Psalm 20:4 – Does God Give Us The Desires of Our Hearts?

A look at Psalm 20:4 and learning to study the Bible well.

Introduction

I was having a conversation with a fellow believer who I admire and respect one morning about her recently adopted dog. She had mentioned that her devotional was about God giving us the desires of our hearts on the morning that he got the call from the shelter to confirm her adoption of her dog.

Another dear friend overheard our conversation. She and her husband had just recently acquired a puppy who was proving difficult to potty train. This lady asked our mutual friend if that verse would work for her and to please share it with her via text because she really needed God to grant her heart’s desire of her dog not relieving himself inside the house.

Upon hearing both of my friends words and view on this verse I politely smiled and cringed at the same time. Both of them know that I am a pastor but both of them are equally unaware that I often struggle to know when to let a seemingly misunderstanding of Scripture slide and when to address it, even if the mistake is innocent. For whatever reason that morning, I didn’t address it, perhaps it was because of where we were, my time constraints, or just freedom from the Lord to not spend effort on something non-essential to salvation at that point in time.

Why does it matter?

However, while eternity doesn’t hang in the balance with this misunderstanding of Scripture, I do believe this conversation is evidence of a greater and more serious problem within the Church today; that problem being, our approach to studying and applying the Bible being wrong for many.

When it comes to studying the Bible, there are two approaches that we can take. When studying the Bible we can either use the method of exegesis or eisegesis.

Exegesis involves carefully analyzing a text to explain its true meaning objectively. The word “exegesis” means “to lead out of,” showing that interpreters reach conclusions by following what the text says.

In contrast, eisegesis is a subjective approach where someone reads into a passage their own ideas. The word “eisegesis” means “to lead into,” because the interpreter injects personal thoughts into the text, making it mean what they want. Sometimes this is done by people to find support for their own worldview but also because well-meaning believers do not take the time to carefully and properly study their Bibles.

Exegesis respects the Bible’s grammar, arrangement of words, and context to find its genuine meaning. It lets the text speak for itself. Eisegesis, however, often distorts the original meaning of words to make a particular point.

Truth

Second Timothy 2:15 advises us to use exegetical methods: “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” This means understanding the Bible correctly without twisting its message to fit personal beliefs.

In summary, exegesis helps us agree with the Bible, while eisegesis tries to make the Bible agree with us.

Application

So do we study the Bible correctly? How do we study it in a way for it to shape us and our worldview instead of us using it to support our thoughts and desired worldview? How can we make sure we are allowing the Bible’s truth be read into us and not our thoughts read into it? And, what is God wanting to tell to us through verses like Psalm 20:4, 21:2, and 37:4 anyway, if it isn’t a promise to grant us our heart’s desires?

During our time in together, we will learn how we can exegete any passage of Scripture and come to a correct understanding of these three verses that talk about God granting our hearts’ desires and their meaning for our lives today. Let’s go!

To conduct a Bible study using the exegesis method, we must humbly come to a text, not with our imagination but with our intellect first and foremost for we have a process to work through so that we can be sure we are handling rightfully the word of truth.

Here are four steps for exegeting a passage of Scripture.

• Pray to the Content Creator asking for help in understanding His Word.
  • This step will sound cliche to some but come as no surprise to others. Before studying the Bible we ought to go to its Author (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) and ask for Him to help us understand what He has written and preserved for us. Words recorded for His glory and our good.
• Understand the CONTEXT.
  • Read the devotional or selected passage.
    • Again, some may wonder why this step is even worth mentioning for it is a given if we are to study our Bibles. However, it is vital that our reading is not a rushed reading. Depending on the passage’s difficulty or our clarity of mind on a given day, we may need to read and reread the passage until we have an understanding of what the passage is talking about.
    • During these initial readings, you might jot down a verse that speaks to you or have a way to apply the passage to your life, if so, jot them down along with any questions that may arise as well.
    • To help you understand the context of the passage or verse you are studying answer the following questions.
      • What does the chapter before and after the one I am reading say?
      • If you are studying a single verse, what do the verses before and after it say? What does the entire chapter contain?
      • Who wrote the passage I am studying?
      • Who was the passage originally written for?
      • What was the author’s purpose in writing?
• Check Scriptures with the Bible as a whole.
  • By cross checking Scriptures with other Scriptures we can make sure that our interpretation of a certain passage or verse is in agreement with the whole of Scripture. Scripture will not contradict other Scripture if understood correctly. Thus, if we have come to a conclusion or a life application that is not supported by the whole of Scripture then we are wrong in our conclusion.
    • This step requires us to do some investigating but a good study Bible with references and study notes can make this a little easier and quicker for us.
• Come away with a Clear Application for living.
  • The Bible is not a textbook to simply be read and studied but a manual for living. Jesus said blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice (Luke 11:28). James, Jesus’ half-brother also wrote that God will bless you for being obedient to His Word (James 1:22-25). Psalm 119 tells us that obedience to God’s Word brings joy, preserves purity, allows us to live in freedom, and guide us.
  • We need to come out of our Bible study with a clear and measurable application for life.

