Table of Contents
Historical Background and Context
The detailed title of Psalm 60 roots it in a major military campaign during King David’s reign: “For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Lily of the Covenant.’ A miktam of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.”
This historical situation is described in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. David’s army, led by his general Joab, was engaged in a difficult and prolonged war far to the north against a coalition of Aramean (Syrian) kingdoms. While Israel’s main fighting force was occupied, the nation of Edom, to the southeast, saw an opportunity. They attacked Israel’s vulnerable southern border, likely inflicting a serious and humiliating defeat.
This psalm is a national lament written from the midst of this crisis. It gives voice to the shock and confusion of the people, who felt as though God had abandoned them to their enemies. The prayer is a journey from this feeling of rejection and despair to a renewed confidence in God’s covenant promises, culminating in a final plea for divine help to achieve victory. It is a psalm for a nation in trauma, seeking to find its footing again by looking to God.
Theological Themes
Psalm 60 grapples with the difficult questions that arise when God’s people experience suffering and defeat.
The Pain of Divine Abandonment: The psalm opens with the raw and honest cry, “You have rejected us, O God.” This is not a statement of disbelief, but a painful expression of how things feel. The people are experiencing God’s “anger,” which they interpret as a form of divine discipline or judgment. The psalm gives us permission to be honest with God about our feelings of abandonment in times of hardship.
God’s Sovereignty Over Nations: The turning point of the psalm is a divine oracle (verses 6-8) where God speaks, reaffirming His absolute ownership and authority. He parcels out the Promised Land (Shechem, Gilead, Ephraim, Judah) as His own and declares His dominion over the surrounding enemy nations (Moab, Edom, Philistia). This reminds the people that no matter how chaotic things seem on earth, God is still on His throne and His purposes will not be thwarted.
The Uselessness of Human Strength: In the face of a fortified enemy, the psalmist comes to a critical realization: “Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless” (verse 11). This is a confession of complete dependence on God. Military strategy, political alliances, and human courage are all insufficient to bring about true and lasting victory. Salvation comes from God alone.
Renewed Hope in God’s Promises: The despair of the opening verses is transformed into hope by the end. This change does not happen because the military situation has improved, but because the psalmist has remembered God’s Word (the oracle). Hope is restored by looking away from the circumstances and looking toward the unchanging promises and character of God. The psalm ends with the confident declaration: “With God we will gain the victory” (verse 12).
Literary Structure and Genre
Psalm 60 is a community lament. It is a prayer on behalf of the entire nation. Its structure is a clear and powerful progression in three parts:
- The Complaint (verses 1-4): A description of the current disaster and the feeling of being rejected by God.
- The Oracle (verses 5-8): A divine speech, quoted by the psalmist, that reaffirms God’s sovereign promises and becomes the basis for renewed hope.
- The Petition (verses 9-12): A final plea for God’s help, based on the confidence inspired by the oracle, and a declaration of trust in God alone for victory.
Verse by Verse Commentary on Psalm 60
Verses 1-4: A Nation Shaken and Staggering
“You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry—now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. 2But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.”
The psalm begins with a blunt and painful accusation against God. The military defeat is interpreted as an act of God: “You have rejected us… you have been angry.” The imagery is of a catastrophic earthquake. God has “shaken the land and torn it open,” and the nation is quaking and fractured.
This trauma has left the people disoriented and confused. It is as if God has forced them to drink a “wine that makes us stagger.” They are reeling, unable to think clearly or stand firmly. This powerfully captures the psychological impact of a national disaster.
Yet, even in this bleak opening, there is a glimmer of hope in verse 4. For the faithful remnant, for “those who fear you,” God has raised a banner. A banner was a rallying point for an army in the chaos of battle. It was a visible sign of who was in command and where the soldiers should gather. In the midst of their staggering confusion, God has provided a standard to rally around—His truth and His promises.
