Psalm 20 is a blessing prayed over someone facing a trial: “May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation: may the name of the God of Jacob protect thee.” Its most famous line contrasts human power with trust in God: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.” In the Douay-Rheims it is numbered Psalm 19. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 20 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end. A psalm for David.
May the Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation: may the name of the God of Jacob protect thee.
May he send thee help from the sanctuary: and defend thee out of Sion.
May he be mindful of all thy sacrifices: and may thy whole burnt offering be made fat.
May he give thee according to thy own heart; and confirm all thy counsels.
We will rejoice in thy salvation; and in the name of our God we shall be exalted.
The Lord fulfill all thy petitions: now have I known that the Lord hath saved his anointed. He will hear him from his holy heaven: the salvation of his right hand is in powers.
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God.
They are bound, and have fallen; but we are risen, and are set upright. O Lord, save the king: and hear us in the day that we shall call upon thee.
Psalm 20 or Psalm 19?
The Douay-Rheims Bible follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint, while most modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 19 is Psalm 20 in the New American Bible and other modern translations. In Latin the psalm begins Exaudiat te Dominus in die tribulationis. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- A blessing for others: the people pray for their king as he goes out to battle; we can pray it for anyone facing a trial.
- Help from God’s house: “May he send thee help from the sanctuary.”
- “May he give thee according to thy own heart”: a prayer that God will fulfil good desires.
- Chariots and horses: victory comes not from weapons or wealth but from God.
- “O Lord, save the king”: a prayer for those who govern.
How the Church uses Psalm 20
- As a prayer for rulers: its last verse, Domine, salvum fac regem, was sung for centuries in Catholic countries as a prayer for the king or nation.
- For those facing surgery, exams, interviews or battles, as a blessing. See psalms for protection.
- For soldiers and veterans. See the Veterans Day prayer.
A prayer with Psalm 20
Written for this page:
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from his holy place and grant your heart’s desire.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Where is “Some trust in chariots and some in horses”?
Psalm 20:8 in modern Bibles (19:8 in the Douay-Rheims).
Can I pray Psalm 20 for someone else?
Yes. It is written as a blessing for another person facing a trial.
More psalms and prayers
- Psalm 21 (A crown of precious stones)
- Psalm 91
- Psalm 121
- Psalms for protection
- Veterans Day prayer
- How many psalms are there?
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 19 (20), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.