Psalm 60
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַל שׁוּשַׁ֣ן עֵד֑וּת מִכְתָּ֖ם לְדָוִ֣ד לְלַמֵּֽד בְּהַצּוֹת֨וֹ אֶ֥ת אֲרַ֣ם נַהֲרַיִם֮ וְאֶת אֲרַ֪ם צ֫וֹבָ֥ה וַיָּ֤שָׁב יוֹאָ֗ב וַיַּ֣ךְ אֶת אֱד֣וֹם בְּגֵיא מֶ֑לַח שְׁנֵ֖ים עָשָׂ֣ר אָֽלֶף
BSB
Victory with God
(2 Samuel 8:1–14; 1 Chronicles 18:1–13; Psalms 108:1–13)
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A Miktam of David for instruction. When he fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
1You have rejected us, O God;
You have broken us;
You have been angry;
restore us!
2You have shaken the land
and torn it open.
Heal its fractures,
for it is quaking.
3You have shown Your people hardship;
we are staggered from the wine You made us drink.
4You have raised a banner for those who fear You,
that they may flee the bow.
Selah
5Respond and save us with Your right hand,
that Your beloved may be delivered.
6God has spoken from His sanctuary:
“I will triumph!
I will parcel out Shechem
and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
7Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter.
8Moab is My washbasin;
upon Edom I toss My sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
9Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10Have You not rejected us, O God?
Will You no longer march out, O God, with our armies?
11Give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless.
12With God we will perform with valor,
and He will trample our enemies.
Introduction
Psalms 60
After many psalms which David penned in a day of distress this comes which was calculated for a day of triumph; it was penned after he was settled in the throne, upon occasion of an illustrious victory which God blessed his forces with over the Syrians and Edomites; it was when David was in the zenith of his prosperity, and the affairs of his kingdom seem to have been in a better posture then ever they were either before or after. See Sa2 8:3, Sa2 8:13; Ch1 18:3, Ch1 18:12. David, in prosperity, was as devout as David in adversity. In this psalm, I. He reflects upon the bad state of the public interests, for many years, in which God had been contending with them (Psa 60:1-3). II. He takes notice of the happy turn lately given to their affairs (Psa 60:4). III. He prays for the deliverance of God's Israel from their enemies (Psa 60:5). IV. He triumphs in hope of their victories over their enemies, and begs of God to carry them on and complete them (Psa 60:6-12). In singing this psalm we may have an eye both to the acts of the church and to the state of our own souls, both which have their struggles.
To the chief musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach, when he strove with Aram-naharaim, and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt 12,000.
Cross-references: 2Sam 8:3 · 2Sam 8:13 · 1Chr 18:3 · 1Chr 18:12 · Ps 60:1 · Ps 60:4 · Ps 60:5 · Ps 60:6