Psalm 60

Prayer in Difficult Times

For the choir director: according to “The Lily of Testimony.”(A) A Miktam of David for teaching. When he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in Salt Valley, killing twelve thousand.(B)

God, you have rejected us;
you have broken us down;
you have been angry. Restore us![a](C)
You have shaken the land and split it open.
Heal its fissures, for it shudders.(D)
You have made your people suffer hardship;
you have given us wine to drink
that made us stagger.(E)
You have given a signal flag to those who fear you,
so that they can flee before the archers.[b](F)Selah
Save with your right hand, and answer me,
so that those you love may be rescued.(G)

God has spoken in his sanctuary:[c]
“I will celebrate!
I will divide up Shechem.(H)
I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.(I)
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine,
and Ephraim is my helmet;(J)
Judah is my scepter.(K)
Moab is my washbasin.(L)
I throw my sandal on Edom;(M)
I shout in triumph over Philistia.”(N)

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?(O)
10 God, haven’t you rejected us?
God, you do not march out with our armies.(P)
11 Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is worthless.(Q)
12 With God we will perform valiantly;(R)
he will trample our foes.(S)

Footnotes

  1. 60:1 Or Turn back to us
  2. 60:4 Or can rally before the archers, or can rally because of the truth
  3. 60:6 Or has promised by his holy nature

To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune of[a] “Lily of The Covenant,” for teaching about his battle with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and attacked 12,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley.[b]

A Prayer for God’s Help against Adversaries

60 God, you have cast us off;
    you have breached our defenses
and you have become enraged.
    Return to us!
You made the earth quake;
    you broke it open.
Repair its fractures,
    because it has shifted.
You made your people go through hard times;
    you had us drink wine that makes us stagger.

But you have given a banner to those who fear you,
    so they may display it in honor of truth.[c]
Interlude
So your loved ones may be delivered,
    save us by your power[d]
        and answer us quickly!

Then God spoke in his holiness,

“I will rejoice—
    I will divide Shechem;
        I will portion out the Succoth Valley.
Gilead belongs to me,
    and Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is my helmet,
    and Judah my scepter.
Moab is my wash basin;
    over Edom I will throw my shoes;
        over Philistia I will celebrate my triumph.”

Who will lead me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Aren’t you the one, God, who has cast us off?
    Didn’t you refuse, God, to accompany our armies?

11 Help us in our distress,
    for human help is worthless.
12 Through God we will fight[e] valiantly;
    and it is he who will crush our enemies.[f]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:1 Lit. David according to
  2. Psalm 60:1 I.e. Dead Sea region
  3. Psalm 60:4 Or display it because of the archer
  4. Psalm 60:5 Lit. right hand
  5. Psalm 60:12 Lit. will do
  6. Psalm 60:12 vv.5-12 is the same as Psalm 108:6-13.