Psalms 60:1-12 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

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Prayer for Help against Foes

Psalms 60:1-12

This was a national psalm to be taught the people. See title; also Deuteronomy 31:19. A strong coalition had been formed against David at that time. See 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 10:8; 2 Samuel 10:17; 2 Samuel 10:19; 1 Chronicles 18:12-15. Israel was threatened with disaster. It was as if an earthquake had rent the soil. But the king-psalmist argued that God had given His people a mission in the world, which could not be forfeited. First, Israel carried a banner for the truth, Psalms 60:4. In addition, God had “spoken in His holiness” and had promised that the seed of Abraham should possess Canaan. Standing on a hill-summit, the psalmist sees the Land of Promise outspread before him. Shechem and Succoth, Psalms 60:6, one west, the other east, of the Jordan, indicate the breadth of the land. All had been given over to Israel by covenant, and therefore the surrounding peoples must become subject.

As yet the strong city of Petra, rock-girded, Psalms 60:9, had laughed David to scorn; but he had confidence that God would lead him within its mighty walls, to tread down his adversaries, Numbers 24:18. Man could not, but God could. The question is never, Can God? but always, Can we trust and follow Him?

Related Commentaries of Psalms 60:1

Psalms 60:1-12

1 O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.

2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.

6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumpha thou because of me.

9 Who will bring me into the strongb city? who will lead me into Edom?

10 Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?

11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.c

12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.