PSALM 60 COMME�TARYEDITED BY GLE�� PEASE

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[b] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram �aharaim[c] and Aram Zobah,[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

I�TRODUCTIO�

SPURGEO�, "TITLE. Here is a lengthy title, but it helps us much to expound the Psalm. To the Chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, or the Lily of Testimony. The forty-fifth was on the lilies, and represented the kingly warrior in his beauty going forth to war; here we see him dividing the spoil and bearing testimony to the glory of God. Tunes have strange names apparently, but this results from the fact that we do not know what was in the composer's mind, else they might seem to be touchingly appropriate; perhaps the music or the musical instruments have more to do with this title than the Psalm itself. Yet in war songs, roses and lilies are often mentioned, and one remembers Macaulay's Song of the Hugenots, though perhaps we err in mentioning so carnal a verse--"�ow by the lips of those ye love, fair gentlemen of France,Charge for the golden lilies now, upon them with the lance."Michtam of David, to teach. David obeyed the precept to teach the children of Israel; he recorded the Lord's mighty acts that they might be rehearsed in the ears of generations to come. Golden secrets are to be told on the house tops; these things were not done in a corner and ought not to be buried in silence. We ought gladly to learn what inspiration so beautifully teaches. When he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah. The combined Aramean tribes sought to overcome Israel, but were signally defeated. When Joab returned. He had been engaged in another region, and the enemies of Israel took advantage of his absence, but on his return

with Abishai the fortunes of war were changed. And smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand. More than this appear to have fallen according to 1 Chronicles 18:12, but this commemorates one memorable part of the conflict. Terrible must have been the battle, but decisive indeed were the results, and the power of the enemy was utterly broken. Well did the Lord deserve a song from his servant.DIVISIO�S. Properly the song may be said to consist of three parts: the complaining verses, Psalms 60:1-3; the happy, Psalms 60:4-8; the prayerful, Psalms 60:9-12. We have divided it as the sense appeared to change.

ELLICOTT, "This psalm is composite; certainly two (Psalms 60:1-12), probably three, independent pieces (Psalms 60:1-12) compose it.

Psalms 60:5-12 appear again at Psalms 108. The fact that the compiler of that psalm began his adaptation with Psalms 60:5, and not where the ancient original piece begins (Psalms 60:6), as well as the trifling variations, show that this psalm was in its present state when the later arrangement was made. Most scholars agree in thinking that the oracular verses, 6-8, are Davidic, or belong to a period as old as David’s; and the inscription no doubt refers us to the series of events which this part of the poem reflects.

There is nothing to guide conjecture as to the time when the ancient oracular promise of victory was embodied in a poem, which evidently reflects a period of national depression, either from some crushing defeat by a foreign enemy, or from civil strife, in which the pious part of the community had suffered. The poetical form is necessarily irregular.

Title.—See title, Psalms 4, 16

Upon Shushan-eduth (comp. Psalms 80, and Psalms 45, title)—i.e., upon a lily of testimony; which has been variously explained to mean, “Upon lily-shaped bells,” “A harp with six strings,” &c. After the analogy of other titles, it is better to take it as the beginning of some hymn, to the tune of which this psalm was to be sung.

To teach.—This recalls 2 Samuel 1:18 : “To teach the sons of Judah the [song of the] bow.” This psalm, like the elegy over Saul and Jonathan, was possibly used to kindle the martial ardour of youthful Israel.

When he strove with . . .—The allusion to “Aram-naharaim”—i.e., Aram of the two rivers—and “Aram-zobah” are to be explained by the events narrated in 2 Samuel 8, 10. The English rendering of 2 Samuel 8:13 reads as if Syrians, and not Edomites, were then slain in the valley of salt; but the Hebrew seems rather to be, “And David gat him a name in the valley of salt [eighteen thousand], when he returned from smiting the Syrians.” This still leaves a discrepancy in the numbers; but it may be noticed that the mode of the introduction of the number in the history looks suspiciously like a gloss which may have been made from memory and afterwards crept into the text.

PETT, "Heading (Psalms 60:1 a).

‘For the Chief Musician; set to Shushan Eduth. Michtam of David, to teach, when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and Joab returned, and smote twelve thousand men of Edom in the Valley of Salt.’This Psalm is dedicated to the Chief Musician to the tune of Shushan Eduth, ‘the Lily of Testimony’. Compare for this the similar tune for Psalms 80 (shushannim eduth - ‘lilies of testimony’). It is a Michtam, a cry for cover and protection, and was for the purpose of teaching. Possibly the aim was that it should be learned by heart.

The background to the Psalm was when David had invaded Syria (Aram) to the north (2 Samuel 8:3-8), defeating the kings of Zobah and Damascus. Seemingly the Edomites to the south, with the assistance of the Syrians, had taken advantage of the opportunity to invade Southern Judah. It was at this point that the Psalm was written, when Judah was in despair at this sudden and unexpected invasion by their enemies, a despair shared by David as he learned news of what was going on. Subsequently he sent Joab and Abishai to deal with this invasion with the result that a Syrian-Edomite alliance in the South was driven back, inflicting heavy casualties (2 Samuel 8:13-14).

The opening of the Psalm is explained by this reverse which David initially suffered, of which he received news while he was fighting in the north. It may well be that while he was conducting his successful campaign in the north, the Edomites, encouraged by a contingent of Syrians, had invaded southern Judah. �ews of this having reached David he penned this Psalm, in which he calls on God, recognising that the reverse that Israel have suffered reveals that God is angry with them (otherwise He would surely have protected them). Declaring His certainty of victory because YHWH has raised His banner on His people’s behalf, he ends the Psalm by calling on God for His assistance.

He would then in practise proceed to deal with the invaders by despatching Joab with a powerful force, and it was Joab’s brother, Abishai, who would spearhead the attack which slaughtered 6,000 Syrians and 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt (1 Chronicles 18:12), and follow it up by subjugating Edom, thus gaining great renown for David (“getting him a name”). Israel were no longer the underdogs in the area as they had been in the past before the rise of David.

�otice the emphasis on the distinctiveness of His people. They are the ones who ‘fear Him’, that is, reverence Him and respond to Him, whilst He is the One Who ‘loves them and sees them as His own (Psalms 60:4-5). It is because of this that He raises up His standard on their behalf, and exultantly declares His control over the whole area, over Ephraim (Israel), Judah and the surrounding nations.

The Psalm may be divided into three parts:

1) David’s Distress On Learning Of The Disastrous Invasion Of Southern Judah By The Combined Syrian-Edomite Forces And His Confidence In The Face Of It (Psalms 60:1-4).2) David Calls On God To Save Them By His Mighty Right Hand So That The People Whom He Loves Might Be Delivered, And Declares The Certainty Of YHWH’s Victory Because The Surrounding �ations Are Subject To Him (Psalms 60:5-8).3) David Declares His Assurance That Although God Has Appeared For A While To Have Abandoned His People, He Will �ow Arise And Enable Them To Gain The Victory (Psalms 60:9-12).David’s Distress On Learning Of The Disastrous Invasion Of Southern Judah By The Combined Syrian-Edomite Forces And His Confidence In The Face Of It (Psalms 60:1-4).

Recognising that the invasion of Judah by the Syrian-Edomite alliance is a sign of God’s displeasure with Israel, he describes what has happened to southern Judah as being like a severe earthquake, which has caused them to tremble and stagger around. But he is nevertheless confident that God has now given them a banner which can be displayed because they are His true people.

1 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; you have been angry—now restore us!

BAR�ES, "O God, thou hast cast us off - The word used here means properly to be foul, rancid, offensive; and then, to treat anything as if it were foul or rancid; to repel, to spurn, to cast away. See the notes at Psa_43:2. It is strong language, meaning that God had seemed to treat them as if they were loathsome or offensive to him. The allusion, according to the view taken in the introduction to the psalm, is to some defeat or disaster which had occurred after the conquests in the East, or during the absence of the armies of David in the East 2 Sam. 8; 1 Chr. 18; probably to the fact that the Edomites had taken occasion to invade the southern part of Palestine, and that the forces employed to expel them had been unsuccessful.

Thou hast scattered us - Margin, broken. So the Hebrew. The word is applied to

the forces of war which are broken and scattered by defeat, 2Sa_5:20.

Thou hast been displeased - The word used here means “to breathe”; to breathe hard; and then, to be angry. See the notes at Psa_2:12. God had treated them as if he was displeased or angry. He had suffered them to be defeated.

O turn thyself to us again - Return to our armies, and give us success. This might be rendered, “Thou wilt turn to us;” that is, thou wilt favor us - expressing a confident belief that God would do this, as in Psa_60:12. It is more in accordance, however, with the usual structure of the Psalms to regard this as a prayer. Many of the psalms begin with a prayer, and end with the expression of a confident assurance that the prayer has been, or would certainly be heard.

CLARKE, "O God, thou hast cast us off - Instead of being our general in the battle, thou hast left us to ourselves; and then there was only the arm of flesh against the arm of flesh, numbers and physical power were left to decide the contest. We have been scattered, our ranks have been broken before the enemy, and thou hast caused the whole land to tremble at our bad success; the people are become divided and seditious. “Thou hast made the land to tremble, even the breaches of it, for it shaketh, it is all in commotion,” Psa_60:2.

GILL, "O God, thou hast cast us off,.... What is said in this verse, and Psa_60:2, are by some applied to times past; to the distress of the people Israel by their neighbours in the times of the judges; to their being smitten by the Philistines, in the times of Eli and Samuel; and to the victory they obtained over them, when Saul and his sons were slain; and to the civil wars between the house of Saul and David; but rather the whole belongs to future times, which David, by a prophetic spirit, was led to on the occasion of the victory obtained, when before this the nation had been in bad circumstances. This refers to the casting off of the Jews as a church and nation, when they had rejected the Messiah and killed him, persecuted his apostles, and despised his Gospel; of which see Rom_11:15;

thou hast scattered us; as they were by the Romans among the various nations of the world, and among whom they are dispersed to this day; or "thou hast broken us" (k), as in Psa_80:12; not only the walls of their city were broken by the battering rams of the Romans, but their commonwealth, their civil state, were broke to pieces by them. Jarchi applies this to the Romans; his note is this;

"when Edom fell by his hand (David's), he foresaw, by the Holy Ghost, that the Romans would rule over Israel, and decree hard decrees concerning them;''

thou hast been displeased; not only with their immorality and profaneness, with their hypocrisy and insincerity, with their will worship and superstition, and the observance of the traditions of their elders; but also with their rejection of the Messiah, and contempt of his Gospel and ordinances;

O turn thyself to us again; which prayer will be made by them, when they shall become sensible of their sins, and of their state and condition, and shall turn unto the

Lord; and when he will turn himself to them, and turn away iniquity from them, and all Israel shall be saved, Rom_11:25; or "thou wilt return unto us" (l); who before were cast off, broken, and he was displeased with; or others to us.

HE�RY 1-3, "The title gives us an account, 1. Of the general design of the psalm. It is Michtam - David's jewel, and it is to teach. The Levites must teach it to the people, and by it teach them both to trust in God and to triumph in him; we must, in it, teach ourselves and one another. In a day of public rejoicing we have need to be taught to direct our joy to God and to terminate it in him, to give none of that praise to the instruments of our deliverance which is due to him only, and to encourage our hopes with our joys. 2. Of the particular occasion of it. It was at a time, (1.) When he was at war with the Syrians, and still had a conflict with them, both those of Mesopotamia and those of Zobah. (2.) When he had gained a great victory over the Edomites, by his forces, under the command of Joab, who had left 12,000 of the enemy dead upon the spot. David has an eye to both these concerns in this psalm: he is in care about his strife with the Assyrians, and in reference to that he prays; he is rejoicing in his success against the Edomites, and in reference to that he triumphs with a holy confidence in God that he would complete the victory. We have our cares at the same time that we have our joys, and they may serve for a balance to each other, that neither may exceed. They may likewise furnish us with matter both for prayer and praise, for both must be laid before God with suitable affections and emotions. If one point be gained, yet in another we are still striving: the Edomites are vanquished, but the Syrians are not; therefore let not him that girds on the harness boast as if he had put it off.

In these verses, which begin the psalm, we have,

I. A melancholy memorial of the many disgraces and disappointments which God had, for some years past, put the people under. During the reign of Saul, especially in the latter end of it, and during David's struggle with the house of Saul, while he reigned over Judah only, the affairs of the kingdom were much perplexed, and the neighbouring nations were vexatious to them. 1. He complains of hard things which they had seen (that is, which they had suffered), while the Philistines and other ill-disposed neighbours took all advantages against them, Psa_60:3. God sometimes shows even his own people hard things in this world, that they may not take up their rest in it, but may dwell at ease in him only. 2. He owns God's displeasure to be the cause of all the hardships they had undergone: “Thou hast been displeased by us, displeased against us (Psa_60:1), and in thy displeasure hast cast us off and scattered us, hast put us out of thy protection, else our enemies could not have prevailed thus against us. They would never have picked us up and made a prey of us if thou hadst not broken the staff of bands (Zec_11:14) by which we were united, and so scattered us.” Whatever our trouble is, and whoever are the instruments of it, we must own the hand of God, his righteous hand, in it. 3. He laments the ill effects and consequences of the miscarriages of the late years. The whole nation was in a convulsion: Thou hast made the earth (or the land) to tremble, Psa_60:2. The generality of the people had dreadful apprehensions of the issue of these things. The good people themselves were in a consternation: “Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment (Psa_60:3); we were like men intoxicated, and at our wits' end, not knowing how to reconcile these dispensations with God's promises and his relation to his people; we are amazed, can do nothing, nor know we what to do.” Now this is mentioned here to teach, that is, for the instruction of the people. When God is turning his hand in our favour, it is good to remember our former calamities, (1.) That

we may retain the good impressions they made upon us, and may have them revived. Our souls must still have the affliction and the misery in remembrance, that they may be humbled within us, Lam_3:19, Lam_3:20. (2.) That God's goodness to us, in relieving us and raising us up, may be more magnified; for it is as life from the dead, so strange, so refreshing. Our calamities serve as foils to our joys. (3.) That we may not be secure, but may always rejoice with trembling, as those that know not how soon we may be returned into the furnace again, which we were lately taken out of as the silver is when it is not thoroughly refined.

JAMISO� 1-3, "Psa_60:1-12. Shushan-eduth - Lily of testimony. The lily is an emblem of beauty (see on Psa_45:1, title). As a description of the Psalm, those terms combined may denote a beautiful poem, witnessing - that is, for God’s faithfulness as evinced in the victories referred to in the history cited. Aram-naharaim - Syria of the two rivers, or Mesopotamia beyond the river (Euphrates) (2Sa_10:16). Aram-zobah -Syria of Zobah (2Sa_10:6), to whose king the king of the former was tributary. The war with Edom, by Joab and Abishai (2Ch_18:12, 2Ch_18:25), occurred about the same time. Probably, while doubts and fears alternately prevailed respecting the issue of these wars, the writer composed this Psalm, in which he depicts, in the language of God’s people, their sorrows under former disasters, offers prayer in present straits, and rejoices in confident hope of triumph by God’s aid.

allude to disasters.

cast ... off — in scorn (Psa_43:2; Psa_44:9).

scattered — broken our strength (compare 2Sa_5:20).

Oh, turn thyself — or, “restore to us” (prosperity). The figures of physical, denote great civil, commotions (Psa_46:2, Psa_46:3).

CALVI�, "1.O God! thou hast cast us off. With the view of exciting both himself and others to a more serious consideration of the goodness of God, which they presently experienced, he begins the psalm with prayer; and a comparison is instituted, designed to show that the government of Saul had been under the divine reprobation. He complains of the sad confusions into which the nation had been thrown, and prays that God would return to it in mercy, and re-establish its affairs. Some have thought that David here adverts to his own distressed condition: this is not probable. I grant that, before coming to the throne, he underwent severe afflictions; but in this place he evidently speaks of the whole people as well as himself. The calamities which he describes are such as extended to the whole kingdom; and I have not the least doubt, therefore, that he is to be considered as drawing a comparison which might illustrate the favor of God, as it had been shown so remarkably, from the first, to his own government. With this view, he deplores the long-continued and heavy disasters which had fallen upon the people of God under Saul’s administration. It is particularly noticeable, that though he had found his own countrymen his worst and bitterest foes, now that he sat upon the throne, he forgets all the injuries which they had done him, and, mindful only of the situation which he occupied, associates himself with the rest of them in his addresses to God.

