Psalms 60 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 60

He Will Tread Down Our Foes

To the choirmaster: according to Shushan Eduth. A Miktam¹ of David; for instruction; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

60:1   O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
    you have been angry; oh, restore us.
2   You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
    repair its breaches, for it totters.
3   You have made your people see hard things;
    you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.
4   You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
    that they may flee to it from the bow.² Selah
5   That your beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer us!
6   God has spoken in his holiness:³
    “With exultation I will divide up Shechem
    and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
7   Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim is my helmet;
    Judah is my scepter.
8   Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I cast my shoe;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”⁴
9   Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10   Have you not rejected us, O God?
    You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11   Oh, grant us help against the foe,
    for vain is the salvation of man!
12   With God we shall do valiantly;
    it is he who will tread down our foes.

Footnotes

[1] 60:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
[2] 60:4 Or that it may be displayed because of truth
[3] 60:6 Or sanctuary
[4] 60:8 Revocalization (compare Psalm 108:10); Masoretic Text over me, O Philistia, shout in triumph

Commentary

See 2 Sam 8, which describes the numerous military victories.

v1-3: Even though Israel had won many victories, there was something wrong; the Lord had cast them off, had broken them down. Was there an indication that He had withdrawn His blessing in some way?

Jonathan Edwards says; ‘it is the glory of God’s wisdom, that it is a holy wisdom, and not a wicked subtlety and craftiness. This makes His majesty lovely; and not merely dreadful and horrible, that it is a holy majesty. It is the glory of God’s immutability, and not a flexible obstinacy in wickedness.’ (Religious Affections)

v4-5: God's faithfulness to the godly, the banner of testimony.

v6-8: God has spoken of His own sovereignty over the nations. For Israel (Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, Judah) there was honour as the servants of God. For the Gentile nations (Moab, Edom, Philistia) there was shame.

v9-12: Any victories are from God Himself. Did Israel trust in human strength instead of in God; was this why the psalmist refers to God not going out with their armies?

As in Job 13.15, we must continue to trust in God whatever the circumstances, and whatever the outcome.