Verses 5-8: God’s Sovereign Declaration
“Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. God has spoken from his sanctuary: ‘In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. Gilead is mine, 3and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter. Moab is my washbasin, on Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.'”
Verse 5 is a bridge, a prayer that God would save “those you love.” This leads into the psalm’s turning point. The psalmist remembers a promise, a divine oracle that “God has spoken from his sanctuary.“
God’s speech is a powerful declaration of His sovereign ownership. He names key territories within Israel—Shechem, Sukkoth, Gilead, Manasseh—as His personal property to be divided as He pleases. He then describes the core tribes of Ephraim and Judah as essential parts of His royal armor and authority. Ephraim (representing the northern tribes) is His helmet, providing protection. Judah (the royal tribe) is His scepter, the symbol of His right to rule.
Then God turns His attention to the enemy nations. Moab, a proud enemy, is demoted to the status of a mere washbasin, a common vessel for washing feet. To Edom, the current aggressor, God contemptuously tosses his sandal, an ancient gesture of claiming ownership. Over Philistia, the old enemy, He gives a shout of military triumph. In just a few lines, God’s Word has completely reframed reality, showing His absolute control over all nations.
Verses 9-12: A Renewed Plea and Final Confidence
“Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample d4own our enemies.”
Armed with the confidence of God’s oracle, the psalmist now looks at the practical military challenge ahead. The “fortified city” likely refers to Sela (or Petra), the famously impregnable capital of Edom. The question is, who can possibly conquer such a place?
The answer is found by turning the initial complaint into a question of faith. He asks God, “Is it not you… you who have now rejected us?” This is a plea for God to reverse His apparent rejection and once again lead their armies.
This leads to the psalm’s great confession of faith in verse 11: “human help is worthless.” All other strategies will fail. Only God can give them the victory they need.
The psalm ends not in despair, but with one of the most powerful declarations of faith in the Psalter: “With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.” The journey is complete. From the staggering confusion of defeat, the nation has found its footing by standing on the firm foundation of God’s Word and trusting in His power alone.
Practical Lessons for Today
Be Honest with God in Your Pain: Psalm 60 shows that it is okay to feel abandoned by God and to tell Him so. Honest lament is a vital part of a real relationship with God. He is not afraid of our questions or our pain.
Anchor Your Hope in God’s Word, Not Your Circumstances: When life feels like an earthquake, our feelings and circumstances are unreliable. The psalmist found stability by remembering what God had spoken. We too can find an unshakable anchor for our souls in the promises of Scripture, which are true regardless of how we feel or what is happening around us.
Recognize the Limits of Human Ability: In a world that prizes self-sufficiency, this psalm’s declaration that “human help is worthless” is a radical statement. It reminds us that our ultimate hope and strength cannot be found in ourselves, our leaders, or our systems, but only in God.
Victory is a Partnership with God: The final verse says, “With God we will gain the victory.” It does not say, “Sit back and watch God win the victory.” We are called to act, to fight, to strive—but to do so with the absolute confidence that the decisive power comes from God, who goes with us and tramples down our enemies.
Cross References
2 Samuel 8:13-14: “And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt… The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.” This passage provides the historical background, recording the ultimate victory that Psalm 60 prays for during the struggle.
Psalm 108:6-13: This psalm incorporates verses 5-12 of Psalm 60 almost word for word, combining them with verses from Psalm 57. This shows that the divine oracle in Psalm 60 was considered a hugely important and foundational promise that was treasured and reused in Israel’s worship.
Psalm 44: This is another powerful national lament that expresses similar feelings of confusion and abandonment by God in a time of military defeat. It asks, “Why do you reject us and hide your face from us?” showing that this is a common struggle for God’s people.
Isaiah 63:1-6: This is a stunning prophetic vision of God as a divine warrior coming from Edom, with his garments stained red from trampling his enemies. It provides a powerful picture of the kind of divine victory over Edom that Psalm 60 is praying for.