What Does Psalm 20:6 Mean?
The meaning of Psalm 20:6 is that God will save and answer His anointed one - His chosen - by the power of His right hand. This verse shows deep confidence in God’s protection and deliverance, as He answered David in times of trouble (Psalm 20:9 and 2 Samuel 22:3).
Psalm 20:6
Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.
Key Facts
Book
Author
David
Genre
Wisdom
Date
circa 1000 BC
Key People
- David
- The Lord (Yahweh)
- The Anointed King
Key Themes
- Divine deliverance
- God’s power over human strength
- Messianic hope
- Confidence in God’s answered prayer
Key Takeaways
- God saves His anointed by His mighty right hand.
- True strength comes from trusting God, not self.
- Christ fulfills this promise through cross and resurrection.
Setting the Scene: A Prayer for God’s Anointed
Psalm 20 is a short prayer for the king - God’s anointed - offering confidence that the Lord will hear and help in times of trouble.
This psalm was likely used when Israel’s king faced battle, with the people praying for God’s protection and victory. The verse we’re looking at - Psalm 20:6 - responds to those prayers with joyful assurance: God will act, not by human strength, but by the saving power of His right hand.
A Promise Fulfilled: The Power Behind the Throne
This verse is a bold declaration that God has already answered, revealing His power through poetic strength and messianic hope.
The phrase 'the saving might of his right hand' uses a powerful image - we don’t picture a literal hand, but God’s active power to rescue and win battles, like when He delivered Israel from Egypt (Exodus 15:6). The verse uses synthetic parallelism, where the second line builds on the first: knowing God saves His anointed leads directly to seeing Him act from heaven with strength. This confidence isn’t in the king’s skill, but in God’s proven track record.
And in Christian faith, this points beyond any earthly king - when Peter preached in Acts 2:33, he said Jesus, the true Anointed One, was raised and given the Holy Spirit by the Father’s right hand, showing that Psalm 20:6 finds its fullest answer in Christ.
The Right Hand of God: Power in Promise and Person
The confidence in Psalm 20:6 rises from the certainty that God’s 'right hand' - His personal power in action - has already moved to save His anointed.
This is the same saving might seen when the Lord 'triumphed gloriously' with His right hand at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:6), and it echoes again in Psalm 98:1, where 'the Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.' Here, God’s power isn’t distant - it’s near, defending His chosen one.
For Jesus, this psalm becomes both prayer and prophecy: He trusted the Father’s delivering hand, even through the cross, and now reigns at His right hand (Acts 2:33), fulfilling the promise that God saves His Anointed not by human strength, but by divine might.
From Ancient King to Messiah: The Promise Fulfilled in Christ
Psalm 20:6 reflects a moment in Israel’s history and points forward to the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus, where God’s saving power is fully revealed.
When Jesus stood before Pilate, mocked as 'the King of the Jews' (Luke 23:35-38), it seemed like defeat, but God was working through His right hand in ways no one expected. Isaiah 45:1 says, 'I will go before you and level the mountains.' God was preparing the way for salvation through the cross and resurrection, not through political victory.
Now, knowing that Jesus is the true Anointed, we live with confidence - not in our strength, but in the same saving might that raised Him from the dead, trusting God’s power in everyday moments like facing fear, choosing kindness, or standing firm in hardship.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I remember a time when I felt completely overwhelmed - facing a health scare, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. I knew God was powerful, but I kept trying to fix things on my own, relying on my plans, my strength. Then I read Psalm 20:6 again. It says, 'Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.' It hit me - not 'maybe' or 'if,' but 'now I know.' That confidence wasn’t based on circumstances but on who God is. I stopped striving and started trusting. I didn’t get an instant miracle, but I got peace. I began to see God’s hand not in the absence of trouble, but in His presence through it. That shift - from self-reliance to God-reliance - changed how I face every challenge since.
Personal Reflection
- When have I relied on my own strength instead of trusting God’s saving power, and what would it look like to hand that situation over to Him today?
- In what area of my life do I need to remember that God’s right hand is still active, defending and delivering His people?
- How does knowing Jesus is the true Anointed One change the way I pray and face difficulties?
A Challenge For You
This week, when you feel pressure or fear rising, pause and speak Psalm 20:6 out loud. It says, 'Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.' Let it be your anchor. Then, choose one practical way to act in faith instead of fear - like speaking a kind word when you want to stay silent, or stepping into a hard conversation trusting God’s strength.
A Prayer of Response
Lord, I admit I often trust my plans more than Your power. Thank You that You save Your anointed - not because of their strength, but because of Your might. I place my worries, my fears, my future in Your hands. Help me to live each day with the confidence that You are answering from heaven, fighting for me. And when I’m tempted to rely on myself, remind me that Your right hand is strong enough to carry me through.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
Psalm 20:5
Prepares for verse 6 by celebrating God’s acceptance of offerings and promises of answered prayer for the king.
Psalm 20:7
Contrasts trust in chariots with trust in the Lord, reinforcing the theme of divine over human strength.
Connections Across Scripture
Isaiah 45:1
God promises to go before His anointed, fulfilling Psalm 20:6’s assurance of divine intervention and victory.
Luke 23:35-38
Jesus, the true Anointed, is mocked as king, yet God’s saving power is revealed through the cross.
Psalm 2:7
God declares His king as His Son, deepening the messianic hope seen in Psalm 20:6.