Exegesis Bible Study using Psalm 20:4

Imagine seeing this image with Psalm 20:4 on your social media post! You have to agree that this verse is at least on the same level with that of Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13! This verse encourages you so much on the day that you see it that your wavering faith in God has suddenly become emboldened and unshakable. After all, this verse is proof that God will grant you your heart’s desires! With a God like this, who can be against you?

You go to God in prayer with a renewed confidence! You begin to express your heart’s desires to Him. You reveal to Him your desire for a new job, new car, bills to be paid, to win a sporting event or make a team, to get into the college of your choice, to be healed your your physical or mental illness, to be married to Mr. Right by the end of next year, or to have your girlfriend come back to you.

Not only do you pour your heart out to Him but you also thank Him for making all your plans in attaining the desires succeed. I mean after all, this is what this verse says…or does it?

As more and more time passes without seeing God fulfill your heart’s desires like Will Smith or Robbin Williams did for Aladdin in the movies your faith begins to waver at best and crumble at worse. Your diagnosis becomes worse, you see your ex with another guy, five years have passed and a husband is nowhere to be found, financially things are still tight, your still at the same job you hate, and your car is still puttering along but still barely! What happened to the promise found in this verse? The promise of God given you your heart’s desires and making all your plans successful?

There are really only two things that can be true when it comes to understanding and applying this verse as God being our cosmic genie. Either God is a liar and therefore no part of His Word can be trusted or we have misunderstood what God is communicating to us in this verse. How do we know which statement is accurate? By doing exegetical Bible study!

Understanding the Context of Psalm 20:4

Looking at Psalm 20:4

The first step that I like to take in trying to understand the context of a single verse is to look at the verse itself. Often, a verse will contain clues for correct interpretation in itself. However, in Psalm 20:4 it just seems as if God will grant my heart’s desires and cause my plans to prosper at first glance. The verse itself doesn’t give clarity concerning its original context and players.

Looking at Psalm 20:1-9

With no additional insight found in the verse itself, I like to look at the same chapter that the verse is located. Here the chapter is Psalm 20. A reading of the entire chapter provides us the actual context for which verse four is spoken. In Psalm 20, we see that the nation of Israel is facing troubled times. The source of calamity seems to be an enemy threatening their sovereignty causing war to be inevitable (Psalm 20:5-9). With war looming, the people look to their leader as he looks to the LORD.

Psalm 20 describes a time where Israel’s king, presumably David since he is the psalm’s author, has called the people to assemble and pray for him as he seeks the LORD’s direction and favor in the matter at hand. The king goes into the tabernacle for prayer, offers gifts and a burnt offering, and then upon his exit, is greeted with a blessing from those who have gathered to pray for and encourage him.

The pronouns in verses one through five indicate that it is the assembled people who are speaking this prayer or blessing over their king. Thus, verse four is indeed a blessing, but, not for you and me, instead, it is for King David’s heart and plans concerning the enemy’s looming threat. In 20:6, we see that David speaks (Now I know) now confident of God’s both hearing and answering of his prayers for victory. The Psalm finishes with the people voicing that their faith is in the LORD (20:7-9).

Within chapter twenty itself, without looking at Psalm 19 or 21, we learn that the verse’s historical context is not a blanket blessing for any of us but spoken by citizen’s of Israel on the behalf of King David, pertaining to a certain threat by and battle with a certain enemy at a specific time in history.

Looking at Psalm 19 and 21

As we continue to understand the context of Psalm 20:4, we take a look at the chapter before and after the one that we are currently studying. In this case, Psalm 19 and 21.

Psalm 19

Psalm 19 is also written by David and it is a chapter that describes how God has made Himself known to people. God has made Himself known through His creation and His written Word (19:1-11). The fact that God has chosen to make Himself known to people, including David himself leads him to a place of worshipful prayer (19:12-14).

Psalm 21

Psalm 21 lets us know that David and his army was indeed victorious over the enemy. The LORD had heard and answered the people’s prayer in 20:4. This song of praise clearly tells us that God gave David his heart’s desires, withholding nothing he requested.

Psalm 21:2 reinforces the fact that Psalm 20:4 is indeed a blessing and prayer on behalf of David. Psalm 21:1 tells us who God has granted their heart’s request to, the King. As a side note, Psalm 21 is a good reminder that we ought to praise the LORD when He answers our prayers and cry for help.

Checking Psalm 20:4 with the rest of the Bible

Hopefully you are still with me! We have now arrived to the point in our study of Psalm 20:4 that calls on us to check the Scripture we are studying with Scripture itself. Remember, a correct understanding of Scripture will not contradict any other part of God’s Word when also understood correctly. As a pastor, I know I have many more tools and resources at my fingertips then most, so I will simply limit myself to the cross references in my wife’s study Bible.