The scattered condition of the nation is what he insists upon as the main calamity. In consequence of the dispersion of Saul’s forces, the country lay completely exposed to the incursions of enemies; not a man was safe in his own house, and no relief remained but in flight or banishment. He next describes the confusions which reigned by a metaphor, representing the country as opened, or cleft asunder; not that there had been a literal earthquake, but that the kingdom, in its rent and shattered condition, presented that calamitous aspect which generally follows upon an earthquake. The affairs of Saul ceased to prosper from the time that he forsook God; and when he perished at last, he left the nation in a state little short of ruin. The greatest apprehension must have been felt throughout it; it was become the scorn of its enemies, and was ready to submit to any yoke, however degrading, which promised tolerable conditions. Such is the manner in which David intimates that the divine favor had been alienated by Saul, pointing, when he says that God was displeased, at the radical source of all the evils which prevailed; and he prays that the same physician who had broken would heal.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 1. Before the days of Saul, Israel had been brought very low; during his government it had suffered from internal strife, and his reign was closed by an overwhelming disaster at Gibeon. David found himself the possessor of a tottering throne, troubled with the double evil of factions at home, and invasion from abroad. He traced at once the evil to its true source, and began at the fountainhead. His were the politics of piety, which after all are the wisest and most profound. He knew that the displeasure of the Lord had brought calamity upon the nation, and to the removal of that displeasure he set himself by earnest prayer.O God, thou hast cast us off. Thou hast treated us as foul and offensive things, to be put away; as mean and beggarly persons, to be shunned with contempt; as useless dead boughs, to be torn away from the tree, which they disfigure. To be cast off by God is the worst calamity that can befall a man or a people; but the worst form of it is when the person is not aware of it and is indifferent to it. When the divine desertion causes mourning and repentance, it will be but partial and temporary. When a cast off soul sighs for its God it is indeed not cast off at all.Thou has scattered us. David clearly sees the fruits of the divine anger, he traces the flight of Israel's warriors, the breaking of her power, the division in her body politic, to the hand of God. Whoever might be the secondary agent of these disasters, he beholds the Lord's hand as the prime moving cause, and pleads with the Lord concerning the matter. Israel was like a city with a breach made in its wall, because her God was wroth with her. These first two verses, with their depressing confession, must be regarded as greatly enhancing the power of the faith which in the after verses rejoices in better days, through the Lord's gracious return unto his people.Thou hast been displeased. This is the secret of our miseries. Had we pleased thee, thou wouldst have pleased us; but as we have walked contrary to thee, thou hast walked contrary to us.O turn thyself to us again. Forgive the sin and smile once more. Turn us to thee, turn thou to us. Aforetime thy face was towards thy people, be pleased to look on us again with thy favour and grace. Some read it, "Thou wilt turn to us again, "and it makes but slight difference which way we take it, for a true hearted prayer brings a

blessing so soon that it is no presumption to consider it already obtained. There was more need for God to turn to his people than for Judah's troops to be brave, or Joab and the commanders wise. God with us is better than strong battalions; God displeased is more terrible than all the Edomites that ever marched into the valley of salt, or all the devils that ever opposed the church. If the Lord turn to us, what care we for Aramnaharaim or Aramzobah, or death, or hell? but if he withdraw his presence we tremble at the fall of a leaf.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSTitle. There are some difficulties attendant upon the title of this Psalm, when it is compared with the contents. We naturally expect after such as inscription, joy, congratulation, and praise for victory; but the psalmist breaks out into lamentations and bitter complaints: his strains are, however, changed, when he has proceeded as far as verse three, where he begins to feel confidence, and to employ the language of exultation and triumph. The best means of removing this discrepancy seems to be by remarking, that this Psalm was written after some of the battles of which mention is made in the title, but that the author does not restrict himself to those events without taking a wider range, so as to embrace the afflictive conditions both of Israel and Judah during the latter part of Saul's life, and the former years of David's reign. In the concluding years of Saul, the Philistines obtained a superiority over him, and finally destroyed him with his army. Subsequently to these events the whole land was in a very disturbed and agitated condition, arising out of the contentions between the partisans of Saul's family, and those who were attached to David. The nations which inhabited the regions adjacent to the land of Canaan were at all times inimical to the Jews, and seized every opportunity of attacking and injuring them. But when David had succeeded in uniting the whole nation under his authority, he proceeded to avenge the injuries and insults that had been inflicted upon his countrymen by the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, and Syrians; and God was pleased to give him signal success in his undertakings. He appears, therefore, to have combined all these transactions, and made them the subject of this Psalm. William Walford.Title. Shushaneduth. The lilies of the testimony -- means, that this Psalm has for its chief subject something very lovely and cheering in the law; namely, the words of promise quoted in the beginning of verse six, according to which the land of Canaan belonged to the Israelites, upon which is thus established the confidence expressed in Psalms 60:6-8, with respect to their right of property over the land, and their possession of it. This promise, not to cite many other passages, which occur in the Five Books of Moses, and even so early as the patriarchs, is contained in Genesis 49:1-33, and Deuteronomy 33:1-29. It is evident of what value and importance this promise was, and particularly the remembrance of it at this time. T. C. Barth's "Bible Manual, "1865.Title. The only other eduth or "testimony" in the Psalter, Psalms 80:1-19, makes mention by name of the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and is a witness against those tribes for forsaking the Shepherd of Israel who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt. Joseph Francis Thrupp, M.A., in "An Introduction to the Study and Use of the Psalms, "1860.Title. Aramnaharaim. The name Aram corresponds to Syria in its widest and vaguest sense, and is joined with other names to designate particular parts of that

large country. It even includes Mesopotamia, which is a term of physical rather than political geography, and denotes the space between the Tigris and Euphrates, corresponding to Aram �aharaim, or Syria of the Two Rivers, in the verse before us. The king of this country was tributary to the king of Aram Zobah, as appears from the account of David's second Aramean war (2 Samuel 10:16; 2 Samuel 10:19). Joseph Addison Alexander.Title. When he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah. An insult offered to David's ambassadors by Hanun, king of the Ammonites, led to a serious war. Hanun obtained mercenaries from Syria to reinforce his army, Joab and Abishai his brother, David's generals, gave them battle. Joab, opposed to the Syrians, gained the first success, and the Ammonites, seeing their allies routed, took to flight into their town. But this defeat provoked a great coalition, embracing all the people between the Jordan and the Euphrates. David, however, fearlessly marched against them at the head of his army; he vanquished all his enemies, and made himself master of the small Aramaean kingdoms of Damascus, Zobah, and Hamath, and subjugated the Eastern Idumaeans, who met their final defeat in the Valley of Salt. Francois Lenormant and E. Chevallier, in "A Manual of the Ancient History of the East, "1869.Title. Joab returned and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand, compared with 2 Samuel 8:13, "David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men, "and 1 Chronicles 18:12, where this very service was performed by Abishai. Answer. It is one thing to attribute the victory for the honour of the king that was the cause. But the mentioning of these chief generals, by whom the service was performed, is another. David, under God, must have the honour of the work, for the increase of his name, being set for the typing out of Christ, who must have all the glory of the day, whatever conquest he gets by instruments of that service here, who likewise are typed out in David's worthies, of whom Joab and Abishai were chief. By these he obtained that great victory over Hadadezer. In returning from which service Joab found his brother Abishai engaged in the valley of salt against eighteen thousand Edomites or Syrians (all one), whose valour the Almighty looked on, as he attributes the whole slaughter to him, because first attempting it. Joab, it seems, took this in his return from the former slaughter, and fell in for the assistance of his brother Abishai (for that was their usual course: though they divided their armies, they did not divide their hearts). But if the enemies were too strong, one would help the other. 1 Chronicles 19:12. And of this eighteen thousand attributed to David and Abishai before, Joab slew twelve thousand of them; the memory of which service is here embalmed with a Psalm; first showing the extremes they were in, doubtful at first they should not get the victory. Secondly, applying it to the kingdom of Christ. Lastly, ascribing all the honour of the conquest to God; saying, through God this valiant service was done; it was he that trod down our enemies; and will do (last verse). William Streat, in "The Dividing of the Hoof, "1654.Title. The Valley of Salt. The ridge of Usdum exhibits more distinctly its peculiar formation; the main body of the mountain being a solid mass of rock salt... We could at first hardly believe our eyes, until we had several times approached the precipices, and broken off pieces to satisfy ourselves, both by the touch and taste. The salt, where thus exposed, is everywhere more or less furrowed by the rains. As

we advanced, large lumps and masses broken off from above, lay like rocks along the shore, or were fallen down as debris. The very stones beneath our feet were wholly salt... The position of this mountain at the south end of the sea, enables us also to ascertain the place of The Valley of Salt mentioned in Scripture, where the Hebrews under David, and again under Amaziah, gained decisive victories over Edom. This valley could have been no other than the Ghor south of the Dead Sea, adjacent to the mountain of salt; it separates indeed the ancient territories of Judah and Edom. Edward Robinson's "Biblical Researches in Palestine, "1867.Title. The historic record mentions eighteen thousand slain, and here but twelve thousand. The greater of course includes the less. The discrepancy may be explained by supposing that the title contains the numbers slain by one division of the army, or that the twelve thousand were slain in the battle, and the residue in the flight. Or an error may have crept into the text. Every scholar admits that there is sometimes serious difficulty in settling the numbers of the Old Testament. In this place Calvin has two and twenty thousand, the common version twelve thousand, while the original is two ten thousand, which taken in one way would mean twenty thousand, i.e., two tens of thousands. Hammond refers the number slain to different battles, and so avoids the difficulty. William S. Plumer.Ver. 1. O God, thou hast cast us off. The word here used means properly to be foul, rancid, offensive; and then, to treat anything as if it were foul or rancid; to repel, to spurn, to cast away. It is strong language, meaning that God had seemed to treat them as if they were loathsome of offensive to him. Albert Barnes.

CO�STABLE, "In the battle with the Arameans, Israel"s enemy overcame her temporarily. David viewed this defeat as punishment from the Lord. He called out in prayer for national restoration. Since God had allowed the defeat, He was the One who could reverse it.

ELLICOTT, "(1) Hast scattered us.—Literally, hast broken us. A word used of a wall or fence, Psalms 80:12, but in 2 Samuel 5:20 applied to the rout of an army, an event which gave its name to the locality, “plain of breaches.” So in English:

“And seeing me, with a great voice he cried,

They are broken, they are broken.”—

TE��YSO�: Elaine.

On the other hand, the two succeeding verses seem to refer to a political convulsion rather than a military defeat, and it has been conjectured that the breach between the two kingdoms is here indicated. (See the use of perez=breach, in Judges 21:15.)

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:1 « 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.

Upon Shushan-eduth] An instrument so called, or to the tune of some song so called. The words signify the lily of the testimony; or, of kingly ornament; whereof many make manifold constructions, but they are all conjectural.

Michtam of David, to teach] The Hebrews have a proverb, Lilmod lelammed, Men must, therefore, learn that they may teach. David here imparteth what he had learned of God’s goodness; and would teach others, especially when they go to war, as 3:2, 2 Samuel 1:18, to call upon God, and to lean upon his promises; as himself had done with singular success.

When he strove with Aram-naharaim] Cum rixaretur, contenderet. Mesopotamia, called here Aram-naharaim, lay between those two famous rivers, Euphrates and Tigris; and so seemeth to have been a part of that earthly paradise, Genesis 2:10-14, whereof since Adam’s fall and �oah’s flood, cecidit rosa, mansit spina, saith one, the rose is gone, the thorn only remaineth. A country fruitful beyond belief, as Herodotus hath it; but inhabited by such as here joined with the Ammonites and other enemies of the Church; and were, therefore, sought by David, and at length vanquished. See 1 Chronicles 19:1-19.

And with Aram-zobah] Or, Coelesyria, whereof Damascus was the metropolis.

When Joab returned] sc. From the slaughter of the Syrians.

And smote of Edom] That is, of the Edomites, who had set upon Israel in the south, when Joab with the army was fighting against the Syrians in the east. Joab, therefore, at his return took them to do; and slew twelve thousand, after that Abishai had first slain six thousand of them, all which eighteen thousand are said to have been slain by David, as being Rex et Radix victoriae, saith Kimchi, the king and root of the victory, 2 Samuel 8:13.

In the valley of Salt] Where Abraham had once fought with the four victorious kings, Genesis 14:9; Genesis 14:14-15, and afterwards Amaziah with the Edomites. likewise slaying ten thousand, 2 Kings 14:7, In the midst of these conflicts and bustles David is thought to have written this psalm, together with Psalms 44:1-26, Psalms 108:1-13

Ver. 1. O God, thou hast cast us off] Some gather from this sad complaint that David was sometimes worsted in these wars, though it be not particularly so recorded in the Scriptures (Aben Ezra). Dubia est martis alea, Kοινος ενυαλιος, 2

Samuel 11:25; the best cause hath not always the best success, 20:21; 20:25. Others think that the psalmist here complaineth of the sad condition of the Israelites after that Saul was slain in Mount Gilboa, and the Philistines tyrannized at their pleasure, 1 Samuel 21:7. Whereupon also followed these civil dissensions and seditions, while some of the tribes set up Ishbosheth, and others went after David. These miseries he here mentioneth the rather that God’s goodness in the present settlement of the kingdom might the better appear. Hence most interpreters read the words in the preterpluperfect, Thou hadst cast us off, thou hadst scattered us, &c.; but now it is well with us for the present, and better yet it will be.

WHEDO�, "1. Thou hast cast us off—The first three verses are a complaint but feebly relieved by prayer. Sorrow, disappointment, and astonishment prevail.

Faith seems staggered. Compare Psalms 44:9-26. The resemblance of Psalms 60:1 to Psalms 44:9, shows that the latter is borrowed from the former.

Thou hast scattered us—Thou hast broken us down. The word denotes a forcible breaking down, or breaking through; a rending of what was trusted in as safe and firm. Hence they were totally baffled and humbled. The language throughout is highly impassioned.

COKE, "Verse 1Psalms 60.

David complaining to God of former judgment, now, upon better hope, prayeth for deliverance: comforting himself in God's promises, he requesteth that help whereon he trusteth.

To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-naharaim, and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom, in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand.

Title. עדות שושן על al shushan eduth. Upon Shushan-eduth, &c.] See on Psalms 22. Houbigant renders it, Upon the hexachord of the testimony. Others render it, Upon the lily of the testimony; Michtam, or golden psalm of David. We here subjoin some further remarks on the titles of the Psalms by the author of the Observations. D'Herbelot, says he, observes, that "the works of seven of the most excellent Arab poets who flourished before the times of Mohammedanism, were called Al Moallacat, because they were successively fixed by way of honour to the gate of the temple of Mecca; and also Al-Modhahebat; which signifies gilded or golden, because they were written in letters of gold upon Egyptian paper:" and in a following page the same writer informs us, that the Arabs, when they would praise any one's poems, were wont to say, "These are the golden verses of such or such a one;" which he seems to suppose was derived from the writing of these poems in letters of gold. �ow, might not the present psalm, and those five others which are distinguished by the same epithet, be called golden, on account of their having been, on some occasion or other, written in letters of gold, and hung up in the sanctuary, or

elsewhere? �ot (it may be) on account of their being judged to have a superior excellence to the other hymns of this collection, absolutely speaking, but on account of their being suited to some particular circumstances which might occasion their being treated with this distinction. Hezekiah, we know, went up to the house of the Lord, and spread the letter of Sennacherib before him there; Isaiah 37:14 hung it up, it may be, before the Lord. What Hezekiah did with a paper of threatening, other princes might do with these psalms of encouragement and hope. Some have imagined that they were called golden psalms merely on account of their distinguished excellence. That distinguished excellence, however, doth not appear; and what is more, the ancient Jews, it is certain, had a different way of marking this out: as, The song of songs, which is Solomon's; not the golden song of Solomon. Ainsworth supposes the word מכתם michtam to signify a golden jewel. That the affixing such a title to a psalm would have been agreeable enough to the eastern taste anciently, we may believe, from what appears in these modern times. D'Herbelot has actually mentioned a book intitled bracelets of gold, containing an account of all that history had mentioned relating to a month sacred among the Arabs. I cannot, however, easily admit that this is the true meaning of the word michtam, because there are several psalms which have this word prefixed to them; whereas, if it signified a jewel of gold, it would have been intended, if we may judge by modern titles of eastern books, to have distinguished one psalm from all the rest. To which may be added, that some of these psalms have another name given them; the 56th being called the dove dumb in distant places; and the present, the lily of the testimony. I will only farther add, that this writing in letters of gold still continues in the east. Maillet, speaking of the royal Mohammedan library in Egypt, which was so famous, and was afterwards destroyed by Saladine, says, "The greatest part of there books were written in letters of gold, such as the Turks and Arabs, even of our time, made use of in the titles of their books." And a little after, speaking of the ignorance of the modern Egyptians, as to the burnishing of gold, so that their gilding has nothing of the ancient splendour, he adds, "It is true, to make up this defect, they have preserved the art of making gold liquid, and fit for ink. I have seen some of their books written with this gold, which were extremely beautiful." See Observations, p. 318.

