Bible Strands
Psalms 20:3
May He remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Selah
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist prays for the king, asking God to acknowledge the monarch's sacrificial offerings. The petition is positioned between a request for divine help from Zion and a promise that the king's plans will succeed.
The words — The Hebrew יִזְכֹּר (yizkor) literally means "may He remember," paired with יְדַשֵּׁן (yedaššen) for "may He accept" or "look favorably on." These verbs frame the king's gifts as actions requiring divine acknowledgment.
The thread — The expectation of God accepting burnt offerings appears in 2 Chronicles 7:1, where fire consumes sacrifices, and Psalms 51:19, where God delights in righteous sacrifices. Acts 10:4 parallels this by linking acceptable offerings to prayers and gifts to the poor.
Why it lands — The text demands that worshipers recognize their rituals hold value only when God actively acknowledges them. It directs the reader to depend on divine acceptance rather than the inherent merit of the offering itself.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 7:1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
- Psalms 51:19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
- Acts 10:4 Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
- Genesis 4:4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
- 1 Chronicles 21:26 And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called upon the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
- Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- Leviticus 9:24 Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.
- Isaiah 60:7 All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will serve you and go up on My altar with acceptance; I will adorn My glorious house.
- 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.