Assurance of God's Saving Work

Psalms 20:1-9 

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
2 May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
3 May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice.

Selah

4 May He grant you according to your heart's desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.

5 We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer 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 have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

9 Save, LORD!
May the King answer us when we call.

The psalmist was absolutely assured of God’s deliverance, His saving work.  We should be even more certain because the Messiah-Christ has come, which David and the prophets of old looked forward to, but we can look back on (Hebrews 1:1-2, 1 Peter 1:20) as we see deeper and further into what has happened through the cross.  God answers us in trouble, beginning with our hopelessly lost state of sin we are born in to each day of trial and tribulation after our regeneration.  Like David, we can call on the same Lord to defend and strengthen us by grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16) as He remembers our living work of sacrifice (Romans 12:1), not in outward symbolic rituals which pointed to the only eternally atoning blood of the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12) for us.  We have a more certain hope fulfilled to reflect back on, not a vague understanding of what was to come as David did here.  Stop and dwell on that for a minute.  God will give us His desires as our own to fulfill them, as well as our predetermined purpose in Christ by the gifts and callings of each one.  This we can rely upon.  This is also the reason to find great overwhelming joy in His salvation as we fly the banner of Christ and His love in grace for us.  We proclaim His name and His cause, the gospel, not our own causes.  Therefore, being found in Christ and living for His purpose, we find our petitions answered.  Not only did the LORD save His anointed King David, He saved His Son who is the Anointed Messiah and Christ by raising Him from death to life, which as firstfruit is our hope of the resurrection to come.  He answered from heaven in power and will do so again.  We dare not then put our trust in governments, armies, nor even our own strength and armaments, but in the Lord alone.  We remember His name, the name we are called by as Christians, and know He will lead and keep us accordingly.  The Lord has answered and will answer when we call, with which cry the psalmist ended this praise song of assurance for God’s saving work.  Hallelujah and amen!  Praise to God for it is so!