The Ultimate Greeting Card - Psalm 20

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Psalm 20

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

 1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
  May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
  and give you support from Zion!
3 May he remember all your offerings
  and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
4 May he grant you your heart's desire
  and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over your salvation,
  and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!
6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
  he will answer him from his holy heaven
  with the saving might of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
  but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They collapse and fall,
  but we rise and stand upright.
9 O Lord, save the king!
  May he answer us when we call.

 
 

This psalm was a royal psalm, a pre-battle prayer for the king. The first part is addressed to the king directly, and the 2nd part is about the king.

It’s stirring to think of Israelite warriors beating their shields, braiding their fierce beards, and boldly singing out this psalm before going to battle against the Philistines.

So I mean no disrespect when I say that this psalm strikes me as the ultimate source of greeting card best wishes. That is, so many of the lines would be just perfect to use when writing a note or sending a card to someone. To cite just one example (but be sure to read the whole thing—it’s great!):

 May he grant you your heart's desire
    and fulfill all your plans!

 AMEN.