Psalms 20:1-9

This and the following Ps. form a closely connected pair. The one is a prayer for a king going out to battle, and the other is a thanksgiving for his triumphant return. Both have the same title. There is nothing against the early date of the Pss., and David may be their subject, but it is hardly natural to regard him as their author. In Psalms 20; Psalms 20:1 are the prayer of the people, Psalms 20:6 is the confident utterance of an individual (perhaps a priest or the king himself), and in Psalms 20:7 the people again take up the strain.