When it comes to Psalm 20:4, the study Bible provides three other verses that I can look up that are related to verse 4. All three verses are in Psalm (21:2; 145:16, 19). I begin cross referencing by looking at Psalm 21:2 because I already know from my reading of that chapter that it is a Psalm of praise to God for victory concerning the threat of chapter 20. In other words, I know 21:2 is about David and his heart’s desires in the previous chapter.

When looking at the related verses for Psalm 21:2, only one passage is listed and that portion of Scripture is Psalm 37:4. Psalm 37:4 says,

After arriving at Psalm 37:4, you could continue your study by examining the verse, chapter, Psalm 36 and 38, and the Bible as a whole. However, for the sake of time and our original question for this time together, “Does God give us our heart’s desires?” we will end our research with simply the verse and chapter 37. 

Psalm 37:4

Psalm 37:4 promises us that God will give us the desires of our heart. However, this promise is conditional. Before God will grant us the desires of our heart, we must be delighting in Him. We should find joy in the Lord and seek satisfaction in God, not in pursuing evil (compare Psalm 1:1) or temporary things. When we delight in God, our desires become righteous (things that God desires or things that are right in the eyes of God), and then God fulfills those desires of our heart.

Psalm 37

Psalm 37, written by David, reflects what he saw around him: the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. David tells believers not to be discouraged when they see the ungodly succeed, sometimes at the expense of the godly, but instead to stay focused on God. Unlike most psalms addressed to God, this one speaks directly to the reader, urging trust in the Lord. Its style is similar to the brief, wise sayings in Proverbs that distinguish between the godly and ungodly, encouraging the godly to trust in God. This steadfast faith will lead the righteous to inherit the land (verses 9, 22, 29) and enjoy God’s blessings, rather than worrying about the wicked who will eventually be removed from the earth (verses 22, 28, 34, 38). The Psalm brings us back to the contrast of the godly and ungodly in chapter one.

Coming to a Clear Application for Living

Now that we have taken the time to study God’s Word, what do we do with it? God expects His people to take what He has recorded for us and shown to us and use it in our lives for His honor, our good, and to benefit others. Below are a few things that I feel like God has allowed me to observe and use.

1. It is a good God that doesn’t give us every desire of our heart.
   • Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us of what our hearts are really like. If God was to simply grant us our every wish, the results would be detrimental for us and others. Having a cosmic genie would feed our selfish desires and diminish the greatness of God.
2. It is a good God who gives us the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him above all else.
   • James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father (1:17). Luke reminds us too that God will graciously meet the requests of His children when they have a desire for more of Him (11:9-13). Psalm 145:16 and 19 also speak of God’s provision and graciousness to His creation.
     • When we desire in God above all else, He can freely grant us the desires of our hearts because our hearts will long for what He longs for and which will bring Him honor. God can answer our prayers when we delight in Him above all else because there is no danger in us worshiping the blessing over the Blesser. For David, the testimony of Scripture tells us that he was a man after God’s own heart. David’s desire for victory over the present enemy wasn’t for personal glory but that through victory, the LORD’s fame would continue to be spread among the nations. Another victory meant that God was not only faithful to keep His promises made to His people but also powerful enough to do so!
     • Psalm 21 is further proof that David’s desire wasn’t selfish or wicked but for the LORD to be exalted among His people and the nations. Psalm 21 is a song that thanks God for victory on behalf of His people, not a song praising David for his bravery or skills. Reflecting back on chapter 20, we see David humbly coming before the LORD asking for help and worshipping Him with sacrifices. David’s actions prior to battle reveal a man seeking God and His glory and one who delighted being in His presence. Psalm 21 reminds us to practice thanksgiving when God answers our prayers.
   • God will always grant our desire for more of Him! Psalm 37 is written to the righteous, those who have been made right with God through faith. While it seems that the wicked prosper now, the Psalm focuses on the time in future history when God makes all things right through the return of Christ. Then we will see God for He will be among His people for all of eternity (Matthew 5:8; Revelation 21:3).
3. It is a good God whose heart’s desire is your heart!
   • God reveals His heart’s desire through the prophet Ezekiel. God wants none to perish but all to come to repentance! Not only is this the heartbeat of God but He has also made a way for people to turn from their sin and turn to Him. We are made right with God because of His love for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Jesus willing gave His life for us out of His love for the Father and for us.
   • Jesus, the King of kings, like David fought the battle on the people’s behalf. The people who prayed the blessing over David in 20:4 and celebrated in chapter 21 most likely didn’t see the battle field. Their king fought for them out his love for God and the people he reigned over. Jesus, fought and overcame enemies that we could not defeat. Jesus is victorious over death, hell, the grave, sin, and Satan and in Him we are also victorious!
   • Jesus’ person and work is why we can give our hearts to God. His loving sacrifice is how we all can be made right with God through faith!

Action

Pray that God will help you delight in Him above all else so that your heart’s desires mirror the desires of His heart.

Study Scripture so that you may apply Scripture correctly and see God clearly.

Give your heart to the God who desires your heart!

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