Living Stream Ministry

II. DAVID’S CONCEPT CONCERNING
HIS KINGSHIP BEFORE GOD

Psalms 20 and 21 reveal David’s concept concerning his kingship before God.

A. David’s Blessing in His Kingship

Psalm 20 shows us David’s blessing in his kingship. In verses 1-9, David blessed his people. According to the principle of the Bible, the greater blesses the lesser (Heb. 7:7).

David blessed his people with Jehovah’s answering, exalting, help from the sanctuary, strengthening from Zion, remembering all their meal offerings, and accepting their burnt offering (vv. 1-3). This was so that Jehovah might give them their heart’s desire and fulfill their every intention and that they might shout victoriously in His salvation and raise the banner in the name of their God (vv. 4-5). David had the assurance that Jehovah saves His anointed (King David) and will answer him from His holy heaven with the mighty salvation from His right hand (v. 6).

David continues by saying that we boast in the name of Jehovah our God instead of in chariots and in horses, and we, not our enemies, are risen and stand upright (vv. 7-8). The conclusion of his blessing is verse 9, which says, "Save, O Jehovah!/May the king answer us when we call." The king in this verse refers to David.

Most of David’s blessing is all right, but we can still see that he was somewhat remaining in his old concept. Psalm 20, however, still shows us that David has improved and progressed in his concept beyond the three foregoing psalms. To bless is higher than to pray. A person who blesses people needs a higher status, a higher stature in life. No small children can bless others. A little girl cannot say to her father, "Daddy, I will bless you," but she can say, "Daddy, I will pray for you." Children can pray and do pray for their parents. But a child cannot bless his or her parents, because blessing requires some stature in life.

We must grow in life to arrive at the stature of being able to bless others. The fact that David could bless his people means that he had the stature in life. After Jacob became Israel and was in his old age, he went down to Egypt and blessed people. His hands were not working hands but blessing hands (Gen. 47:7, 10; 48:15, 20). The older you are, the more you can bless others. But being able to bless others needs not only age but also the stature in life. Blessing is also higher than thanking or praising. A little boy can praise God, but he cannot bless others.

David’s blessing in Psalm 20 involved himself, God, and his people. This means that in Psalm 20, he is higher, deeper, and richer than in the previous psalms. David’s concept concerning his kingship has improved from his righteousness to God’s sanctuary, Mount Zion, the meal offerings and the burnt offering to God, God’s mighty salvation, and God’s name. His blessing does not say anything about his righteousness. If we stand on our righteousness, we may be able to pray, but we cannot bless. To bless others, we must stand on all that God is. We cannot bless people with our righteousness. We have to bless people with what God is and has.

(Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee)