This is a powerful Verse of Scripture!

It’s part of a prayer, all of Psalm 20 being the “unit,” the “set” of petitions directed to God.

Our Lesson today: “Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.” Again, this is Psalm 20:4.

These two desires are “spoken” to an individual, but will be “prayed” to God on behalf of that man or woman. Can you imagine anyone caring for you that much? “May God … grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.”

Let’s examine the two “halves” of the verse.

First … “Grant thee according to thine own heart.” The Hebrew verb “grant” is “nathan,” meaning “to give, but also “to set up, to establish.” To commit or entrust to a person certain things. The expression “thine own heart” means that person’s “innermost” desires! (I thus surmise that he or she is a very godly person, whose “desires” will be acceptable to God!) And yes, the Bible does make such blanket promises to certain people. For example, Psalm 37:4. “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Wow!

Then the last clause … “Fulfill all thy counsel.” This is almost “make all your words come true!” The verb “fulfill” is “male” in Hebrew. It means “to wholly accomplish!” To fill something “to the brim!” Twice in the King James Version of the Bible this word is translated “overflow!” And it is even rendered “replenish” 7 times!

Powerful!

The noun “counsel” is “etzsah,” meaning “advice.” One’s very “purposes!” And once, but beautifully so, it is written as “advisements.” It is derived from a verb that means “to determine or devise.”

Jesus, in John 15:7, comes close to this idea. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Wow again!

To pray this for a national leader (which may be the case here in Psalm 20) is wise.

To pray it for one’s Pastor may be even more appropriate for the Christian today.

But to pray it for God’s ANOINTED (verse 6 coming up soon) … might mean praying it now for our Saviour, for the Lord Jesus Christ! And I will guarantee you this: the desires of His Heart and the purposes of His Counsel … will be given!

What a verse!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Lord willing, another Lesson tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

OUR CONTINUING STUDY OF PSALM OF PSALM 20 …

The Psalm is a Poem, for sure! Loaded with “parallelism,” perhaps the key mark of Hebrew poetry. David, King of Israel, is praying. Also he’s teaching his people how to pray, his subjects, the citizens of his Country. Instructing them as how to pray for the King! Psalm 20:3 asks the Lord to … “Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.” In other words: “Lord, remember all the King’s Offerings. And please accept his burnt sacrifice.” The parallel construction here is again clearly evident:

“Remember all thy offerings.”

“Accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.”

The lines virtually repeat each other. The verb “to remember” is “zakar,” used 233 times in the Old Testament. It means “to mention, to record, to think upon, to be mindful of,” as well as “not to forget.” The noun “offerings” is “minchah” and probably has the Jewish “meat offering” or “meal offering” in mind. A ritual that celebrates the perfect Life of the coming Son of God, of Jesus! “Lord, be aware that David worships Thee!”

“Remember all thy offerings.”

“Accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.”

Then the verb “accept” is “dashen,” used only 11 times in the Bible! (Big difference between 211 times and just 11 times!) Literally it means “to be fat, to grow fat.” Thus “to accept” the gifts of worship (often including fat meat) that a believer brings to the altar! And the expression “burnt sacrifice” is “olah,” used 289 times in the Scriptures. It’s the basic Hebrew “burnt offering.” Where all the little animal is offered, given to God. Sometimes called “the whole burnt offering.” These two acts of worship, the burnt offering and the meal offering were “basic” to approaching Almighty God in David’s day. And the Lord here in verse 3 has been implored to “smile upon” David’s attempt to worship. Not to turn David away from the altar. To “be pleased” with the King’s reverence. Today, for sure, we have noticed a spiritual prayer. Let’s for a second shift from the time of David … to our current day. How may we be sure God is receiving our worship? Because we come to Him in the name of Jesus! Through the shed Blood of … not a bleating little one year old lamb from a local flock … but of God’s Eternal Lamb, the Virgin-Born and Crucified and Buried and Risen Son of God … Jesus Christ our Lord! Yes, God “hears” us today! In Ephesians 2:18 Paul says of Jesus: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Amen! Jesus is our “Offering!” He is our “Burnt Sacrifice!” He is our “access” to God! Guaranteed!

                                                                                                        — Dr. Mike Bagwell    

WE ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN A STUDY OF PSALM 20, VERSE BY VERSE. YOU CAN READ ALL THE PREVIOUS LESSONS BY “CLICKING”HERE. WE HAVE ARCHIVED EVERY SENTENCE FOR YOU!

NOW … TODAY’S NEW LESSON:

The prayer continues!

In the form of poetic Hebrew parallelism, Psalm 20:2. Here’s the King James Version. “Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.”Two similar requests!

The prayer is not a “direct” petition, directed to the Almighty. It is a statement of prayer, a prayer “request,” told to the person for whom the prayer is being offered.

As in: “May God send you help ….” and … “May the Lord strengthen you as well.” Both these urgings are “prayable” for someone we love, too.

“Send thee help from the sanctuary.”

“Strengthen thee out of Zion.”

I have printed the two halves of our verse in “parallel” fashion.

The “sanctuary” (in Hebrew “qodesh,” a “Holy Place”) is then a Place of “help” for the Believer in Christ. Probably the Temple is in David’s mind here.

And “send” means to lavishly “scatter” handfuls of “encouragement” upon the needy soul! “Help” is “ezer” in Hebrew, “succour.” It etymologically means “to run to a person’s side in order to aid him or her!” 

This was to be prayed for the King of Israel, for David himself!

We might even pray it for our David, the Lord Jesus Christ, especially regarding His future Second Coming!

And I’m absolutely sure we can pray it for the man who is our “Pastor!”

To “strengthen” (in Hebrew “saad”) means “to support, to hold up, to refresh to establish!” And “Zion” (in Hebrew “parched place”) usually refers to the City of Jerusalem. Though it can mean the whole Country.

Prayer for God’s Hand of Might to be upon the person, upon those people, who comprise your prayer list.

They they be not weak!

That they may not quit!

That they might be “strengthened” to this point of assurance, agreeing with Paul the Apostle. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”Philippians 4:13

Amen!

             — Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

You can now read all the Psalm 6 Lessons … by simply “clicking” HERE. You will then automatically be “linked” to the Archive Page named “Psalm 6, Verse by Verse.”

Also … to read all the recently completed Lessons on the “Unusual Parables of the Bible” just visit right HERE on the Website. “Click” and study and enjoy!

And to study any of our other Bible Expositions, visit the SITE MAP Page. There you will find over twelve years of Verse-by-Verse work. Generally speaking, the older lessons are nearer the top of the Page and the newer lessons closer to the bottom.