Psalms 60

Psalms 60 begins with a lament over God's apparent rejection and the nation's suffering, describing the land as broken and the people drinking "wine of astonishment." The psalmist then expresses hope, recalling God's promise of dominion over various territories, signifying future restoration. The psalm concludes with a renewed plea for divine help, asserting that through God alone, victory over enemies will be achieved.

Psalms 60, a Michtam of David, opens with a poignant lament, acknowledging God's perceived abandonment and the resulting national distress, likening the land to one broken and the people to those who have drunk "wine of astonishment." Despite this initial despair, the psalmist appeals for God to "turn thyself to us again" and deliver His beloved. A pivotal shift occurs as the psalmist recalls God's holy promise, asserting divine dominion over key territories such as Shechem, Gilead, Manasseh, and Judah, and declaring control over adversaries like Moab, Edom, and Philistia. This divine declaration instills a renewed sense of hope and purpose. The psalm then transitions to a confident plea for God's leadership into the "strong city" and Edom, recognizing the futility of human help alone. It concludes with a powerful affirmation that through God, the people shall act valiantly and their enemies will be trodden down.

Psalms 60, identified in its superscription as a Michtam of David, penned during military conflicts with Aramnaharaim, Aramzobah, and Edom, commences with a profound lament. The psalmist expresses the nation's distress, feeling cast off, scattered, and displeased by God, describing the earth as trembling and broken, and the people forced to drink "the wine of astonishment." This initial section is a heartfelt plea for God to "turn thyself to us again" and heal the breaches. A turning point emerges as the psalmist recalls God's past actions, specifically that He has given a "banner" to those who fear Him, to be displayed for truth, and a fervent prayer for deliverance of "thy beloved." The psalm then shifts to a declaration of divine promise, stating that "God hath spoken in his holiness." This promise outlines God's sovereign claim over various territories: Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim (as the strength of his head), and Judah (as his lawgiver). Furthermore, God's dominion is asserted over traditional enemies, with Moab designated as a "washpot," Edom as a place over which a shoe will be cast, and Philistia as a nation over which triumph will be achieved. Despite this divine assurance, the psalmist poses rhetorical questions, "Who will bring me [into] the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?", immediately answering with a renewed appeal to God, even acknowledging the past perception that God "hadst cast us off" and "didst not go out with our armies." The psalm culminates in a powerful expression of dependence and faith, declaring the futility of human assistance ("vain [is] the help of man") and affirming that "Through God we shall do valiantly: for he [it is that] shall tread down our enemies."