannot save you.
And Jesus, we hear you inviting us to be reminded that in you we have victory today. You are the anointed one and it's in you that all of God's promises are yes and amen. And so God may you bless us. We ask God that you would give us open hands and open hearts to receive all the promises from you today, to know that we walk in victory because of Jesus, and so would there be a confidence? Maybe where there's discouragement, would there be confidence and courage in our hearts today?
We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Grace and peace. Stay tuned for Psalm 21.