Tehillim 20 | “May the Lord answer you in times of trouble”

We recite Psalm 20 each day in prayer, and in doing so, we expand the phrase “May the Lord answer you in times of trouble” (220:2) to its broadest meaning — every day can be a time of trouble, for who among us is without hardship or a plea to bring before God? This is a 'royal psalm' — a psalm that speaks of the king of Israel and his unique character. Based on the context of the psalm, the original crisis appears to be a military trouble: “Some trust in chariots, others in horses, but we call on the name of the Lord our God.” (20:8)

In his shiur at Herzog's Yemei Iyun be'Tanakh, Dr. Yoshi Fargeon explores the structure of the psalm and notes the progression that unfolds as we read the verses. At the outset, the poet speaks to the king in the second person and prays for the king's salvation. He asks that God recall the sacrifices the king has brought and fulfill his plans. But as the psalm continues, the tone shifts from the salvation of the king to the salvation of the entire people: “But we rise and stand firm… May the King answer us when we call” (20:9-10) and the focus transitions from sacrificial offerings to trust in God and the power of prayer: " but we call on the name of the Lord our God.” (20:8) In many ways, this is the very transformation we enacted by incorporating the psalm into the daily prayer: affirming that the psalm no longer speaks of the king, who is no more, nor of the sacrifices, which are no longer offered, but of the salvation of the entire people and the enduring power of trust in God and of prayer.

In a papyrus from the 2nd century BCE discovered in Egypt, scholars found a psalm based on our psalm, but addressed to various idols. It appears that the psalm was composed by an idolatrous community who “updated” the original text to reflect their era — without a king, without sacrifices, and filled with many gods. In the attached lecture, Dr. Yoshi highlights the difference between such sects and faithful Judaism: both we and they gave the psalm a new meaning that allows it to be recited in prayer, but while they altered the text of the psalm to suit it to them, we preserved the psalm exactly as it is, and adapted it to our prayer through interpretation and intent of the heart. The translated version of the altered text is included for comparison, for those interested in examining the parallels and the significance of the changes.

Papyrus Amherst 63, May Yaho Answer Us in Our Troubles (xii, 11–19), “Psalm 1”
May Yaho answer us in our troubles.
May Adonay answer us in our troubles.
Be a bow in heaven, Crescent!
Send your messengers
From all of Rash!
And from Zaphon
May Yaho help us.
May Yaho give to us
Our heart’s desire.
May the Lord give to us
Our heart’s desire.
Every wish, may Yaho fulfill.
May Yaho fulfill,
May Adonay not diminish
Any request of our heart.
Some by the bow, some by the spear—
Behold, as for us, my Lord, our God is Yaho!
May our Bull be with us.
May Bethel answer us tomorrow.
Baal-Shamayin shall bless the Lord:
“By your loyal ones I bless you!”
End.