Psalms 20:3

3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept[a] thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.

Psalms 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 20:3

Remember all thy offerings
The spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise which Christ, as the great High Priest, offers up for his people; or which they offer by him, and are acceptable to God through him, by virtue of the incense of his mediation; or the offering up of himself, which answers to, and is the body, the sum and substance, of all the offerings of the law; they were types of this, and what they could not do this did; and therefore it is expressed in the singular number in the next clause;

and accept thy burnt sacrifice.
The word rendered "accept" signifies to "reduce to ashes" F15; and the way in which it was known that sacrifices were acceptable to God was by fire coming down from heaven upon them and consuming them, ( Leviticus 9:24 ) ( 1 Chronicles 21:26 ) ( 2 Chronicles 7:1 ) ( 1 Kings 18:38 ) ; and therefore the word is rightly rendered "accept"; and Christ's sacrifice of himself, putting away sin, and perfecting for ever them that are sanctified, is of a sweet smelling savour to God; for hereby his justice is satisfied, his law is magnified and made honourable, the sins of his people are atoned for, their persons are accepted, and their sacrifices of prayer and praise come up also with acceptance to him through the virtue of this sacrifice; and so these petitions have their accomplishment.

Selah; on this word, (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (hnvdy) "incineret", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius; "in cinerem vertat", Vatablus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus, Ainsworth.

Psalms 20:3 In-Context

1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. accept: Heb. turn to ashes: or, make fat
The King James Version is in the public domain.