Psalm 20 finds God’s people on the brink of battle asking God to intervene, protect, and help. There’s an urgency in the tone because real conflict is ahead.
 
Contrary to what you might think, the focus of the Psalm isn’t military strength; it’s trust. He says, “Some take pride in chariots, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the LORD our God.”

Military might, represented by chariots and horses, is the kind of thing people can count, display, and often trust in for deliverance and protection. With them, nations feel secure and seem impressive. A strong military gave nations then, as it does now, the feeling that victory belonged to the one who had the strongest force.
 
 We see in this Psalm, as we have seen in many other instances, the question before us isn’t an “either or” proposition. Armies are real, and their strength is important, but they aren’t ultimate.

This week we’ve seen many instances of God being our refuge and strength. We’ve seen Him as high above all authority seen and unseen. We’ve explored this as a fact, but Psalm 20 invites us to respond to these facts with trust.
 
Worship is defined by where we place the weight of our confidence and allegiance. Many trust in control, money, or political power systems. Others trust in influence or personal strength to stay strong. While these things aren’t horses or chariots as we see in the Psalm, they are visible forms of security that promise far more than they can deliver.

Psalm 20 calls us to a different confession, to place our confidence in the Lord.
 
But trusting the Lord doesn’t mean we are passive in the process, either. In the text, he still prays before a battle. Faith isn’t pretending we don’t have something to face; it means we face what is before us with our hope and trust anchored in the One who saves.
 
Jesus is the anointed King who entered the battle no one else could win. He faced sin, Satan, and death but rose victorious. His name is our salvation, our refuge, and the banner of our hope.
 
So this week we wrap up by setting down the lesser things in which we trust. We don’t deny the battle is real, but we worship before it, we worship in it, and we worship after it is over. We worship because the Lord saves His anointed and answers their prayers.

What “chariots and horses” are you most tempted to trust when life feels uncertain or threatening? How can worship help you actively place your confidence in the name of the Lord today?

Father, I sometimes place my trust in things I can see, in things I can manage or control. Forgive me for placing my faith in lesser things. Teach me to worship You with dependence and help me face conflict, suffering, and uncertainty with my trust anchored in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Today I can place my confidence in the Lord instead of __________________ by __________________.”