When he strove with Adram-naharaim— That is Syria of the rivers, or that part of it which is called Mesopotamia, as lying between the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The Syrians, both here and in other places, were called Aram, because they were the descendants of Aram, the son of Shem, Genesis 10:22. Aram-Zobah is that part of Syria which was called Zobah. 2 Samuel 8:5. As David's victory over Idumea was different from that over the Syrians, the next clause should be rendered literally, And Joab returned.

This conquest of Joab's is to be looked upon as distinct from that of Abishai, mentioned 2 Samuel 8:13 and 1 Chronicles 18:12. After Abishai had slain eighteen thousand of the Idumeans, Joab fell upon them again; and, as the title of this psalm particularly informs us, smote in the same place twelve thousand more, and afterwards destroyed them entirely. See 1 Kings 11:15-16. The Valley of Salt, is in Idumaea, near the Black Sea.

Psalms 60:1. Thou hast scattered us— See 1 Samuel 1:7. Mudge renders these words, Thou hast made a breach upon us.

COFFMA�, "Verse 1PSALM 60

A PSALM FOLLOWI�G A MILITARY DEFEAT

SUPERSCRIPTIO�: FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIA�; SET TO SHUSHA� EDUTH.

MICHTAM OF DAVID; TO TEACH; WHE� HE STROVE WITH ARAM-�AHARAIM; A�D JOAB RETUR�ED; A�D SMOTE OF EDOM I� THE VALLEY OF SALT TWELVE THOUSA�D.

Shushan Eduth. This is usually translated, "The Lily of the Testimony,"[1] which was the name of the tune or melody to which the singers fitted the words of this psalm. Psalms 45; Psalms 69; and Psalms 80 were also set to this tune.

Michtam of David. "Michtam" is thought to mean that this was a "Golden Psalm"; but some have supposed that it could have been another musical instruction for the singers. David, of course, is here indicated as the author. "There is nothing that stands in the way of accepting this claim of Davidic authorship."[2] "The Psalm itself has every characteristic of the Davidic style, namely, liveliness, rapid transitions, terse yet comprehensive language, strong metaphors, intense feeling and hopefulness."[3]

Regarding the occasion, Dummelow has this:

"The Psalm is clearly written after a lost battle, not after a victory. It has been suggested that while David was engaged in the north of Palestine subjugating Damascus and the Syrians, the Edomites in the south, saw their opportunity and attacked Israel, inflicting a serious military defeat."[4]The superscription barely mentions this defeat, preferring rather to emphasize the retaliation of Israel in which a great victory was won over Edom, a victory accredited to Joab here, in which some 12,000 Edomites were killed. Of course, some writers have complained that the Bible has no full account of any such defeat of Israel, even dating to question the accuracy of the superscription on that basis. To us this is amusing. That type of critical mind would question the results of the Battle of San Jacinto because Santa Ana did not go back to Mexico and erect a monument celebrating that battle! Great defeats are seldom memorialized by the defeated. For this reason, the very abbreviated account in 2 Samuel 8; 1 Chronicles 18, etc., which relate the results of the Davidic wars, devoted no space at all to a description of the defeat which prompted this psalm.

Another unjustified criticism is that which seems offended by the fact that Joab in

this superscription is accredited with the ensuing victory over Edom, whereas "In Chronicles the victory is ascribed to Joab's brother Abishai, and in 2 Samuel 8 to David."[5] This is easily explained since David the king was commander-in-chief; Joab was the ranking General of the Armies; and his brother Abishai was entrusted with the campaign in the Valley of Salt. It was correct to ascribe victory to each of these.

Could it be an error to describe President Bush, or Secretary of Defense Cheney, or General �orman Schwarzkopf, any one of the three, or all three, as victors in the recent war with Iraq?

The organization of the psalm suggested by Rawlinson is: (1) God is pleaded with (Psalms 60:1-5); (2) God is reminded of the promises he has made to Israel (Psalms 60:6-8); (3) God is pleaded with in the very strongest terms to give help to Israel (Psalms 60:9-11); and (4) God is praised and extolled as Israel's Helper who will give them final and complete victory (Psalms 60:12).

GOD IS PLEADED WITH

Psalms 60:1-5

"O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast broken us down;

Thou hast been angry; oh restore us again.

Thou hast made the land to tremble; thou hast rent it:

Heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

Thou hast showed thy people hard things:

Thou hast made us to drink the wine of staggering.

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 answer us."

"Thou hast cast us off ... broken us down ... been angry" (Psalms 60:1). "This psalm conveys the sense of national humiliation resulting from a wholly unseen military reverse."[6] �otice also that God's anger with Israel is also mentioned. This was no doubt due to the sins and rebellions of the Chosen People, the same being characteristic of that nation throughout its history.

"Thou hast made the land to tremble ... rent it... it shaketh" (Psalms 60:2).

Was this a real earthquake, or is the military defeat merely compared to an earthquake? We believe it is probably the latter, but earthquakes were by no means uncommon occurrences in Israel.

"The wine of staggering" (Psalms 60:3). This does not mean that God had actually given Israel such a deadly potion, but that God's providence had allowed it. The metaphor of drugged wine is used in describing the sins of the Great Harlot in Revelation; and here it is a metaphor of the stunning effect of that surprising military defeat. "The nation had been rendered unable to function."[7]

Psalms 60:4 is not easily translated; and one possible meaning is that, "Israel had indeed raised the God-given banner; but it proved to be not so much a rallying point as a signal for dispersion."[8]

"That thy beloved may be delivered" (Psalms 60:5). This recalls the tremendous fact of God's loving Israel, thus injecting a strong feeling of encouragement and hope into the passage.

"Save with thy right hand, and answer us" (Psalms 60:5). This double cry for God's help emphasizes the great lesson of the psalm, namely, that no matter how discouraging and difficult any given situation may appear to be, the answer is always, inevitably, and certainly, "Take it to the Lord in prayer."

EBC, "THIS psalm has evidently a definite historical background. Israel has been worsted in fight, but still continues its campaign against Edom. Meditating on God’s promises, the psalmist anticipates victory, which will cover defeat and perfect partial successes, and seeks to breathe his own spirit of confidence into the ranks of his countrymen. But the circumstances answering to those required by the psalm are hard to find. The date assigned by the superscription cannot be called satisfactory; for David’s war there referred to [2 Samuel 8:1-18] had no such stunning defeats as are here lamented. The Divine Oracle of which the substance is given in the central part of the psalm, affords but dubious indications of date. At first sight it seems to imply the union of all the tribes in one kingdom, and therefore to favour the Davidic authorship. But it may be a question whether the united Israel of the Oracle is fact or prophecy. To one school of commentators, the mention of Ephraim in conjunction with Judah is token that the psalm is prior to the great revolt; to another, it is proof positive that the date is after the destruction of the northern kingdom. The Maccabean date is favoured by Olshausen, Hitzig, and Cheyne among moderns; but, apart from other objections, the reappearance of Psalms 60:5-12 in Psalms 108:1-13, implies that this piece of Hebrew psalmody was already venerable when a later compiler wove part of it into that psalm. On the whole, the Davidic authorship is possible, though clogged with the difficulty already mentioned. But the safest conclusion seems to be Baethgen’s modest one, which contrasts strongly with the confident assertions of some other critics-namely, that assured certainty in dating the psalm "is no longer possible."

It falls into three parts of four verses each, of which the first (Psalms 60:1-4) is complaint of defeat and prayer for help; the second (Psalms 60:5-8), a Divine Oracle assuring victory; and the third (Psalms 60:9-12), the flash of fresh hope kindled by that God’s word.

The first part blends complaint and prayer in the first pair of verses, in each of which there is, first, a description of the desperate state of Israel, and then a cry for help. The nation is broken, as a wall is broken down, or as an army whose ordered ranks are shattered and scattered. Some crushing defeat is meant, which in Psalms 60:2 is further described as an earthquake. The land trembles, and then gapes in hideous clefts, and houses become gaunt ruins. The state is disorganised as in consequence of defeat. It is an unpoetical mixture of fact and figure to see in the "rending" of the land allusion to the separation of the kingdoms, especially as that was not the result of defeat.

There is almost a tone of wonder in the designation of Israel as "Thy people," so sadly does the fate meted out to them contrast with their name. Stranger still and more anomalous is it, that, as Psalms 60:3 b laments, God’s own hand has commended such a chalice to their lips as should fill them with infatuation. The construction "wine of reeling," is grammatically impossible, and the best explanation of the phrase regards the nouns as in apposition-"wine which is reeling," or "reeling as wine." The meaning is that God not only sent the disaster which had shaken the nation like an earthquake, but had sent, too, the presumptuous self-confidence which had led to it.

PETT, "Psalms 60:1

‘O God you have cast us off, you have broken us down,You have been angry, oh restore us again.’He first calls on God for restoration for Israel, recognising that the reason why they have been cast off and broken down is because God has been angry with them. Were it not so He would surely not have allowed this to happen. Thus all he can do is pray for God to forgive them and restore them.

The rise of David to power, and his subsequent victories, may well have made the people of Israel complacent. They may well have settled down and grown cold towards YHWH, and slack in obedience to the covenant requirements. As a consequence moral behaviour may have sunk to a low level, with violence, corrupt business practises and deceit having become prominent. This would then explain why God had allowed them to suffer this reverse in order to wake them up to their failings.

It is a reminder to us that when we suffer reverses it may well be because God is chastening us because of our failings, with a view to our restoration.

Similar language was later used by the Moabite king in the Moabite inscription,

when he cried to the Moabite god Chemosh suggesting that the defeat of Moabite cities by Omri, king of Israel, had been “because Chemosh was angry with his land”. But he would not have seen it as signifying that Chemosh was concerned with their moral state. The gods of foreign nations had no such concerns. Rahter he would see it as indicating that Chemosh was angry because he was not receiving the respect that he ‘deserved’.

K&D 1-5, "This first strophe contains complaint and prayer; and establishes theprayer by the greatness of the need and Israel's relationship to God. The sense in which

is intended becomes clear from 2Sa_5:20, where David uses this word of the רצ�נו

defeat of the Philistines, and explains it figuratively. The word signifies to break through what has hitherto been a compact mass, to burst, blast, scatter, disperse. The prayer is

first of all timidly uttered in לנו��שובב in the form of a wish; then in רפה (Psa_60:4) and

הושיעה (Psa_60:7) it waxes more and more eloquent. �ל�שובב here signifies to grant

restoration (like �ל�הניח, to give rest; Psa_23:3; Isa_58:12). The word also signifies to

make a turn, to turn one's self away, in which sense, however, it cannot be construed

with �ל. On ��צמ Dunash has already compared Arab. f�m, rumpere, scindere, and Mose

ha-Darshan the Targumic &םפרע = , Jer_22:14. The deep wounds which the Edomites

had inflicted upon the country, are after all a wrathful visitation of God Himself - reeling

or intoxicating wine, or as ,properly conceived of ,(יין not) יין��רעלה is: wine which is sheer

intoxication (an apposition instead of the genitive attraction, vid., on Isa_30:20), is reached out by Him to His people. The figure of the intoxicating cup has passed over from the Psalms of David and of Asaph to the prophets (e.g., Isa_51:17, Isa_51:21). A kindred thought is expressed in the proverb: Quem Deus perdere vult, eum dementat.

All the preterites as far as השקיתנו (Psa_60:5) glance back plaintively at that which has

been suffered.

But Psa_60:6 cannot be thus intended; for to explain with Ewald and Hitzig, following the lxx, “Thou hast set up a banner for those who reverence Thee, not for victory, but for

flight,” is inadmissible, notwithstanding the fact that קשת�נימ nuwc is a customary

phrase and the inscribed לל,ד is favourable to the mention of the bow. For (1) The

words, beginning with ��נת, do not sound like an utterance of something worthy of

complaint - in this case it ought at least to have been expressed by להתנוסס�עך (only for

flight, not for victory); (2) it is more than improbable that the bow, instead of being

called קשת (feminine of the Arabic masculine kaus), is here, according to an incorrect

Aramaic form of writing, called קשט, whereas this word in its primary form �קשט (Pro_

22:21) corresponds to the Aramaic קושטא not in the signification “a bow,” but (as it is also

intended in the Targum of our passage) in the signification “truth” (Arabic 1is2 of strict

unswerving justice, root קש, to be hard, strong, firm; just as, vice versa, the word �id1,

coming from a synonymous root, is equivalent to “truth”). We therefore take the perfect predication, like Psa_60:4, as the foundation of the prayer which follows: Thou hast given those who fear Thee a banner to muster themselves (sich aufpanieren), i.e., to raise themselves as around a standard or like a standard, on account of the truth - help

then, in order that Thy beloved ones may be delivered, with Thy right hand, and answer me. This rendering, in accordance with which Psa_60:6 expresses the good cause of Israel in opposition to its enemies, is also favoured by the heightened effect of the music,

which comes in here, as Sela prescribes. The reflexive התנוסס here therefore signifies not,

as Hithpal. of נוס, “to betake one's self to flight,” but “to raise one's self” - a signification

on behalf of which we cannot appeal to Zec_9:16, where מתנוססות is apparently equivalent

to מתנוצצות “sparkling,” but which here results from the juxtaposition with נס (cf. נסה,

Psa_4:7), inasmuch as נס itself, like Arab. na��un, is so called from נסס, Arab. na��, to set

up, raise, whether it be that the Hithpo. falls back upon the Kal of the verb or that it is intended as a denominative (to raise one's self as a banner, sich aufpanieren).

(Note: This expression wel illustrates the power of the German language in coining words, so that the language critically dealt with may be exactly reproduced to the German mind. The meaning will at once be clear when we inform our readers that Panier is a banner of standard; the reflexive denominative, therefore, in imitation of the Hebrew, sich aufpanieren signifies to “up-standard one's self,” to raise one's self up after the manner of a standard, which being “done into English” may mean to rally (as around a standard). We have done our best above faithfully to convey the meaning of the German text, and we leave our readers to infer from this illustration the difficulties with which translators have not unfrequently to contend. - Tr.])

It is undeniable that not merely in later (e.g., Neh_5:15), but also even in older Hebrew,

denotes the reason and motive (e.g., Deu_28:20). Moreover Ps 44 is like a מני

commentary on this קשט�נימ, in which the consciousness of the people of the covenant

revelation briefly and comprehensively expresses itself concerning their vocation in the world. Israel looks upon its battle against the heathen, as now against Edom, as a rising for the truth in accordance with its mission. By reason of the fact and of the consciousness which are expressed in Psa_60:6, arises the prayer in Psa_60:7, that Jahve would interpose to help and to rescue His own people from the power of the

enemy. �ימינך is instrumental (vid., on Psa_3:5). It is to be read ענני according to the Kerî,

as in Psa_108:7, instead of עננו; so that here the king of Israel is speaking, who, as he

prays, stands in the place of his people.

BI 1-12, "O God, Thou hast cast us off; Thou hast scattered us.

A psalm of defeat

In our own language we possess many fine songs of patriotism. It would be impossible to overestimate the value of such a song as “Scots wha hae” as a means of keeping alive patriotic sentiments in the breasts of the people. What a treasure it would be if we had a dozen other incidents from the great epochs of our history embalmed in equally immortal verse and sung at every fireside. The Hebrews had their history thus set to music; and the poetical commentary on their national fortunes reaches down to the very bottom of their meaning, for it reads them in the light of eternal truth.

I. A patriot’s depression (Psa_60:1-5). The enemy had invaded the country, and there was sufficient force to withstand them. So great was the panic that the inhabitants were like drunken men, unable to comprehend the extent of their calamity and unable to stand up against it (Psa_60:3). But the worst was that it was a triumph of the heathen

over the people of the true God, to whom a banner had been given to display because of the truth (Psa_60:4). The humblest Christian has received a banner to display because of the truth. We are working for a cause which is old as eternity and lofty as heaven. Our personal success or defeat is nothing; but the victory of the truth is everything. This great verse was given out by Ebenezer Erskine beneath the castle walls of Stirling when he and his congregation were turned out of the Church of Scotland; and it has been connected with other great historical scenes in the history of the Church.

