Thomas Aquinas

A Sheep’s Journey Through Psalms -20

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A Devotional on Psalm 20: The Triumph of Trust

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!” (Psalm 20:1). Step into the radiant landscape of Psalm 20, where a storm-tossed sea meets a lighthouse ablaze with divine light. This psalm, penned by David, is a battle cry and a sanctuary, a vivid prayer for victory woven with trust in God’s unfailing power. As we journey through its verses, let’s paint its promises with bold imagery, drawing inspiration from the reflections of Christian scholars who saw in these words the glory of Christ’s triumph and the hope of His people.

Envision a lone warrior, standing on a windswept hill, armor battered, facing a shadowed valley teeming with foes. The opening plea, “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!” rises like a flare into the heavens. This “day of trouble” is no fleeting worry—it’s the soul’s crucible, where fears roar like tempests and trials bite like wolves. St. Augustine, the luminary of the early Church, saw this as the cry of the faithful, pressed but never crushed, upheld by the “God of Jacob”—a God who meets us in our frailty, as He did Jacob at the Jabbok, forging strength from struggle. Picture God’s name as a radiant dome, shimmering over you, deflecting every dart of despair.

The psalm presses forward: “May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!” (v. 2). Imagine the temple on Zion’s crest, its stones glowing like embers under a starry sky, a beacon of God’s presence. Bernard of Clairvaux, the medieval mystic, saw Zion as the eternal fountainhead of grace, where Christ, our High Priest, intercedes. From this holy place, streams of divine aid flow like rivers, quenching the parched and steadying the weary. In your own battles, look to this heavenly sanctuary—God’s help is not bound by earth’s limits but pours from His throne.

Verse 3, “May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!” conjures an altar aglow, flames licking the sky, as the worshiper lays down their best. For Thomas Aquinas, this pointed to Christ’s perfect sacrifice, the offering that forever satisfies the Father. See your own acts of devotion—your prayers, your trust, your surrender—as fragrant smoke, caught by Jesus and lifted to God’s heart. Every halting step of faith, every whispered “I trust You,” becomes a holy gift, cherished in heaven.

“May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!” (v. 4). Picture a king before his army, not craving personal gain but yearning for God’s glory to shine. Augustine taught that when our desires align with God’s will, they are as seeds planted in fertile soil, destined to burst forth in fruit. What stirs your heart today? Lay it before God, and envision Him tending it like a gardener, pruning and nurturing until it blooms for His purpose.

The psalm erupts in triumph: “May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!” (v. 5). See a battlefield at sunrise, the enemy scattered, and God’s people raising vibrant banners, their colors dancing in the wind, proclaiming victory. Anselm of Canterbury saw these banners as the cross of Christ, the ultimate sign of conquest over sin and death. In your life, each act of trust is a banner raised—a declaration that God’s salvation reigns, even when shadows linger. Let your heart shout with joy, for the victory is His.

The heart of the psalm beats in verse 7: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Picture a rival army, chariots gleaming like steel, horses pawing the earth, yet crumbling like sandcastles before God’s breath. Bernard of Clairvaux warned against leaning on worldly might—riches, power, or self-sufficiency—which fade like mist. God’s name is a mountain, unmoved by storms. What “chariots” tempt you to trust? Turn instead to the One whose name never fails.

Finally, “O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call” (v. 9) rings out like a chorus, the people’s plea for their anointed leader. Augustine heard in this the Church’s cry for Christ, the eternal King who hears every call. Imagine a multitude, voices rising like a tide, reaching a God whose ear is ever turned toward us. He listens. He saves. He answers.

Reflection and Application:

Let Psalm 20’s imagery flood your soul. In your “day of trouble,” see God’s name as your shield, His sanctuary as your refuge. Offer Him your heart’s desires, trusting His shaping hand. Raise banners of faith, even in small moments, proclaiming His victory. And when tempted to trust in “chariots,” anchor yourself in His name. Today, pause and pray this psalm, letting its words become your own.

Prayer:

O God of Jacob, our refuge in trouble, shield us with Your mighty name. Send help from Your sanctuary, and accept our offerings of faith. Shape our desires to Your will, and let us raise banners of joy in Your salvation. We trust not in earthly strength but in You alone. Save us, King Jesus, and answer when we call. Amen.

This psalm is a living prayer, its imagery a call to trust, vibrant with the promise that our God reigns victorious, from David’s day to ours.

A Sheep’s Journey Through Psalms – 10

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Devotional on Psalm 10: A Cry for Justice, A Call to Trust
Scripture Reading: Psalm 10 (ESV)

Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, are caught in the schemes he devises. 3 He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. 4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 5 His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by[b] him; he sneers at all his enemies. 6 He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” 7 His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. 8 He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength.  He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.” 12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? 14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. 16 The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. 17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.

Reflection: The Heart’s Cry in a Broken World
Psalm 10 is a raw, honest lament, a cry from the psalmist’s heart as he observes the rampant injustice in the world around him. The wicked prosper, the poor are oppressed, and it seems as though God is distant, silent, or even hidden. This psalm, attributed to David in the Septuagint tradition, resonates with the struggles of God’s people across centuries—whether in ancient Israel, the early church, or today. From a historical Christian perspective, Psalm 10 invites us to wrestle with the tension between God’s apparent absence and His unchanging faithfulness, a theme echoed by church fathers, reformers, and saints through the ages.
The psalm begins with a question that feels timeless: “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?” (v. 1). Early Christian thinkers like Augustine saw in this cry a reflection of the human soul’s longing for God amid suffering. Augustine, in his Expositions on the Psalms, reminds us that God is never truly absent, even when He seems hidden. The psalmist’s bold questioning models a faith that dares to bring its doubts to God, trusting Him enough to voice frustration. This honesty is a hallmark of Christian devotion, from the desert fathers who prayed in solitude to the Puritans who sought God’s justice in a world of corruption.
As the psalm describes the arrogance of the wicked—those who “boast of the desires of their heart” (v. 3) and “say in their heart, ‘God has forgotten’” (v. 11)—we see a portrait of human pride that defies God’s authority. The early church faced such opposition in the Roman Empire, where Christians were persecuted by those who mocked their faith. Yet, leaders like Tertullian and Ignatius of Antioch found hope in passages like Psalm 10:12–15, where the psalmist pleads, “Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand!” They believed that God sees the afflicted, hears their cries, and will ultimately bring justice. This conviction sustained martyrs and fueled the church’s perseverance.
The psalm’s closing assurance, “The Lord is king forever and ever” (v. 16), anchors its hope in God’s eternal reign. Medieval theologians like Thomas Aquinas emphasized God’s sovereignty as the foundation of Christian hope, even when earthly powers seem to triumph. The Reformers, such as John Calvin, echoed this, teaching that God’s delay in acting is not indifference but a call to trust His perfect timing. Calvin, in his commentary on the Psalms, noted that God’s “hiding” is a test of faith, refining believers to rely on His promises rather than their circumstances.


Application: Trusting God in the Waiting
Psalm 10 speaks to us today as it did to Christians centuries ago. When we see injustice—whether systemic oppression, personal betrayal, or the flourishing of the wicked—it’s natural to echo the psalmist’s cry: “Why, O Lord?” Yet, the historical Christian witness reminds us that God is not aloof. The cross of Christ, the ultimate answer to human suffering, reveals a God who enters our pain and triumphs over it. As the early church father Chrysostom wrote, Christ’s resurrection assures us that God’s justice will prevail, even if we must wait for it.
In your own life, where do you feel God seems distant? Bring your questions to Him, as the psalmist did, with bold faith. Trust that He sees the afflicted, hears your prayers, and will act in His perfect time. Like the saints of old, let Psalm 10 inspire you to persevere, knowing that “the Lord hears the desire of the afflicted” (v. 17) and will one day set all things right.


Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in a world marred by injustice, we often feel the weight of the psalmist’s cry: “Why do you hide yourself?” Yet, we trust that You are the King forever, seeing the oppressed and hearing our prayers. Strengthen our faith to wait on Your justice and to live as Your witnesses, proclaiming Your love and righteousness. Through Christ, our Savior, we pray. Amen.


For Further Reflection:
• Read Psalm 10 alongside Romans 8:18–25 to see how the New Testament fulfills the psalmist’s hope.
• Consider the writings of Augustine or Calvin on the Psalms for deeper insight into God’s sovereignty and human suffering.
• Reflect on a current injustice in your life or the world. How can you trust God’s timing while actively seeking His kingdom?