Psalms 20:4
in Psalms 20May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Grant thee thy heart’s desire, And fulfil all thy counsel.
KJV
Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
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This verse in Psalms 20
Commentary
11 notes on this verseGrant thee according to thine own heart,.... Which is to see his seed, the travail of his soul, and to have the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand; to have all his people called, preserved, and glorified; and fulfil all thy counsel; whatever was agreed upon in the council and covenant of peace between him and his Father, relating to his own glory, and the salvation of his people.
This site's exposition
May He remember all your gifts
on Psalms 20:3-4
The prayer rests on what has already been brought. God is asked to remember the gifts and to look favorably on the burnt offerings. Then He is asked to give the desires of the heart and make the plans succeed.
This site's exposition
the desires of your heart
Henry held that the people could pray this for their king in faith. They knew David for a man after God's own heart, whose plans would please Him. Spurgeon added that a heart's plans succeed when its will is the will of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Diapsalma." The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart" (ver. 4). The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, wherein Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have. "And fulfil all Thy counsel." "And fulfil all Thy counsel," not only that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, that the corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; but that also whereby "blindness in part hath happened unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and so an Israel might be saved."
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The third counsel is that by which we are made ready to pursue what is lawful, what is fitting, and what is expedient according to the exercise of virtuous operation. What you have well conceived in mind, you may bring to completion in deed. The …
"May he grant." Above, the Psalmist asked in prayer for promotion to good, which is the outwardly desired good; here he asks for that good which is inwardly sought: and concerning this he does two things. First he asks that what he requests be fulfilled. …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
This they might in faith pray for, because they knew David was a man after God's own heart, and would design nothing but what was pleasing to him. Those who make it their business to glorify God may expect that God will, in one way or other, gratify them: and those who walk in his counsel may promise themselves that he will fulfil theirs.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
"Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel." Christ's desire and counsel were both set upon the salvation of his people; the church of old desired for him good speed in his design, and the church in these latter days, with all her heart desires the complete fulfilment of his purpose. In Christ Jesus sanctified souls may appropriate this verse as a promise; they shall have their desire, and their plans to glorify their Master shall succeed. We may have our own will, when our will is God's will.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
"Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel." Christ's desire and counsel were both set upon the salvation of his people; the church of old desired for him good speed in his design, and the church in these latter days, with all her heart desires the complete fulfilment of his purpose. In Christ Jesus sanctified souls may appropriate this verse as a promise; they shall have their desire, and their plans to glorify their Master shall succeed. We may have our own will, when our will is God's will. This was always the case with our Lord, and yet he said, "not as I will, but as thou wilt." What need for submission in our case; if it was necessary to him, how much more for us?
Grant thee according to thine own heart - May God give thee whatsoever thou art setting thy heart upon, and accomplish all thy desires! This was probably the prayer of the high priest.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Grant thee according to thine own heart - According to thy wishes; according to the desires of thy heart. And fulfil all thy counsel - All that thou hast designed or undertaken in the matter; that is, may he enable thee to execute thy purpose.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
your meal offerings..burnt offerings They are the prayers that you pray in battle.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
from His sanctuary From His Holy Temple, in which He dwells.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִֽתֶּן־ | yiten- | may he give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְךָ֥ | lekha | to you | ||
| כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ | khilvavekha | according to heart your | H3824 → | 252 times |
| וְֽכָל־ | vekhol | and every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עֲצָתְךָ֥ | ʾatzatekha | plan your | H6098 → | 89 times |
| יְמַלֵּֽא׃ | yemale' | may he fulfill | H4390 → | 249 times |
יִֽתֶּן־may he give
yiten-H5414 →2011 times
לְךָ֥to you
lekha
כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָaccording to heart your
khilvavekhaH3824 →252 times
וְֽכָל־and every
vekholH3605 →5413 times
עֲצָתְךָ֥plan your
ʾatzatekhaH6098 →89 times
יְמַלֵּֽא׃may he fulfill
yemale'H4390 →249 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 37:4Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
it leads to
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 5:14–15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
- John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
- Isaiah 58:14
then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of…
- John 15:7
Through
Psalms 145:19He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 37:4
Through
Matthew 21:22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
it leads to
- Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
- Matthew 7:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 20; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 7; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.