II. The promise recalled (Psa_60:6-8). At this point a change comes over the spirit of the writer. Prayer has brought him to himself. We are either to suppose that, in reply to an inquiry addressed to God, perhaps through the Urim and Thummim, he receives an oracle on the situation, or that, his memory being quickened by a sudden inspiration, he recalls an ancient oracle, given in some similar crisis, in which God promises to His anointed king the complete possession of the Holy Land and also the subjection of the neighbouring peoples. The oracle is quoted after the psalmist has expressed his joy at recalling it. God promises to divide Shechem, as at the Conquest under Joshua He divided the different parts of the land to the various tribes, and to mete out the valley of Succoth. Why these two places are specially mentioned, it is impossible now to say. They may have been strongholds of the enemy. Then (verse 7) Gilead and Manasseh, which stand for the part of the country beyond the Jordan, are claimed by God as His. And of Ephraim and Judah, which represent the division west of the Jordan, it is said that the one shall be His helmet (“the strength of mine head”) and the other His sceptre (not “lawgiver”). As the Holy Land is represented by these well-known parts, the hostile nations, which are to be subjugated, are represented by Israel’s three well-known foes—Moab, Edom, and Philistia. And, as the positions which Ephraim and Judah were to occupy are depicted by saying that they are to fulfil the honourable offices of helmet and sceptre to God, the fate of the hostile nations is similarly depicted by representing them as fulfilling to Him the basest offices (verse 8). Moab is to be the vessel in which He washes His feet when coming home from a journey, and Edom the slave to whom, in so doing, He flings the dusty sandals which He has taken off; while Philistia is to grace his triumph. In this way the psalmist rallied his spirit in an hour of disaster. And, in fighting the Lord’s battles, we can similarly fall back on the promise recorded in the second psalm, that the heathen shall be given to Christ and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. The humblest Christian can fall back on the promise that none shall pluck him out of Christ’s hand, and that the good work which God has begun shall be perfected.

III. The return of hope (verses 9-12). At verse 9 he turns to face the crisis which in the first part of the psalm he had bewailed. He sees the difficulty of the situation. Edom is a strong enemy, and its capital, Petra, a “strong city.” “The entrance to it,” says a traveller, “is by a narrow gorge lined by lofty precipices, nearly two miles in length. At some places the overhanging rocks approach so near to each other that only two horsemen can proceed abreast.” Who, asks the psalmist, is to bring me thither? And the answer is, None but God. For a time He had deserted them, perhaps because they had been trusting to themselves or to their past victories. They needed to be humbled and to learn the lesson that “vain is the help of man” (verse 11). But defeat had taught them this lesson; and now they are trusting only in their God. When God’s servants have reached this state of mind, nothing can stand before them. And so this psalm, which began in panic and tears, ends with the trumpet note of hope (verse 12). (J. Stalker.)

2 You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking.

BAR�ES, "Thou hast made the earth to tremble - This refers, doubtless, to some calamity that might be compared with an earthquake - some disaster, discomfiture, or defeat that had shaken their hopes, as a city is shaken by an earthquake. Such comparisons are common in the Scriptures.

Thou hast broken it - As if it were broken up, or convulsed.

Heal the breaches thereof - That is, Appear for thy people, and repair their disasters, as if after an earthquake thou shouldst appear and fill up the rents which it had made. The prayer is that he would place things in their former condition of prosperity and success.

For it shaketh - It is convulsed or agitated. That is, there is still commotion. Things are unsettled and disturbed. The prayer is, that there might be stability or continued success.

GILL, "Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it,.... As is frequently done by an earthquake; which, whatever natural causes there may be of it, is always to be ascribed to God. The ancient Heathens (m) were of opinion that all earthquakes were of God. This respects not the whole earth, but the land of Israel only; and so the Targum,

"thou hast moved the land of Israel, thou hast shaken and rent it;''

and it does not design a natural earthquake in it, but a figurative one; a shaking and rending of their civil and church state; see Heb_12:26;

heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh; which will be done in the latter day, when they shall return into their own land, and be restored as at the beginning, Isa_30:30.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble. Things were as unsettled as though the solid earth had been made to quake; nothing was stable; the priests had been murdered by Saul, the worst men had been put in office, the military power had been broken by the Philistines, and the civil authority had grown despicable through insurrections and intestine contests.Thou hast broken it. As the earth cracks, and opens itself in rifts during violent earthquakes, so was the kingdom rent with strife and calamity.

Heal the breaches thereof. As a house in time of earthquake is shaken, and the walls begin to crack, and gape with threatening fissures, so was it with the kingdom.For it shaketh. It tottered to a fall; if not soon propped up and repaired it would come down in complete ruin. So far gone was Israel, that only God's interposition could preserve it from utter destruction. How often have we seen churches in this condition, and how suitable is the prayer before us, in which the extremity of the need is used as an argument for help. The like may be said of our personal religion, it is sometimes so tried, that like a house shaken by earthquake it is ready to come down with a crash, and none but the Lord himself can repair its breaches, and save us from utter destruction.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 2. Heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. They pray that this may be done with the utmost speed, because there was a danger in delay, for the kingdom was already pressed down with a heavy calamity, and on the brink of ruin, which is signified by the word hjm whose origin is in a very strong and tremulous inclination to one side, properly from the application of a lever, and is applied to those who are leaning so far to one side that they are just on the point of falling; figuratively, therefore, it expresses a most perilous condition, in which one is on the edge of destruction. Hermann Venema.Ver. 2. Heal the breaches thereof. Even Israel is subject to breaches. So it was with the literal typical Israel, David's kingdom; so it may be with spiritual mystical Israel, the kingdom of Christ, the church of God upon earth. There are breaches from without, and breaches from within. I will invert the order. From without, by open persecution; from within, by intestine and homebred divisions. Of both these the church of God in all ages hath had sufficient experience. Look we upon the primitive times, during the infancy of the church, however the soundest and most entire church that ever was, yet how was it broken! Broken, as by foreign persecutions, so by homebred divisions. Both these ways was the church during the apostles' time broken, distressed by enemies from without who persecuted it. John Brinsley (1600-1665), in "The Healing of Israel's Breaches."Ver. 2. It shaketh. That is, presaging nothing but ruin and downfall, unless it be speedily underpropped, and the breaches thereof made up and healed. Thus did David look upon Israel's disease, and hereupon it was that he was so deeply affected with it, so earnestly desiring the cure of it. The reference, as interpreters conceive, is to those homebred divisions, those civil wars betwixt the two houses of Saul and David, after the death of Saul: then did the "earth, "the land, that land of Israel (as the Chaldee explains it), quake and tremble, being broken, riven (as the word in the original signifieth): even as the earth sometimes by earthquakes is riven, and torn asunder with prodigious chasms, openings, or gapings: so was that kingdom divided in those civil commotions, the nobles and commons taking parts and siding, some with David, some with Ishbosheth. John Brinsley.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

Ver. 2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble] By sundry fearful and dismal fractions

and concussions in our state.

Thou hast broken it] In allusion to earthquakes.

Heal the breaches thereof] Remedy the disorders, and cure the diseases, like a good physician. The Greeks call a king αναξ αβ ακος, Medela from his healing office; God is Jehovah, the physician, the Sun of righteousness hath healing under his wings.

For it shaketh] �utat ac mox ruitura videtur it will surely down if not timely shored up.

COKE, "Psalms 60:2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble— The land. By this figurative expression the Scripture frequently denotes extraordinary troubles and calamities: Compare Isaiah 23:13; Isaiah 29:6. And such were the dreadful commotions and miserable divisions among David's people.

PETT, "Psalms 60:2

‘You have made the land to tremble, you have torn it in two,Heal its breaches, for it shakes.’He pictures the land as having been devastated, almost as though a severe earthquake had struck it (compare Isaiah 24:18-20). Through the invasion God has made them tremble, and rent them apart, and devastated their towns, and shaken them, and he prays that He will therefore now put right the damage that has been done, and heal the breaches that have been made. He is not just sending Joab to deal with the situation, but calling on God to play His essential part.

We too, when we recognise that God has dealt with us in this way, should also call on God for His forgiveness and healing, looking to Him for restoration.

3 You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger.

BAR�ES, "Thou hast showed thy people hard things - Thou hast caused them to see reverses, disappointments, and trials. This refers, according to the supposition in the Introduction to the psalm, to some calamitous events which had occurred. The probability seems to be that the Edomites may have spread desolation over the land.

Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment - The word rendered

“astonishment” - tar‛êlâh תרעלה - occurs only here and in Isa_51:17, Isa_51:22 - in both

of which verses in Isaiah it is rendered trembling. It means properly reeling, drunkenness; and the idea here is, that it was as if he had given them a cup - that is, an intoxicating drink - which had caused them to reel as a drunken man; or, in other words, their efforts had been unsuccessful. Compare Psa_11:6, note; Isa_51:17, note.

CLARKE, "Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment - We reel as drunken men; we are giddy, like those who have drank too much wine; but our giddiness has been occasioned by the astonishment and dismay that have taken place in consequence of the prevalence of our enemies, and the unsettled state of the land. It has been remarked that the three first verses of this Psalm do not agree with the rest, and it also appears that the three first verses of Psa_85:1-13 : do not agree with the rest of that Psalm. But let them change places, and the three first verses of this be set instead of the three first verses of Psa lxxxv., and let those be placed here instead of these and then the whole of each Psalm will be consistent. This was first suggested by Bishop Hare, and the supposition seems to be well founded. Some imagine that the whole of the Psalm refers to the distracted state of the land after the death of Saul till the time that David was anointed king over all Israel, at Hebron; others, to the disastrous war with the Syrians. See before.

GILL, "Thou hast showed thy people hard things,.... As to have their city and temple burial, multitudes of them slain, and the rest carried captive, and put into the hands of cruel lords and hard masters, and made a proverb, a taunt, and a curse, in all places; and all this done to a people that were the Lord's by profession, who called themselves so, though now a "loammi", Hos_1:9; and these were hard things to flesh and blood, yet no other than what they deserved;

thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment; or "of trembling" (n), Isa_51:17; that is, to endure such troubles as made them tremble, and astonished and stupefied them; took away their senses, and made them unfit for anything, being smitten with madness, blindness, and astonishment of heart, as is threatened them, Deu_28:28; see Rom_11:7.

JAMISO�, "drink ... wine of astonishment — literally, “of staggering” - that is, made us weak (compare Psa_75:8; Isa_51:17, Isa_51:22).

CALVI�, "3.Thou hast showed thy people hard things He says, first, that the nation had been dealt with severely, and then adds a figure which may additionally represent the grievousness of its calamities, speaking of it as drunk with the wine of stupor or astonishment. Even the Hebraist interpreters are not agreed among themselves as to the meaning of תרעלה, tarelah, which I have rendered astonishment. Several of them translate it poison. But it is evident that the Psalmist alludes to some kind of poisoned drink, which deprives a person of his senses, insinuating that the Jews were stupified by their calamities. (383) He would place, in short, before their eyes the curse of God, which had pressed upon the government of Saul, and induce them to abandon their obstinate attempts to maintain the interests of a throne which lay under the divine reprobation.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 3. Thou hast showed thy people hard things. Hardships had been heaped upon them, and the psalmist traces these rigorous providences to their fountainhead. �othing had happened by chance, but all had come by divine design and with a purpose, yet for all that things had gone hard with Israel. The psalmist claims that they were still the Lord's own people, though in the first verse he had said, "thou hast cast us off." The language of complaint is usually confused, and faith in time of trouble ere long contradicts the desponding statements of the flesh.Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. Our afflictions have made us like men drunken with some potent and bitter wine; we are in amazement, confusion, delirium; our steps reel, and we stagger as those about to fall. The great physician gives his patients potent potions to purge out their abounding and deep seated diseases. Astonishing evils bring with them astonishing results. The grapes of the vineyard of sin produce a wine which fills the most hardened with anguish when justice compels them to quaff the cup. There is a fire water of anguish of soul which even to the righteous makes a cup of trembling, which causes them to be exceeding sorrowful almost unto death. When grief becomes so habitual as to be our drink, and to take the place of our joys, becoming our only wine, then are we in an evil case indeed.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 3. Thou hast showed thy people hard things. God will be sure to plough his own ground, whatsoever becometh of the waste; and to weed his own garden, though the rest of the world should be let alone to grow wild. John Trapp.Ver. 3. Thou hast given us to drink infatuation, or bewilderment, as men drink wine. So Hupfeld explains the constructions, referring to Psalms 80:5, "Thou hast made them feed upon weeping like bread; "1 Kings 22:27, "Feed him with affliction as bread, and with affliction as water" uxl mymw; Isaiah 30:20. But the apposition is capable of being explained in another way, for the second noun may in fact be a predicate further defining the first: "Thou hast given us wine to drink which is (not wine, but) bewilderment." J. J. Stewart Perowne.Ver. 3. The wine of astonishment. "Intoxicating wine." Hebrew, "Wine of staggering, "that is, which causeth staggering, or, in other words, intoxicating. Some render, "wine of stupor, "or stupefying. Symmachus, "wine of agitation, "and this sense I have adopted which is also that of the Syriac. Benjamin Boothroyd.

ELLICOTT, "(3) Hard things—i.e., a hard fate.

Wine of astonishment.—Literally, either wine of reeling—i.e., an intoxicating draught—or wine as reeling—i.e., bewilderment like wine, or wine, which is not wine, but bewilderment, according as we take the construction.

In any case the figure is the same which meets us often in Hebrew poetry (comp. Psalms 75:8-9; Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22; Jeremiah 25:15, &c) expressing that infatuation which the heathen proverb so well describes:—

“Quem Deus vult perdere prius dementat.”

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

Ver. 3. Thou hast showed thy people hard things] God will be sure to plough his own ground, whatsoever becometh of the waste; and to weed his own garden, though the rest of the world should be let alone to grow wild.

Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment] Vinum vacillationis, we are intoxicated with our afflictions, according to that, Deuteronomy 28:28; Deuteronomy 28:34, we are drunk with them, or rather mad, and put quite besides all faith and hope in a manner, Fuimus obstupefacti tanquam venefica potione.

WHEDO�, "3. Wine of astonishment—Literally, wine of reeling, or drunkenness, called the “cup of trembling,” Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22. This unexpected judgment had deprived them of strength, as one who reeled and staggered from intoxication.

COKE, "Psalms 60:3. The wine of astonishment— i.e. "Thou hast so dispirited us, as if thou hadst given us a myrrhate drought." So Dr. Hammond interprets the wine of astonishment. See on Psalms 11:6 and Zechariah 12:2. Dr. Delaney is of opinion, that though it is contrary to the title of the present psalm, yet it was composed upon occasion of David's being crowned by all Israel at Hebron, and there sung, and with those variations which we find at the 108th psalm, after the taking of Jerusalem. This I am sure of, and this only I will venture to pronounce, that this golden memorial of David suits this occasion, and no other that I know of. It was written when the Israelites were dispersed, and driven out of their dwellings by their enemies. Thou hast scattered us, Psalms 60:1—When they were in terror, and divided amongst themselves: Thou hast made the earth to tremble, and divided it.—This was exactly the condition in which Israel was, from the death of Saul. The Israelite cities contiguous to the Philistines were deserted by their inhabitants after the battle of Gilboa; and soon after, the kingdom was divided under David and Ishbosheth. David now beseeches God to heal the divisions of his people: Heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh: and that was done when they all joined to make David their king at Hebron. God had now given them a centre of union, to which they might resort, as the forces of a broken army to their standard. Thou hast given

a banner, &c. Psalms 60:4. David was the only centre of union that people ever had; and God now made him their captain and ruler, to manifest the truth of those promises long since made to him. David here sings in the rapture of a man who had just recovered his right, Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.—Gilead and Manasseh were just before in the possession of Ishbosheth: no king of Israel but David was ever dispossessed of them and recovered them again. Life of David, book 2: chap. 5.

PETT, "Psalms 60:3

‘You have shown your people hard things,You have made us drink the wine of staggering.’But it is not only the land that has been devastated, but also the people. The people have also experienced hard things, and have been made by God to drink strong wine that has made them drunk, in other words, to experience His indignation in a way that has made them stagger. “Drinking the wine of staggering” is a regular picture of the effect on people of God’s revealed anger (Psalms 75:8; Jeremiah 25:15 ff.; Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22). When our foundations are being shaken it may well be that God has a purpose in shaking our foundations.

