Psalms Chapter 60 (KJV)
Psalms 60
God's faithfulness despite human circumstancesThe tension between feeling abandoned and trusting in God's promisesVictory through divine strength rather than human powerGod's sovereignty over nations and territories
[To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.] O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. {Michtam: or, A golden Psalm} {scattered: Heb. broken}
Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
That thy beloved may be delivered; save {with} thy right hand, and hear me.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead {is} mine, and Manasseh {is} mine; Ephraim also {is} the strength of mine head; Judah {is} my lawgiver;
Moab {is} my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. {triumph...: or, triumph thou over me: (by an irony}
Who will bring me {into} the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? {strong...: Heb. city of strength?}
{Wilt} not thou, O God, {which} hadst cast us off? and {thou}, O God, {which} didst not go out with our armies?
Give us help from trouble: for vain {is} the help of man. {help of man: Heb. salvation, etc}
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he {it is that} shall tread down our enemies.
Context & Meaning
Psalm 60 is a prayer of David during a time of military defeat, where he initially expresses feelings of being abandoned by God but then transitions to declarations of God's power and promises. The psalm moves from lament to confidence, ending with the assurance that through God's strength, His people will overcome their enemies.