Psalm 20

This article is aboutPsalm 20in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. ForPsalm 20in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, seePsalm 21.

Psalm 20
"The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble"
Psalms 20-21 in Biblia Hebraica Kittel (1909)
Other name	"Exaudiat te Dominus"
Text	attributed toDavid
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 20
←Psalm 19 Psalm 21→
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 20is the 20th psalm of theBook of Psalms,beginning in English in theKing James Version:"The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble". The Book of Psalms is part of thethird sectionof theHebrew Bible,and a book of theChristianOld Testament.In the slightly different numbering system used in the GreekSeptuagintand LatinVulgatetranslations of the Bible, this psalm isPsalm 19.In Latin, it is known by theincipit,"Exaudiat te Dominus".The psalm is attributed toDavid.This psalm and thefollowing oneare closely related: they are bothliturgicalpsalms: the first is an intercession, the second is a thanksgiving; in both, the king is the prominent figure.

Psalm 20 is used in both Jewish and Christian liturgies. It has often been set to music.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew textof the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon theJPS 1917translation (now in thepublic domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃‎	For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
2	יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֭הֹוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה יְ֝שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֤ם ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַעֲקֹֽב׃‎	The LORD answer thee in the day of trouble; The name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;
3	יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃‎	Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, And support thee out of Zion;
4	יִזְכֹּ֥ר כׇּל־מִנְחֹתֶ֑ךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ֖ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃‎	Receive the memorial of all thy meal-offerings, And accept the fat of thy burnt-sacrifice; Selah
5	יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכׇל־עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃‎	Grant thee according to thine own heart, And fulfil all thy counsel.
6	נְרַנְּנָ֤ה ׀ בִּ֘ישׁ֤וּעָתֶ֗ךָ וּבְשֵֽׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה כׇּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ׃‎	We will shout for joy in thy victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our standards; The LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
7	עַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ׀ יְהֹוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ יַ֭עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ בִּ֝גְבֻר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ׃‎	Now know I that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the mighty acts of His saving right hand.
8	אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃‎	Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will make mention of the name of the LORD our God.
9	הֵ֭מָּה כָּרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֝֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד׃‎	They are bowed down and fallen; But we are risen, and stand upright.
10	יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קׇרְאֵֽנוּ׃‎	Save, LORD; Let the King answer us in the day that we call

King James Version

1. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
2. Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
3. Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
4. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
5. We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
6. Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
7. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
8. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
9. Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

History

In theInternational Critical Commentaryseries,CharlesandEmilie Briggssuggest that it was written during the reign ofJehoshaphat.

Usage

In Jewish prayer

The 70 words in this psalm may reference the 70 years of exile between the first and second temples, or as suggested in the Zohar, the 70 cries of pain associated withchild birth.It has been inserted into daily prayer following the loss of the second temple to symbolize the somber period prior to the construction of the third temple.

It is used inJewish prayerin several ways:

• The psalm is recited daily in most communities. In Sephardic communities (as well as some Hassidic communities, including Chabad), it is omitted on any day thatTachnunis omitted. On Ashkenazic communities, it is omitted only onShabbat,Yom Tov,Rosh Chodesh,Chol Hamoed,Tisha B'Av,Hanukkah,Purim,Shushan Purim,the 14th and 15th ofAdar I,and ErevYom Kippurand ErevPassover(some communities, such as Frankfurt Am Main, omit it also on the day proceeding every Festival and the day immediately following a festival (Isru Chag)). In this context it is known asLamenatzeiach(the first word of the psalm in Hebrew), and is recited betweenAshreiandUva Letziyontoward the end ofShacharit.In the Italian rite, it is recited as part of long Tachnun (recited on Mondays and Thursdays), but it is never recited between Ashrei and Uva Letziyon.
• Verses 2 and 10 are part of the opening paragraph of the longTachanunrecited on Mondays and Thursdays.
• Verse 10 is the 11th verse ofV'hu RachuminPesukei Dezimra,is the final verse ofYehi Kivodin Pesukei Dezimra,is found inUva Letzion,is the second of two verses recited as an introduction atMaariv,and is part ofHavdalah.
• It is also considered appropriate to recite in times of stress, such as when in labor.
• It is recited either at the beginning or the end of theYom Kippur Katanservices.

Book of Common Prayer

In theChurch of England'sBook of Common Prayer,this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the fourth day of the month.

Ancient pagan version

In the 1980s, a new papyrus, known asPapyrus Amherst 63,was translated. This papyrus was discovered in the late 19th century at Luxor (ancient Thebes), and is currently hold at the Morgan Library in New York. According toKarel van der Toorn,it dates towards the 4th century BC (although the texts contained there were probably composed in the 7th century BC at the latest) and contains a sort of "pagan" and "Northern Israelite" version of Psalm 20 inAramaic(withdemotic script).

Musical settings

Psalm 20 was set in a German paraphrase byHeinrich Schützfor theBecker Psalter,"Der Herr erhört dich in der Not" (The Lord will hear you in need), SWV 116. This psalm in Latin was set to music in 1688 byMichel-Richard de Lalande,as a grand motet (S.36, music lost).André Campraset one grand motet.Marc-Antoine Charpentierset around 1670 one "Exaudiat te Dominus ",H.162 for soloists, double chorus, double orchestra (flutes and strings), and continuo, around 1675 one "Prière pour le Roi "H.165 for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments, and continuo.At the beginning of the 1680s, he set another one, "Exaudiat pour le Roi à 4 ",H.180, ( H.180 a, H.180 b, 1690) for soloists, chorus, and continuo.Henry Desmarestset one grand motet "Exaudiat te Dominus ".François Giroustset on grand motetExaudiat te Dominusin 1787.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 20:Scores at theInternational Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 20:Free scores at theChoral Public Domain Library(ChoralWiki)
• Psalm 20in Hebrew and English – Mechon-mamre
• Text of Psalm 20 according to the1928 Psalter
• For the leader. A psalm of David. / The LORD answer you in time of distress; / the name of the God of Jacob defend you!text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 20:1introduction and text, biblestudytools
• Psalm 20 – The LORD Saves His Anointedenduringword
• Psalm 20 / Refrain: We will call on the name of the Lord our God.Church of England
• Psalm 20at biblegateway
• Hymns for Psalm 20hymnary.org