4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.[e]

BAR�ES, "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee - The word

rendered “banner” - nês נס - means properly anything elevated or lifted up, and hence, a

standard, a flag, a sign, or a signal. It may refer to a standard reared on lofty mountains or high places during an invasion of a country, to point out to the people a place of rendezvous or a rallying place Isa_5:26; Isa_11:12; Isa_18:3; or it may refer to a standard or ensign borne by an army; or it may refer to the flag of a ship, Eze_27:7; Isa_33:23. Here it doubtless refers to the flag, the banner, the standard of an army; and the idea is that God had committed such a standard to his people that they might go forth as soldiers in his cause. They were enlisted in his service, and were fighting his battles.

That it may be displayed because of the truth - In the cause of truth; or, in the defense of justice and right. It was not to be displayed for vain parade or ostentation; it was not to be unfolded in an unrighteous or unjust cause; it was not to be waved for the mere purpose of carrying desolation, or of securing victory; it was that a righteous cause might be vindicated, and that the honor of God might be promoted. This was the reason which the psalmist now urges why (God should interpose and repair their disasters -that it was his cause, and that they were appointed to maintain and defend it. What was true then of the people of God, is true of the church now. God has given to his church a banner or a standard that it may wage a war of justice, righteousness, and truth; that it may be employed in resisting and overcoming his enemies; that it may carry the weapons of truth and right against all injustice, falsehood, error, oppression, and wrong; that it may ever be found on the side of humanity and benevolence - of virtue, temperance, liberty, and equality; and that it may bear the great principles of the true religion to every territory of the enemy, until the whole world shall be subdued to God.

CLARKE, "Thou hast given a banner - nes, a sign, something that was capable נס

of being fixed on a pole.

That it may be displayed - .lehithnoses, that it may be unfurled להתנוסס

Because of the truth - koshet, from the face of truth; which has�mippeney מפני�קשט

been thus paraphrased: If we have displayed the ensign of Israel, and gone forth against these our enemies, who have now made such a terrible breach among us, (Psa_60:1-3), it was because of thy truth - the promises of victory which we supposed would attend us at all times.

Mr. Mudge, thus: “Thou givest to them that fear thee a signal to be displayed before the truth. That thy favored ones may be delivered, clothe thy right arm with victory, and answer us. God speaketh in his sanctuary, I will exult; I shall portion out Shechem, and measure the valley of Succoth.” The fourth verse seems to mean that God had appointed for the consolation of his people a certain signal of favor, with which therefore he prays him to answer them. This, accordingly, he does. God speaketh in his sanctuary, called rybd debir or oracle for that very reason. What he desires then, as he stands imploring the mercy of God before the oracle, is, that he may see the usual signal of favor proceed from it; a voice, perhaps joined with some luminous emanations, whence the phrase of the light of God’s countenance. The expression in the sixth verse seems to be proverbial, and means, “I shall divide the spoils of my enemies with as much ease as the sons of Jacob portioned out Shechem, and measured out for their tents the valley of Succoth.” Mr. Harmer gives a very ingenious illustration of the giving the banner. “Albertus Aquensis informs us that when Jerusalem was taken in 1099 by the crusaders, about three hundred Saracens got on the roof of a very high building, and earnestly begged for quarter; but could not be induced by any promises of safety to come down, till they had received the banner of Tanered, one of the crusade generals, as a pledge of life. The event showed the faithlessness of these zealots, they put the whole to the sword. But the Saracens surrendering themselves upon the delivering of a standard to them, proves in how strong a light they looked upon the giving a banner, since it induced them to trust it, when they would not trust any promises. Perhaps the delivery of a banner was anciently esteemed in like manner an obligation to protect; and the psalmist might here consider it in this light when he says, Thou hast shown thy people hard things; but thou hast

given a banner to them that fear thee. Though thou didst for a time give up thy Israel into the hands of their enemies, thou hast now given them an assurance of thy having received them under thy protection. Thus God gave them a banner or standard that it might be displayed, or lifted up; or rather, that they may lift up a banner to themselves, or encourage themselves with the confident persuasion that they are under the protection of God: because of the truth - the word of promise, which is an assurance of protection - like the giving me and my people a banner, the surest of pledges.” -Harmer’s Observations. See at the end of the chapter.

GILL, "Thou hast given a banner,.... The word נס is, by Jarchi, taken to signify

"temptation" or "trial" (o); and he interprets it of many troubles which they had, that they might be tried by them, whether they would stand in the fear of God, and so considers these words as a continuation of the account of the distresses of the people of Israel; but they are rather to be considered as declaring a peculiar blessing and favour bestowed upon some among them, who are here described, when the rest were involved in the greatest calamities, signified by a "banner" or "ensign" given them; by which is meant, not so much David literally, and the victory he obtained over the Syrians and Edomites, of which the banner displayed might be a token; but the Messiah, who is said to be given for a banner, or set up as an ensign for the people, Isa_11:10; for the gathering of them to him, to prepare them for war, and animate them to fight the good fight of faith, and oppose every enemy; to direct where they should stand to be on duty, where they should go, and whom they should follow; and is expressive of the victory over sin, Satan, and the world, they have through him: and this is given

to them that fear thee; who have the grace of fear put into their hearts; who fear the Lord and his goodness, and serve him with reverence and godly fear; who worship him both inwardly and outwardly, in spirit and in truth, whether among Jews or Gentiles, though the former may be chiefly intended; such as old Simeon, Anna the prophetess, and others, to whom Christ was made known; and especially the apostles of Christ, and those to whom their ministry became useful; whose business it was to display this banner, set up this ensign, and hold out this flag; as it follows:

that it may be displayed because of the truth; not because of the truth of Abraham, as the Targum; nor because of the truth, sincerity, and uprightness, of those that fear the Lord; but because of his own truth and faithfulness in the performance of his promises made concerning the displaying of this banner; or the sending of his son into the world, and the preaching of his Gospel in it; see Rom_15:8.

Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa_3:2.

HE�RY, " A thankful notice of the encouragement God had given them to hope that, though things had been long bad, they would now begin to mend (Psa_60:4): “Thou hast given a banner to those that fear thee (for, as bad as the times are, there is a remnant among us that desire to fear thy name, for whom thou hast a tender concern), that it may be displayed by thee, because of the truth of thy promise which thou wilt perform, and to be displayed by them, in defense of truth and equity,” Psa_45:4. This banner was David's government, the establishment and enlargement of it over all Israel.

The pious Israelites, who feared God and had a regard to the divine designation of David to the throne, took his elevation as a token for good, and like the lifting up of a banner to them, 1. It united them, as soldiers are gathered together to their colours. Those that were scattered (Psa_60:1), divided among themselves, and so weakened and exposed, coalesced in him when he was fixed upon the throne. 2. It animated them, and put life and courage into them, as the soldiers are animated by the sight of their banner. 3. It struck a terror upon their enemies, to whom they could now hang out a flag of defiance. Christ, the Son of David, is given for an ensign of the people (Isa_11:10), for a banner to those that fear God; in him, as the centre of their unity, they are gathered together in one; to him they seek, in him they glory and take courage. His love is the banner over them; in his name and strength they wage war with the powers of darkness, and under him the church becomes terrible as an army with banners.

JAMISO�, "Yet to God’s banner they will rally, and pray that, led and sustained by His power (right hand, Psa_17:7; Psa_20:6), they may be safe.

CALVI�, "4Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. Some interpreters would change the past tense, and read the words as if they formed a continuation of the prayers which precede — O that thou wouldst give a banner to them that fear thee! (386) But it is better to suppose that David diverges to the language of congratulation, and, by pointing to the change which had taken place, calls attention to the evident appearances of the divine favor. He returns thanks to God, in the name of all the people, for having raised a standard which might at once cheer their hearts, and unite their divided numbers. (387) It is a poor and meagre interpretation which some have attached to the words, before the truth, that God showed favor to the Jews because he had found them true-hearted, and sound in his cause. Those in the higher ranks had, as is well known, proved eminently disloyal; the common people had, along with their king, broken their divine allegiance: from the highest to the lowest in the kingdom all had conspired to overthrow the gracious purpose of God. It is evident, then, that David refers to the truth of God as having emerged in a signal manner, now that the Church began to be restored. This was an event which had not been expected. Indeed, who did not imagine, in the desperate circumstances, that God’s promises had altogether failed? But when David mounted the throne, his truth, which had been so long obscured, again shone forth. The advantage which ensued extended to the whole nation; but David intimates that God had a special respect to his own people, whose deliverance, however few they might be in number, he particularly contemplated.

He next proceeds to address God again in prayer; although, I may observe in passing, the words which follow, that thy beloved may be delivered, are read by some in connection with the preceding verse. I am myself inclined to adopt that construction; for David would seem to magnify the illustration which had been given of the divine favor, by adverting to the change which had taken place, (388) God having inspirited his people so far as to display a banner; where, formerly, they were reduced to a state of extremity, from which it seemed impossible to escape

without a miracle. In the previous verse he calls them fearers of the Lord, and now his beloved; implying that, when God rewards such as fear and worship him, it is always with a respect to his own free love. And prayer is subjoined: for however great may be the favors which God has bestowed upon us, modesty and humility will teach us always to pray that he would perfect what his goodness has begun.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 4. Here the strain takes a turn. The Lord has called back to himself his servants, and commissioned them for his service, presenting them with a standard to be used in his wars.Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. Their afflictions had led them to exhibit holy fear, and then being fitted for the Lord's favour, he gave them an ensign, which would be both a rallying point for their hosts, a proof that he had sent them to fight, and a guarantee of victory. The bravest men are usually intrusted with the banner, and it is certain that those who fear God must have less fear of man than any others. The Lord has given us the standard of the gospel, let us live to uphold it, and if needful die to defend it. Our right to contend for God, and our reason for expecting success, are found in the fact that the faith has been once committed to the saints, and that by the Lord himself.That it may be displayed because of the truth. Banners are for the breeze, the sun, the battle. Israel might well come forth boldly, for a sacred standard was borne aloft before them. To publish the gospel is a sacred duty, to be ashamed of it a deadly sin. The truth of God was involved in the triumph of David's armies, he had promised them victory; and so in the proclamation of the gospel we need feel no hesitancy, for as surely as God is true he will give success to his own word. For the truth's sake, and because the true God is on our side, let us in these modern days of warfare emulate the warriors of Israel, and unfurl our banners to the breeze with confident joy. Dark signs of present or coming ill must not dishearten us; if the Lord had meant to destroy us he would not have given us the gospel; the very fact that he has revealed himself in Christ Jesus involves the certainty of victory. Magna est veritas et praevalebit.Hard things thou hast upon us laid,And made us drink most bitter wine;But still thy banner we have displayed,And borne aloft thy truth divine.Our courage fails not, though the night�o earthly lamp avails to break,For thou wilt soon arise in might,And of our captors captives make.Selah. There is so much in the fact of a banner being given to the hosts of Israel, so much of hope, of duty, of comfort, that a pause is fitly introduced. The sense justifies it, and the more joyful strain of the music necessitates it.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 4. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. Perhaps the delivery of a banner was anciently esteemed an obligation to protect, and that the psalmist might consider it in this light, when, upon a victory over the Syrians and Edomites, after the public affairs of Israel had been in a bad state, he says, Thou hast shewed thy

people hard things, etc. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. Though thou didst for a time give up thine Israel into the hands of their enemies, thou hast now given them an assurance of thy having received them under thy protection. Thomas Harmer (1715-1788), in "Observations on Divers Passages of Scripture."Ver. 4. Thou hast given a banner, etc. Thou hast given us by the recent victory, after our prostrate condition, a banner of triumph to lift up (so the Hebrew), because of thy faithfulness to thy promise. Truth here answers to God's holiness (Psalms 60:6). So long as soldiers see their banner uplifted, they flock round it with confidence. But when it is prostrate their spirits and hopes fall. The banner is a pledge of safety, and a rallying point to those who fight under it. A. R. Faussett.Ver. 4. Thou hast given a banner, etc. The psalmist compares the salvation which the Lord bestows upon his people to a highly excellent banner, which serves as a signal, to one lying prostrate in his misery, to rise up, with an allusion perhaps to �umbers 21:8. "And the Lord said to Moses, Make thee a serpent, and set it upon a standard pole; and it happened that every one who was bitten, and looked at it, lived." At any rate, that passage in which the serpent is a symbol of the healing power of God, may serve to illustrate the passage before us. Compare heal its breaches. E. W. Hengstenberg.Ver. 4. A banner, which is a sign or instrument: --1. Of union. This people, who were lately divided and under several banners, thou hast now gathered together and united under one banner; to wit, under my government.2. Of battle. Thou hast given us an army and power to oppose our enemies. We had our banner to set against theirs.3. Of triumph. We have not lost our banner but gained theirs, and brought it away in triumph. Compare Psalms 20:5. Matthew Poole.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

Ver. 4. Thou hast given a banner] All the forementioned had formerly befallen them, but now it began to be better, the scene to be altered, banners erected, and displayed in token of victory, and for a singular sign of God s favour, in that juncture of time and deplored condition of theirs.

Because of the truth. Selah] Heb. From the face of the truth, that is, with reference to thy promises, which thou failest not to fulfil.

WHEDO�, "4. Banner—The Hebrew word נס, (nes,) which occurs only here in the psalms, denotes the military signal which was attached to a long pole and set upon conspicuous places, as city walls or high hills, as a war-signal to rally the people to arms; see Isaiah 5:26 ; Isaiah 18:3; Jeremiah 4:6; Jeremiah 4:21; Jeremiah 51:12; Jeremiah 51:27. It differs from דגל, (degel,) the military standard for each of the four divisions of the twelve tribes, �umbers 2; and from אות, (oth,) the ensign for a single tribe. �umbers 2:2 . Isaiah repeatedly uses it as a signal for assembling the

exiles for their return to Jerusalem. Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 69:22; Isaiah 62:10-11. In the text it may mean a military signal for a war muster, as the root verb dagal is used, Psalms 20:5; or a token of victory and protection, which would be exactly the oriental proverbial sense, as, Song of Solomon 2:4, “his banner, (degel,) over me was love.”

Displayed—It is better to follow our English version, and take התנוסס, (hithnoses,) as a peculiar conjugation (Hithpoel) of נסס, (nasas,) to elevate, lift up. It cannot be derived from נוס, (noos,) to flee, and make sense or agree with the context, for this second strophe, Psalms 60:4-8, opening with the triumphal strain, “Thou hast given a banner,” etc., is one of hope, victory, and exultation, not of retreat and dismay. There is here a total change in the tone and spirit of the psalm from the complaint, Psalms 60:1-3 .

Because of the truth—The Septuagint (followed by the Vulgate and Syriac, with some modern critics) reads: “Thou hast given a token to them that fear thee, to flee from before the bow.” But this takes קשת, (kohshet,) truth, the same as קשת, (kehsheth,) bow, which requires an exchange of the final radicals, with a new vowel pointing. This, however, is not necessary. The word, as it stands in the text, has its ground form in Proverbs 22:21, where it means truth, as also its corresponding Chaldee, ( קשוש,) Daniel 2:47 ; Daniel 4:27, with the same meaning. This also requires that מפני, (mipnee,) literally from the face of, before, be understood as indicating the reason or motive in the sense of because of, in consideration of, as in Deuteronomy 28:20 ; �ehemiah 4:9; �ehemiah 5:15, and in twelve other places. This makes Zechariah 9:16, a parallel passage. It also makes sense, which the other does not; for the idea of giving a banner that they might fly before the archers is absurd. By this interpretation, which is simply that of the English text, the spirit of the context is preserved, as already noticed; by the other, it is completely destroyed. “Truth,” here, must be understood in the sense of fidelity to the purpose and covenant of God to David touching his kingdom, which the allied nations had conspired to overthrow.

COKE, "Psalms 60:4. Thou hast given a banner to them that feared thee— That is, "Though the Philistines and other nations have long been too hard for us, by reason of our divisions; yet now thou hast made me to be king, that under my banner, or ensign, the people may unanimously fight against their enemies." Because of the truth, signifies, "According to thy faithful promise given me, to be king over them." Mudge renders this and the following verses thus, Thou givest to them that fear thee a signal to be displayed before the truth. Psalms 60:5. That thy favoured ones may be delivered, clothe thy right arm with victory, and answer us. Psalms 60:6. God speaketh in his sanctuary. I will exult: I shall portion out Shechem, and measure the valley of Succoth. The fourth verse, he says, seems to mean that God had appointed for the consolation of his people a certain signal of favour, with which therefore he prays him to answer them. This accordingly he does. God speaketh in his sanctuary; called דביר debir, or oracle, for that very reason. What he desires then, as he stands imploring the mercy of God before the oracle, is, that he may see the usual signal of

favour proceed from it: a voice perhaps, joined with some luminous emanation; whence the phrase of the light of God's countenance. The expression in the 6th verse seems to be proverbial, and means, "I shall divide the spoils of my enemies with as much ease as the sons of Jacob portioned but Shechem, and measured out for their tents the valley of Succoth." The satisfaction that Benhadad received touching the safety of his life, 1 Kings 20:31-32 appears to have been by words; but it seems that the modern eastern people have looked upon the giving them a banner, as a more sure pledge of protection. Thus Albert Aquensis informs us, that when Jerusalem was taken in 1099, about three hundred Saracens got upon the roof of a very lofty building, and earnestly begged for quarter; but could not be induced by any promises of safety to come down, till they had received the banner of Tancred, one of the chiefs of the Croisade army, as a pledge of life. It did not indeed avail them, as that historian observes; for their behaviour occasioned such indignation that they were, to a man, destroyed. The event shewed the faithlessness of these zealots, whom no solemnities could bind; but the Saracens surrendering themselves upon the delivery of a standard to them, proves in how strong a light they looked upon the giving a banner, since it induced them to trust it when they would not trust any promises. Perhaps the delivery of a banner was anciently esteemed in like manner an obligation to protect, and that the Psalmist might here consider it in this light; when, upon a victory gained over the Syrians and Edomites, after the public affairs of Israel had been in a very low estate, he says, Thou hast shewed thy people hard things, &c.—Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. "Though thou didst for a time give up thine Israel into the hands of their enemies, thou hast now given them an assurance of thy having received them under thy protection." When the Psalmist is represented as saying, Thou hast given a banner,—that it may be displayed, it may be questioned whether it is rightly translated, since it is most probable that they used anciently only a spear, properly ornamented, to distinguish it from a common one; as the same Albert tells us, that a very long spear covered all over with silver, (to which another writer of those Croisade wars adds, a ball of gold at the top,) was the standard of the Egyptian princes at that time, and carried before their armies. Thou hast given a banner,—an ensign or standard, to them that fear thee, that it may be lifted up, may perhaps be a better version; or rather, that they may lift up a banner to themselves, or encourage themselves with the confident persuasion that they are under the protection of God; because of the truth, thy word of promise, which is an assurance of protection, like the giving me and my people a banner; the surest of pledges. See the Observations, p. 360.

SIMEO�, "GOD’S BA��ER OVER HIS PEOPLE

Psalms 60:4. Thou hast given a banner to them that feared thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.

THIS psalm, in the title of it, is called “Michtam,” a golden psalm; and it well deserves the name. It was written by David after he had come to the full possession of the kingdom, which, during the reign of Saul [�ote: 1 Samuel 31:7.], and during

the seven years’ division of the tribes under Ishbosheth [�ote: 2 Samuel 5:4-5.], had been reduced to a very low condition: “God had shewed his people hard things, and made them to drink the wine of astonishment.” But the union of all Israel under David, and the victories they had already gained over their powerful and oppressive adversaries the Philistines, were tokens of God’s returning favour to them, and a pledge to them that all his promised blessings should in due season be poured out upon them. It should seem as if the more pious part of the people had been discouraged by the long continuance of this adversity; and had begun almost to despair of ever seeing their hopes realized, respecting the extension and stability of their national power. But David tells them, that, in his advancement to the kingdom, and in their recent successes, “God had given them a banner,” and had unfurled it, as it were, before their eyes, as a signal of his presence in the midst of them, and as a pledge of victory over all their enemies.

What God did for them as a pledge of temporal advancement, he has done for his people in all ages, to assure them of success in their spiritual warfare.

To illustrate this, I will shew,

I. What banners God has given us—

The Church has a warfare to maintain: and, if, human prowess alone were considered, it is a warfare which would afford not the smallest prospect of success. But God has given to us a banner,

1. In the elevation of his Son—

[David was an eminent type of Christ, and especially in the advancement of his kingdom: for Christ was appointed “to sit upon the throne of David for ever and ever.” Was David’s elevation then a banner? so also is that of Christ, who is now seated at the right hand of God, above all the principalities and powers whether of earth or hell. Believer, survey thy Lord. Remember him in the manger, in the garden, on the cross, and in the grave. From a view of him in those scenes thou wouldst be ready to say, There is no hope. But behold him risen, ascended, glorified, and in full possession of his kingdom: and then say, What a change awaits you after your present conflicts [�ote: Ephesians 1:19-20.]. His triumphs are a pledge of yours: “because he liveth, you shall live also:” and “as he has overcome and is set down with his Father upon his throne,” so shall you, in your victories and in your triumphs, resemble him [�ote: Luke 22:29-30. Revelation 3:21.].]

2. In the records of his word—

[Behold, what “a cloud of witnesses” present themselves to your view! Read the catalogue of worthies, as recorded by God himself. Are your trials heavier than theirs [�ote: Hebrews 11:33-38.]? Or is the power that was sufficient for them withheld from you? Will not faith bring Omnipotence to your support, even as it did for them? They are set before you expressly for your encouragement, that you,

seeing how they have succeeded, may be stirred up “to run your race with patience, looking unto Jesus as the author and finisher of your faith,” even as he was of theirs [�ote: Hebrews 12:1-2.]. Are you weak? so were they. Are your enemies numerous and mighty? so were theirs, Did they prevail through the grace of Christ? that same “grace shall be sufficient for you:” for He is the same gracious and Almighty Friend as ever: time has made no change in him: “his hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor is his ear heavy, that he cannot hear [�ote: Isaiah 59:1.]:” as “he was mighty in them, so will he also be in you:” and “his strength shall be perfected in your weakness,” even as it was in theirs [�ote: 2 Corinthians 12:9.].]

3. In the experience of his saints—

[You have found a change in your views, desires, pursuits: tell me, Whence has this change proceeded? Must you not say, “He that hath wrought me to the self-same thing is God [�ote: 2 Corinthians 5:5.]?” If you will look within, you will find that you have rather resisted the change than helped it forward. “Your carnal mind has been enmity against God:” and it would have been so still, if God, by the light of his word, and the influences of his Spirit, had not subdued it to himself. If, then, the heart of stone has been taken away, and a heart of flesh been given to you, that is itself “a banner” erected in your heart, a token of God’s presence, an earnest of his power, and a pledge of yet richer mercies in reserve: for, “if it have pleased him to make you of the number of his people, he will not forsake you [�ote: 1 Samuel 12:22.];” and you may “be confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work within you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [�ote: Philippians 1:6.].”]

Let us consider,

II. For what end they are displayed unto us—

As the banner given to Israel in the time of David was to confirm their faith in his promises, and to assure them of God’s faithfulness, so are the banners which God has given to us bestowed,

1. To confirm our confidence in him—

[We ought to “know in whom we have believed,” and to feel assured that he is both “able and willing to keep that which we have committed to him [�ote: 2 Timothy 1:12.].” We should never forget who it is that is engaged for us. We should never forget that in God we have a wisdom that cannot be circumvented, and apower that cannot be withstood. In him, too, we have a faithfulness that is altogether inviolate and incapable of change. What, then, have we to fear? The serpent, no doubt, is subtle, and the devices of Satan are very deep; but can he elude the eye of our heavenly Protector, or by any means defeat His purpose? Our enemies too, both within and without, are mighty: but what have we to fear, who have a Protector that is Almighty? “If God be for us, who can be against us [�ote: Romans 8:31.]?” Let our enemies be ever so numerous, we may safely affirm that “they who be with us,

are more than they who be with them [�ote: 2 Kings 6:16-17.];” and if we have no more than a lamp and a trumpet against an armed host, we shall in Jehovah’s name prevail against them all [�ote: Judges 7:15-22.]. A stone out of the brook shall suffice us to destroy our mightiest adversary; yea, his own sword shall serve us for the instrument whereby to complete our triumph [�ote: 1 Samuel 17:49-51.].]

2. To assure us of victory over all our enemies—

[Amongst men, a banner is only a signal to enlist them for the combat: but with God it is a pledge of victory. See how David regarded it: “In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye then to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? for, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at him that is perfect; and, if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple: the Lord’s throne is in heaven [�ote: Psalms 11:1-4.]:” and, whilst he is there, you need not attempt to alarm me: I know my security, and defy the efforts of all my enemies. It was this consideration that enabled Paul also to hurl defiance at his enemies, and to assure himself of victory, as much as if it had been already gained [�ote: Romans 8:33-39.] — — — And we also, in dependence on our God, may dismiss every fear, and anticipate, as already ours, the glory and felicity that await us [�ote: 2 Corinthians 5:1-4. 2 Timothy 4:8.].]

Application—

What now can I say more but this?

1. Fear God—

[You will observe, that this is the description of the persons to whom his banner was given: and for them is the same privilege reserved in every age. Let not any undervalue this grace; for, in truth, it is that which as assuredly interests us in the divine favour as love itself. Of course, it is a filial fear of which we speak: and he who possesses that, may divest himself of every other fear; “Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, or of the son of man, that shall be as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker [�ote: Isaiah 51:12-13.]?” Beloved Brethren, “sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself in your hearts, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread [�ote: Isaiah 8:12-13.].”]

2. Trust in God—

[Excellent was that resolution of the Psalmist, “In the name of our God we will set up our banners [�ote: Psalms 20:5.].” It is not possible for our confidence to be too strong, provided only it be humble. There are, I confess, two different kinds of confidence, which yet I consider as dangerous in the extreme: one of them is founded upon systematic notions of divine truth, without any mixture of holy fear; and the other arises from some dream or vision, or enthusiastic conceit, about the word coming to their mind in a peculiar way. Against both of these I would guard you with all my might. The only confidence that is pleasing to God is that which is

softened with fear, and tempered with contrition. Let that be in exercise to the utmost possible extent, and then you may adopt the entire language of this psalm: “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 wash-pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.” The plain import of all which is concentrated in the concluding verse, “Through God I shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down my enemies.” Only trust in God; and then, in every place where you go, you may behold an altar with this inscription: “Jehovah-�issi, The Lord is my banner [�ote: Exodus 17:15.].” Yea, the very graces which you exercise shall be in you a pledge, that God will fulfil and perfect in you the good work he has begun.]

EBC, "Psalms 60:4 has received two opposite interpretations, being taken by some as a prolongation of the tone of lament over disaster, and by others as commemoration of God’s help. The latter meaning violently interrupts the continuity of thought. "The only natural view is that which sees" in Psalms 60:4 "a continuation of the description of calamity" in Psalms 60:3 (Cheyne, in loc.). Taking this view, we render the second clause as above. The word translated "that they may flee" may indeed mean to lift themselves up, in the sense of gathering round a standard, but the remainder of the clause cannot be taken as meaning "because of the truth," since the preposition here used never means "because of." It is best taken here as from before. The word variously rendered bow and truth is difficult. It occurs again in Proverbs 22:21, and is there parallel with "truth" or faithfulness in fulfilling Divine promises. But that meaning would be inappropriate here, and would require the preceding preposition to be taken in the impossible sense already noted. It seems better, therefore, to follow the LXX and other old versions, in regarding the word as a slightly varied mode of spelling the ordinary word for a bow (the final dental letter being exchanged for a cognate dental). The resulting meaning is deeply coloured by sad irony. "Thou hast indeed given a banner-but it was a signal for flight rather than for gathering round." Such seems the best view of this difficult verse; but it is not free from objection. "Those who fear Thee" is not a fitting designation for persons who were thus scattered in flight by God even if it is taken as simply a synonym for the nation. We have to make choice between two incongruities. If we adopt the favourite view, that the verse continues the description of calamity, the name given to the sufferers is strange. If we take the other, that it describes God’s gracious rallying of the fugitives, we are confronted with a violent interruption of the tone of feeling in this first part of the psalm. Perowne accepts the rendering from before the bow, but takes the verb in the sense of mustering round, so making the banner to be a rallying point and the giving of it a Divine mercy.

PETT, "Psalms 60:4

‘You have given a banner to those who fear you,That it may be displayed because of the truth. [Selah.’But God has not totally deserted His people, for to them, as the people who fear

Him, He has ‘given a banner’ (raised His standard), a sign of His approval and support. It is a call for the people to rally behind it. It may be that this was a literal banner proclaiming the �ame of YHWH, which Israel bore into battle. Or I could have been a metaphorical one, indicating an assurance of YHWH’s support for His people and guaranteeing victory (see Psalms 60:6-8). Its purpose is twofold. Firstly in order to call His people to stand firm for the truth, and secondly in order that it might be displayed or set up as a proof to all the nations, that Israel are truly His people who bring His truth to the world, something evidenced by their victory. Indeed, as we learn elsewhere, YHWH IS their banner (Exodus 17:15).

‘Selah.’ At this point there is a pregnant pause in the music in order to draw attention to the wonder of it.

5 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

BAR�ES, "That thy beloved may be delivered - The word beloved is in the plural number, and might be rendered beloved ones. It refers not merely to David as his servant and friend, but to those associated with him. The reference is to the calamities and dangers then existing, to which allusion has been made above. The prayer is, that the enemy might be driven back, and the land delivered from their invasion.

Save with thy right hand - The right hand is that by which the sword is handled, the spear hurled, the arrow drawn on the bow. The prayer is, that God would put forth his power and deliver his people.

And hear me - literally, Answer me. The answer which he desired was that God would lead his armies successfully into Edom, Psa_60:8-9.

GILL, "That thy beloved may be delivered,.... Some think that these words express the effect or end of the banner being displayed; but because of the word "Selah" at the end of Psa_60:4, which makes so full a stop; rather they are to be considered in construction with the following clause. By the Lord's "beloved" ones are meant, not so much the people of Israel, who were loved and chosen by the Lord above all people on the face of the earth, as the elect of God, both among Jews and Gentiles, who are the chosen of God, and precious, and are loved of him with a free, sovereign, everlasting,

and unchangeable love: these are the beloved of Father, Son, and Spirit; who, falling into a state of condemnation and death in Adam, and being under the power of sin, and involved in the guilt and faith of it; and being fallen into the hands of many enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; stood in need of deliverance out of all this, which they could not work out of themselves, nor any creature for them; wherefore, that they might be delivered, the following request is made;

save with thy right hand; from sin, the cause of damnation; from the law, which threatens with condemnation and death; from Satan, that would devour and destroy; and from all their enemies; from wrath to come, from hell and the second death; or from going down to the pit of corruption. The persons for whom this petition is put up are not only David himself, but all the beloved ones; and these God has appointed unto salvation; Christ is the Saviour of them, and to them salvation is applied in due time by the Spirit, and in a little while they will be in the full possession of it: and this is wrought out by the "right hand" of the Lord; either by his mighty power, the saving strength of his right hand, who is mighty to save; or by his Son, the man of his right hand, made strong for himself, who able to save to the uttermost; and by whom God has determined to save, and does save all his people; or the words may be rendered, "save thy right hand, thy Benjamins" (p) who are as near and dear to thee as thy right hand, being his mystical self, to whom salvation is brought by him, Isa_63:1;

and hear me; in so doing, he suggests he would hear and answer him his prayers would be ended and accomplished; this being the sum of them, his own salvation, and the salvation of the Lord's beloved ones. The "Cetib", or writing of this clause, is, "hear us"; the "Keri", or reading of it, "hear me".

HE�RY, " A humble petition for seasonable mercy. 1. That God would be reconciled to them, though he had been displeased with them. In his displeasure their calamities began, and therefore in his favour their prosperity must begin: O turn thyself to us again! (Psa_60:1) smile upon us, and take part with us; be at peace with us, and in that peace we shall have peace. Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia - A God at peace with us spreads peace over all the scene. 2. That they might be reconciled to one another, though they had been broken and wretchedly divided among themselves: “Heal the breaches of our land (Psa_60:2), not only the breaches made upon us by our enemies, but the breaches made among ourselves by our unhappy divisions.” Those are breaches which the folly and corruption of man makes, and which nothing but the wisdom and grace of God can make up and repair, by pouring out a spirit of love and peace, by which only a shaken shattered kingdom is set to rights and saved from ruin. 3. That thus they might be preserved out of the hands of their enemies (Psa_60:5): “That thy beloved may be delivered, and not made a prey of, save with thy right hand, with thy own power and by such instruments as thou art pleased to make the men of thy right hand, and hear me.” Those that fear God are his beloved; they are dear to him as the apple of his eye. They are often in distress, but they shall be delivered. God's own right hand shall save them; for those that have his heart have his hand. Save them, and hear me. Note, God's praying people may take the general deliverances of the church as answers to their payers in particular. If we improve what interest we have at the throne of grace for blessings for the public, and those blessings be bestowed, besides the share we have with others in the benefit of them we may each of us say, with peculiar satisfaction, “God has therein heard me, and answered me.”

JAMISO�, "hear me — or, “hear us.”

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 5. That thy beloved may be delivered. David was the Lord's beloved, his name signifies "dear, or beloved, "and there was in Israel a remnant according to the election of grace, who were the beloved of the Lord; for their sakes the Lord wrought great marvels, and he had an eye to them in all his mighty acts. God's beloved are the inner seed, for whose sake he preserves the entire nation, which acts as a husk to the vital part. This is the main design of providence, That thy beloved may be delivered; if it were not for their sakes he would neither give a banner nor send victory to it.Save with thy right hand, and hear me. Save at once, before the prayer is over; the case is desperate unless there be immediate salvation. Tarry not, O Lord, till I have done pleading: save first and hear afterwards. The salvation must be a right royal and eminent one, such as only the omnipotent hand of God linked with his dexterous wisdom can achieve. Urgent distress puts men upon pressing and bold petitions such as this. We may by faith ask for and expect that our extremity will be God's opportunity; special and memorable deliverances will be wrought out when dire calamities appear to be imminent. Here is one suppliant for many, even as in the case of our Lord's intercession for his saints. He, the Lord's David, pleads for the rest of the beloved, beloved and accepted in him the Chief Beloved; he seeks salvation as though it were for himself, but his eye is ever upon all those who are one with him in the Father's love. When divine interposition is necessary for the rescue of the elect it must occur, for the first and greatest necessity of providence is the honour of God, and the salvation of his chosen. This is fixed fate, the centre of the immutable decree, the inmost thought of the unchangeable Jehovah.

ELLICOTT, "(5) From this verse onward the psalm appears again, with some variations noticed there, in Psalms 108:6-13.

(6, 7, 8) These three verses, forming the centre of the poem, are, plainly by their style, of different age and authorship from the beginning. Possibly, indeed, they formed an original poem by themselves, an ancient oracular saying descriptive of the relations of Israel to the tribes bordering on her territory, and were then employed by the compilers of this psalm and Psalms 108, to rouse the drooping spirits of the race in some less fortunate time. (See Introduction.) The speaker is God Himself, who, according to a familiar prophetic figure, appears in the character of a warrior, the captain of Israel, proclaiming the triumphs won through His might by their arms. (Comp. Isaiah 63:1-6.) Here, however, the picture is rather playful than terrible—rather ironic than majestic. The conqueror is returning, as in the passage of Isaiah referred to above, from the battle, but he is not painted “glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength.” The fury of the fight, the carnage, the bloodstained garments are all implied, not described. Instead of answering a challenge, as in Isaiah, by a description of the fight, here the

champion simply proclaims the result of his victory as he proceeds to disarm and prepare for the bath—figures expressing the utmost contempt for the foe so easily subdued.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save [with] thy right hand, and hear me.

Ver. 5. That thy beloved may be delivered] Heb. thy darlings, those that fear thee, Psalms 60:4, for, for their sakes it is that God doth good to a people; to all others he seemeth to say, as Elisha once did to Jehoram, that wicked king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? &c. Were it not that I regarded such and such people, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee, 2 Kings 3:13-14.

Save with thy right hand] Heb. Save thy right hand, which seemeth to be afflicted together with us; because the enemies say, he cannot save us; thus Kimchi expoundeth it.

EBC, "The second part (Psalms 60:5-8) begins with a verse which Delitzsch and others regard as really connected, notwithstanding the Selah at the end Psalms 60:4, with the preceding. But it is quite intelligible as independent, and is in its place as the introduction to the Divine Oracle which follows and makes the kernel of the psalm. There is beautiful strength of confidence in the psalmist’s regarding the beaten, scattered people as still God’s "darlings." He appeals to Him to answer, in order that a result so accordant with God’s heart as the deliverance of His beloved ones may be secured. And the prayer has no sooner passed his lips than he hears the thunderous response, "God has spoken in His holiness." That infinite elevation of His nature above creatures is the pledge of the fulfilment of His word.

The following verses contain the substance of the Oracle; but it is too daring to suppose that they reproduce its words; for "I will exult" can scarcely be reverently put into the mouth of God. The substance of the whole is a twofold promise-of a united Israel, and a submissive heathendom. Shechem on the west and Succoth on the east of Jordan, Gilead and Manasseh on the east, and Ephraim and Judah on the west, are the possession of the speaker, whether he is king or representative of the nation. �o trace of a separation of the kingdoms is here. Ephraim, the strongest tribe of the northern kingdom, is the "strength of my head," the helmet, or perhaps with allusion to the horns of an animal as symbols of offensive weapons. Judah is the ruling tribe, the commander’s baton, or possibly "lawgiver," as in Genesis 49:1-33. Israel thus compact together may count on conquests over hereditary foes.

Their defeat is foretold in contemptuous images. The basin for washing the feet was "a vessel unto dishonour"; and, in Israel’s great house, no higher function for his ancestral enemy, when conquered, would be found. The meaning of casting the shoe upon or over Edom is doubtful. It may be a symbol for taking possession of property, though that lacks confirmation; or Edom may be regarded as the household slave to whom the master’s shoes are thrown when taken off; or, better,

in accordance with the preceding reference to Moab, Edom may be regarded as part of the master’s house or furniture. The one was the basin for his feet; the other, the corner where he kept his sandals.

PETT, "Verses 5-8David Calls On God To Save Them By His Mighty Right Hand So That The People Whom He Loves Might Be Delivered, And Declares The Certainty Of YHWH’s Victory Because The Surrounding �ations Are Subject To Him (Psalms 60:5-8).

David calls on God to personally save the people on whom He has set His love, and expresses his confidence that He will intervene, and this because God has exultantly declared His sovereignty over the area. It is all under His control and He will do with it as He will. Israel (Ephraim) is His helmet, and Judah His sceptre, the outward evidence of His rule, whilst the surrounding nations, Moab, Edom and Philistia are in inferior positions.

Psalms 60:5

‘That your beloved ones may be delivered,Save with your right hand, and answer us.’In order that His beloved ones, the ones on whom He has set His love, might be delivered, he calls on God to save by means of His mighty right hand, answering His people (or answering David) as they call on Him.

We might ask, ‘if they are His beloved ones why has He allowed them to suffer these reverses?’ And the reply will be, ‘Whom YHWH loves He reproves and chastens, even as a father the son in whom he delights’ (Proverbs 3:12). David is aware of this and is confident that after rebuke will come blessing.

‘Answer us’ is the kethib (original reading), ‘answer me’ is the qere (suggested adjustment), the latter being a correction and alternative reading in the MT.

6 God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.

BAR�ES, "God hath spoken in his holiness - That is, as a holy God; a God who is true; a God whose promises are always fulfilled. The idea is, that the holiness of God was the public pledge or assurance that what he had promised he would certainly perform. God had made promises in regard to the land of Canaan or Palestine, as a country to be put into the possession of Abraham and his posterity. Gen_12:7; Gen_13:15; Gen_17:8; Psa_105:8-11. The original promise of the gift of that land, made to Abraham under the general name of Canaan Gen_12:7, embraced the whole territory from the river (that divided the land from Egypt) to the Euphrates: “Unto thy seed, addressed to Abraham, have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates,” Gen_15:18. This would embrace the country of Edom, as well as the other countries which are specified in the psalm. The natural and proper boundary of the land on the east, therefore, according to the promise, was the river Euphrates; on the west, Egypt and the Mediterranean sea; on the south, the outer limit of Edom. It was the object of David to carry out what was implied in this promise, and to secure the possession of all that had been thus granted to the Hebrews as the descendants of Abraham. Hence, he had been engaged in carrying his conquests to the east, with a view to make the Euphrates the eastern border or boundary of the land: “David smote also Hadarezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates,” 2Sa_8:3. Compare 1Ch_18:3. In the prosecution of the same purpose he was anxious also to subdue Edom, that the entire territory thus promised to Abraham might be put in possession of the Hebrews, and that he might transmit the kingdom in the fullness of the original grant to his posterity. It is to this promise made to Abraham that he doubtless refers in the passage before us.

I will rejoice - I, David, will exult or rejoice in the prospect of success. I will find my happiness, or my confidence in what I now undertake, in the promise which God has made. The meaning is, that since God had made this promise, he would certainly triumph.

I will divide Shechem - That is, I will divide up the whole land according to the promise. The language here is taken from that which was employed when the country of Canaan was conquered by Joshua, and when it was divided among the tribes: “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them,” Jos_1:6. Compare Jos_13:6-7; Jos_14:5; Jos_18:10; Jos_19:51; Jos_23:4; Psa_78:55; Act_13:19. David here applies the same language to Shechem, “and the valley of Succoth,” as portions of the land, meaning that he would accomplish the original purpose in regard to the land by placing it in possession of the people of God. Shechem or Sichem was a city within the limits of the tribe of Ephraim, between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, called by the Romans Neapolis, and now Nablus. It is about two hours, or eight miles, south of Samaria. It seems to be mentioned here as being the spot where the law of Moses was read to the people of Israel, and especially the blessings and curses recorded in Deut. 27; Deut. 28, which Moses commanded to be read to the different tribes on the above-named mountains, Deu_27:11-13. This was actually done, Jos_8:33. Shechem, therefore, as lying between these mountains, and as being the place where the great mass of the people were assembled to hear what was read, became a central place, a representative spot of the whole land, and to say that that was conquered or subdued, was to speak of that which implied a victory over the land. David speaks of having secured this, as significant of the fact that the central point of influence and power had been brought under subjection, and as in fact implying that the land was subdued. The importance of that place, and the allusion to it here, will justify a more extended reference to it, which I

copy from “The Land and the Book,” by Dr. Thomson, vol. ii. p. 203, 204.

“Nablus is a queer old place. The streets are narrow, and vaulted over; and in the winter time it is difficult to pass along many of them on account of brooks which rush over the pavement with deafening roar. In this respect, I know no city with which to compare it except Brusa; and, like that city, it has mulberry, orange, pomegranate, and other trees, mingled in with the houses, whose odoriferous flowers lead the air with delicious perfume during the months of April and May. Here the billbul delights to sit and sing, and thousands of other birds unite to swell the chorus. The inhabitants maintain that theirs is the most musical vale in Palestine, and my experience does not enable me to contradict them.

“Imagine that the lofty range of mountains running north and south was cleft open to its base by some tremendous convulsion of nature, at right angles to its own line of extension, and the broad fissure thus made is the vale of Nablus, as it appears to one coming up the plain of Mukhna from Jerusalem. Mount Ebal is on the north, Gerizim on the south, and the city between. Near the eastern end, the vale is not more than sixty rods wide; and just there, I suppose, the tribes assembled to hear the ‘blessings and the curses’ read by the Levites. We have them in extenso in Deut. 27 and Deut. 28; and in Josh. 8 we are informed that it was actually done, and how. Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin, stood on Gerizim; and Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulon, Dan, and Naphtali, on Ebal; while all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord; the whole nation of Israel, with the women and little ones, were there. And Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings; there was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel. This was, beyond question or comparison, the most august assembly the sun has ever shone upon; and I never stand in the narrow plain, with Ebal and Gerizim rising on either hand to the sky, without involuntarily recalling and reproducing the scene. I have shouted to hear the echo, and then fancied how it must have been when the loud-voiced Levites proclaimed from the naked cliffs of Ebal, ‘Cursed be the man that maketh any graven image, an abomination unto Jehovah.’ And then the tremendous amen! tenfold louder, from the mighty congregation, rising, and swelling, and re-echoing from Ebal to Gerizim, and from Gerizim to Ebal. amen! even so let him be accursed. No, there never was an assembly to compare with this.”

And mete out the valley of Succoth - Measure out; that is, measure or survey for the purpose of “dividing” it, or assigning it to the conquerors, to the people of God, according to the promise. There is the same allusion here, as in the former clause, to the dividing of the land in the time of Joshua. Succoth, in the division of the land by Joshua, fell to the tribe of Gad; Jos_13:27. It was on the east side of the river Jordan, and is now called Sakut. It is first mentioned in Gen_33:17, in the account of the journey which Jacob took on returning from the East to the land of Canaan. At this place he paused in his journey, and made booths for his cattle; and hence, the name Succoth, or booths. Why this place is referred to here by David, as representing his conquests, cannot now be ascertained. It seems most probable that it was because it was a place east of the Jordan, as Shechem was west of the Jordan, and that the two might, therefore, represent the conquest of the whole country. Succoth, too, though not more prominent than many other places, and though in itself of no special importance, was well known as among the places mentioned in history. It is possible, also, though no such fact is mentioned, that there may have been some transaction of special importance there in connection with David’s conquests in the East, which was well understood at the time, and which

justified this special reference to it.

CLARKE, "God hath spoken - Judah shall not only be re-established in Jerusalem, but shall possess Samaria, where Shechem is, and the country beyond Jordan, in which is situated the valley of Succoth. Dividing and meting out signify possession.

GILL, "God hath spoken in his holiness,.... Or "in his holy place" (q); in heaven, the habitation of his holiness and of his glory; or "in the house of the sanctuary", as the Targum: in the tabernacle, in the holy place by Urim and Thummim; and in the most holy place by his sacred oracle, from between the mercy seat: or "by his Holy Ones", as the Arabic version; by his holy prophets, Samuel and Nathan, by whom he spoke to David concerning the kingdom; and by his Holy Spirit dictating this psalm, and the rest unto him; and by his Son, his Holy One, by whom he has spoken in these last times unto his people, to which this psalm has reference: or it may be understood of the perfection of his holiness in which he has spoken, and by which he has swore; not only to David literally, concerning the extent of his dominion, the perpetuity and stability of it; but to David's son and antitype, the Messiah, concerning his seed, possession, and inheritance, Psa_89:19;

I will rejoice; at the holiness of the Lord, which is matter of joy to the saints, especially as the is displayed and glorified in salvation by Christ, Psa_97:12; and at what he said in his holiness to David, concerning his temporal kingdom, and the duration of it; because he knew that what he said he would perform; and at what was spoken to him by the Messiah, in council and covenant, concerning his seeing his seed, and prolonging his days; which was the joy set before him, which carried him through his sorrows and sufferings, Heb_12:2; wherefore he believed his kingdom should be enlarged, both among Jews and Gentiles, as follows;

I will divide Shechem; a city in Mount Ephraim, Jos_20:7; and so was in the hands of Ishbosheth the son of Saul; as the valley of Succoth, Gilead, Ephraim, and Manasseh, after mentioned, and all the tribes of Israel, were, but Judah, 2Sa_2:4; but, because of God's promise, David believed that they would be all in his possession; signified by dividing, as a land is divided for an inheritance when conquered, Jos_13:7; or this is said in allusion to the dividing of spoils in a conquered place; and so the Targum,

"I will divide the prey with the children of Joseph, that dwell in Shechem;''

and as Shechem was the same with Sychar, near to which our Lord met with the Samaritan woman, and converted her, and many others of that place, then might he be said to divide the spoils there, Joh_4:5;

and mete out the valley of Succoth; with a measuring line, so taking possession of it, 2Sa_8:2; Succoth was near to Shechem, Gen_33:17; and was in the tribe of Gad, and in a valley, Jos_13:27; there was a Succoth in the plain of Jordan, 1Ki_7:46; it signifies booths, tents, or tabernacles, and may mystically signify the churches of Christ, wherein he dwells and exercises his dominion.

HE�RY, "David is here rejoicing in hope and praying in hope; such are the triumphs of the saints, not so much upon the account of what they have in possession as of what they have in prospect (Psa_60:6): “God has spoken in his holiness (that is, he has given me his word of promise, has sworn by his holiness, and he will not lie unto David, Psa_89:35), therefore I will rejoice, and please myself with the hopes of the performance of the promise, which was intended for more than a pleasing promise,” Note, God's word of promise, being a firm foundation of hope, is a full fountain of joy to all believers.

JAMISO� 6-[10, "God hath spoken in — or, “by.”

his holiness — (Psa_89:35; Amo_4:2), on the pledge of His attributes (Psa_22:3; Psa_30:4). Taking courage from God’s promise to give them possession (Exo_23:31; Deu_11:24) (and perhaps renewed to him by special revelation), with triumphant joy he describes the conquest as already made.

Shechem, and ... Succoth — as widely separated points, and -

CALVI�, "6.God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice. Hitherto he has adverted to the proofs which had come under their own observation, and from which they might easily see that God had manifested his favor in a manner new, and for many years unprecedented. He had raised the nation from a state of deep distress to prosperity, and had changed the aspect of affairs so far, that one victory was following another in rapid succession. But now he calls their attention to a point of still greater importance, the divine promise — the fact that God had previously declared all this with his own mouth. However numerous and striking may be the practical demonstrations we receive of the favor of God, we can never recognize them, except in connection with his previously revealed promise. What follows, although spoken by David as of himself individually, may be considered as the language adopted by the people generally, of whom he was the political head. Accordingly, he enjoins them, provided they were not satisfied with the sensible proofs of divine favor, to reflect upon the oracle by which he had been made king in terms the most distinct and remarkable. (389) He says that God had spoken in his holiness, not by his Holy Spirit, as some, with an over-refinement of interpretation, have rendered it, nor by his holy place, the sanctuary; (390) for we read of no response having been given from it to the prophet Samuel. It is best to retain the term holiness, as he adverts to the fact of the truth of the oracle having been confirmed, and the constancy and efficacy of the promise having been placed beyond all doubt by numerous proof, of a practical kind. As no room had been left for question upon the point, he employs this epithet to put honor upon the words which had been spoken by Samuel. He immediately adds, that this word of God was the chief ground upon which he placed his trust. It might be true that he had gained many victories, and that these had tended to encourage his heart; but he intimates, that no testimony which he had received of this kind gave him so much satisfaction

as the word. This accords with the general experience of the Lord’s people. Cheered, as they unquestionably are, by every expression of the divine goodness, still faith must ever be considered as holding the highest place — as being that which dissipates their worst sorrows, and quickens them even when dead to a happiness which is not of this world. �or does David mean that he merely rejoiced himself. He includes, in general, all who feared the Lord in that Kingdom. And now he proceeds to give the sum of the oracle, which it is observable that he does in such a way as to show, in the very narration of it, how firmly he believed in its truth: for he speaks of it as something which admitted of no doubt whatsoever, and boasts that he would do what God had promised. I will divide Shechem, he says, and mete out the valley of Succoth (391) The parts which he names are those that were more late of coming into his possession, and which would appear to have been yet in the hands of Saul’s son, when this psalm was written. A severe struggle being necessary for their acquisition, he asserts that, though late of being subdued, they would certainly be brought under his subjection in due time, as God had condescended to engage this by his word. So with Gilead and Manasseh (392) As Ephraim was the most populous of all the tribes, he appropriately terms it the strength of his head, that is, of his dominions. (393) To procure the greater credit to the oracle, by showing that it derived a sanction from antiquity, he adds, that Judeah would be his lawgiver, or chief; which was equivalent to saying, that the posterity of Abraham could never prosper unless, in agreeableness to the prediction of the patriarch Jacob, they were brought under the government of Judah, or of one who was sprung from that tribe. He evidently alludes to what is narrated by Moses, (Genesis 49:10,) “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.” The same word is there used, מחוקק, Mechokek, or legislator. It followed, that no government could stand which was not resident in the tribe of Judah, this being the decree and the good pleasure of God. The words are more appropriate in the mouth of the people than of David; and, as already remarked, he does not speak in his own name, but in that of the Church at large.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 6. God hath spoken in his holiness. Faith is never happier than when it can fall back upon the promise of God. She sets this over against all discouraging circumstances; let outward providences say what they will, the voice of a faithful God drowns every sound of tear. God had promised Israel victory, and David the kingdom; the holiness of God secured the fulfilment of his own covenant, and therefore the king spake confidently. The goodly land had been secured to the tribes by the promise made to Abraham, and that divine grant was an abundantly sufficient warrant for the belief that Israel's arms would be successful in battle. Believer make good use of this, and banish doubts while promises remain.I will rejoice, or "I will triumph." Faith regards the promise not as fiction but fact, and therefore drinks in joy from it, and grasps victory by it. "God hath spoken; I will rejoice:" here is a fit motto for every soldier of the cross.I will divide Shechem. As a victor David would allot the conquered territory to those to whom God had given it by lot. Shechem was an important portion of the country, which as yet had not yielded to his government; but he saw that by Jehovah's help it would be, and indeed was all his own. Faith divides the spoil, she is sure of what

God has promised, and enters at once into possession.And mete out the valley of Succoth. As the east so the west of Jordan should be allotted to the proper persons. Enemies should be expelled, and the landmarks of peaceful ownership set up. Where Jacob had pitched his tent, there his rightful heirs should till the soil. When God has spoken, his divine shall, our I will, becomes no idle boast, but the fit echo of the Lord's decree. Believer, up and take possession of covenant mercies. Divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Let not Canaanitish doubts and legalisms keep thee out of the inheritance of grace. Live up to thy privileges, take the good which God provides thee.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 6. God hath spoken in his holiness. That is, by Samuel he hath promised, as he is an holy God, and true of his word, that I should be king of all Israel, and now he hath performed it. (2 Samuel5.) Yet Calvin speaks of it as not yet performed; but the course of the history makes it plain that David was now king over the parts of which he here speaketh. I will divide Shechem, as subjects to me as Joshua having the land under him, divided it amongst his people: so David being king over all the parts of the land, divides to his followers such portions as belonged unto them by inheritance, from which happily some of them had been expelled by the time of Ishbosheth his reign; or some families in the time of those wars might be utterly wasted away, and so the king having free power to dispose of their lands, might give them amongst his men, and take part to himself. John Mayer.Ver. 6. God hath spoken in his holiness. That is, he hath given out his word from heaven, the habitation of his holiness and of his glory; or, he hath spoken it certainly, there is nothing but holiness in his word (and that is the strength of words). David having received this word stands assured, that as Shechem and Succoth, Gilead and Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah would willingly submit to him and yield obedience; so, also, that Moab, Edom, and Philistia, who were his professed enemies, should be subdued to him. He expected to conquer and triumph over them, to put them to the basest offices, as his vassals, because God had decreed and spoken it in his holiness. God hath spoken the word, saith he, therefore is shall be done, yea, it is done; and therefore David cried, All's mine, Gilead in mine, Manasseh is mine, Moab and Edom are mine, as soon as God had spoken the word. Joseph Caryl.Ver. 6. I will divide Shechem. It is as much as if he should say, I will not look to have my share measured out by others, but I will divide it, and measure myself, and will be the right owner and possessor thereof. Thomas Wilcocks.Ver. 6. I will divide Shechem, etc. Of Shechem and the Valley of Succoth, or booths, so called from Jacob's making booths, and feeding his cattle there. (See Genesis 33:17-18.) By these are meant Samaria; and David's dividing or meting them out, is a phrase to express his dominion over them, in being part of the regal power to distribute his province into cities and regions, and place judges and magistrates over them. To these the addition of Gilead (which contained the whole region of Bashan, etc., on the other side of Jordan), and then the mention of Manasseh and Ephraim, are designed, as by so many parts, to denote the kingdom of Israel, or the ten tribes; and their being his, and the strength of his head, notes him to be the Lord over them, and to make use of their strength in his wars, for the defending or enlarging

his dominions. And then Judeah yqqwxm is my lawgiver; as it refers to Jacob's prophecy of the sceptre and lawgiver not departing from Judah, denoting that to be the royal tribe; so by it is signified the kingdom of Judah (under which Benjamin is comprehended), that David is possessed of that also. Henry Hammond.Ver. 6. Succoth. If the preceding views are correct, we may rest in the result, that the present Sâkût represents the name and site of the ancient Succoth...We passed obliquely along the northern slope of the same broad swell, where the ground was covered only by a thick crop of thistles. On our right was a region of lower ground to which we gradually descended; full of grass, wild oats, and thistles, with an occasional thornbush. The soil was like that of an Ohio bottom. The grass, intermingled with tall daisies, and the wild oats reached to the horses backs; while the thistles sometimes overtopped the rider's heads. All was now dry; and in some places it was difficult to make our way through the exuberant growth. At last we came to the cause of this fertility, a fine brook winding along the bottom. We crossed it, and passed up again obliquely over another like swell, covered as before only with thistles. Here was an ancient oil vat, very large and of a single stone; it was evidently brought hither, and indicates the former growth of the olive in these parts. We struck the same stream again at its source, called Ain el Beida, a large and fine fountain, surrounded with gardens of cucumbers, and watering an extensive tract. We were here on the edge of the higher portion of the Ghôr, where low ridges and swells project out from the foot of the western mountains, and form a rolling plain or plateau, which is well watered, arable and very extensively cultivated for wheat. The tract further east, which we had now crossed, may be said to extend to the high bank of the lower Jordan valley. It is less elevated, is more generally level, though crossed by low swells between the water courses, and has little tillage. The inhabitants of Tûbâs are divided into three hostile parties; and they carry their divisions into their agriculture in the Ghôr. One party sows at Ain el Beida, where we now were; another around Ain Makhûz, more in the north; and the third at Ridghah, Sâkût, and further south. The people of Teyâsîr also sow on the south of Mâlih; the water of which is used for irrigation. The whole tract north of Wady Mâlih was said to be farmed from the government by one of the Sheiks of the Jenâr family, who live at Jeba and in its neighbourhood. By him it is again let to the different villages. Robinson's "Biblical Researches in Palestine."Ver. 6-7. The chief and principal places where the seditious party had their residence and abode, were those which the psalmist mentions in the sixth and seventh verses, namely, Shechem, a city in the tribe of Ephraim; Succoth, a city in the tribe of Gad; Gilead and Manasseh, the utmost borders of the land of Canaan beyond Jordan. These were some of the chief places, which sided with Ishbosheth whilst he lived, as you may see, 2 Samuel 2:1-32; and, as it seemeth, they still cleaved to the house of Saul after he was dead, not acknowledging David for their king. John Brinsley.

CO�STABLE, "David quoted a prophecy that he had received assuring Israel"s military success. God had said He would give Shechem and the valley of Succoth to Israel. Shechem is the site west of the Jordan where God first promised Canaan to Abraham and his descendants ( Genesis 12). It was also where Jacob lived after he returned to Canaan from Paddan-aram and Laban"s oppression ( Genesis 33:18-

20). Succoth was the place east of the Jordan where Jacob settled after God delivered him from Esau, when Jacob returned from Paddan-aram ( Genesis 33:17). Both places had associations with past victories over Arameans and the fulfillment of God"s promises concerning the land. Used together, these places represent victory on both sides of the Jordan.

ELLICOTT, "(6) In his holiness . . .—The LXX. and Vulg. have “in his sanctuary” which suits the utterance of an oracle.

I will rejoice . . .—Rather, I will raise a shout of triumph.

I will divide Shechem . . .—Rather, I may divide, &c, implying unquestioned right of ownership. Shechem and Succoth appear to be named as a rude indication of the whole breadth of the country, from west to east. The fact that Dr. Robinson and Vandervelde have identified one Succoth on the right bank of Jordan, does not at all weaken the evidence for the existence of another on the east of that river. See Genesis 33:17; Judges 8:5 seq.; Joshua 13:17 (where çmek is used for valley, as here).

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

Ver. 6. God hath spoken in his holiness] He hath assured me all these following places; therefore I looked upon them long since as already mine, and now I am master of them.

I will rejoice] As having peaceable possession of all; though I have come hardly by it. �ow I see that whatsoever God by his servant Samuel assured me of, was true, and to be trusted; albeit I sometimes doubted of it, Psalms 116:11, 1 Samuel 27:1.

I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth] Which places, though they longest held out against me under Ishbosheth, yet now that they are come in, they shall have civil usage under me, and be better dealt with than those outland enemies, Moab, Edom, &c., now brought under my subjection.

WHEDO�, "6. God… spoken—Hitherto David has spoken, figuratively, of a “banner displayed on account of the truth;” now, he speaks plainly of the divine oracle as the ground of his faith. “God hath spoken;” an allusion to Jacob’s prophecy, Genesis 49:10; Samuel’s message, 1 Samuel 16:13; and to �athan’s, 2 Samuel 7:4-17. Delitzsch says, it is possible, also, that at this moment “David received an oracle from the high priest by means of the Urim and Thummim which assured him of the unity of his kingdom and the sovereignty over the bordering nations.”

Shechem… Succoth—The former an open plain west of Jordan, and the latter a

valley east of Jordan in the tribe of Gad, which has not been well identified by modern discovery, but was probably about the latitude of Shechem. These are alluded to as patriarchal stations when Jacob, on his return from “Padan Aram,” was searching a central location for the settlement of the Hebrew family, and are here used poetically for the total promised territory east and west of Jordan. Compare Genesis 33:17-18; Joshua 13:27; Judges 8:4-5. The dividing and meting out simply indicate absolute title and sovereignty. �umbers 26:55-56; 2 Samuel 8:2

COFFMA�, "Verse 6GOD'S PROMISES RECALLED I� PRAYER

"God hath spoken in his holiness: I will exult;

I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim also is the defense of my head;

Judah is my sceptre.

Moab is my washpot;

Upon Edom will I cast my shoe:

Philistia, shout thou because of me."

"God hath spoken ... I will exult" (Psalms 60:6). What this says is that, "I will exult in the promises God has made to Israel." The difficulty is that no specific promises recorded in the Old Testament say exactly what is here stated. Perhaps the accurate explanation is that given by Rawlinson: "This is a reference to the general aspect of the assurances given in the Pentateuch in regard to Israel's possession of the land of Canaan and to their victory over hostile neighbors."[9] God's assurances to Jacob and to Israel, especially through Moses, speak of their possession of Canaan and victory over all opposition. The argument here, then, is simply this: `If these assurances from the Holy Scriptures are to be depended upon, Israel cannot now be in actual danger of being subjugated by Edom.'

"Shechem ... and Succoth" (Psalms 60:6). This evidently refers to God's promise of giving Canaan to Israel. "Shechem" is a principal city west of Jordan, and "the Valley of Succoth" is a prominent sector of Canaan east of the Jordan.

"Gilead ... Manasseh ... Ephraim" (Psalms 60:7). "Gilead" was identified with the land east of the Jordan river, and Ephraim was a powerful tribe dominating the land west of the Jordan. "Manasseh" held lands on both sides of Jordan; and it seems from these proper names in these verses that the psalmist was stressing God's promise to give Israel all of Canaan.

Moreover the mention of Judah as "God's sceptre" was for the purpose of recalling the ancient word that "Jacob have I loved; and Esau (Edom) have I hated." (Judah was a son of Jacob). Such thoughts would indeed have been encouraging to Israel following a military set-back in which Edom had won a battle.

"Moab ... Edom ... Philistia" (Psalms 60:8). �o such promises of God thus to deal with these nations can be found in the Old Testament.; and, therefore, we conclude that these words are a paraphrase of what the psalmist believed to be God's love of Israel and his opposition to these three nations mentioned.

Certainly, Moab, Edom, and Philistia were relegated by God Himself to a status below that of Israel, even though none of the prophets used exactly the same terminology that here describes it. What the psalmist says here is that, "God has willed these nations to be in a subordinate role, servile to God's people: Moab for bathing their feet, Edom the lackey to whom the sandals are thrown, and Philistia to provide the theme of a victory song!"[10]

One of the great lessons of this psalm is that the fact of recalling and repeating the sacred promises of God is a legitimate and effective device in prayer.

PETT, "Psalms 60:6

‘God has spoken in his holiness,‘God has spoken in His holiness.’ ‘In His holiness’ expresses the uniqueness of what God is. He is the wholly righteous One Who is always true to His word, and the One Who is distinctive in His ‘otherness’, above, beyond and distinctive from His creation. He is ‘the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity Whose �ame is Holy’ (Isaiah 57:15). And it is as such that He has spoken (made His solemn declaration), thus guaranteeing the end result.

Psalms 60:6-8

“I will exult,I will divide Shechem,And mete out the valley of Succoth.Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine,Ephraim also is the defence of my head,Judah is my sceptre.’Moab is my washpot,On Edom will I cast my shoe,Philistia, shout you because of me.”What God has spoken is now made plain. It may be that we are to see this as God raising His standard on behalf of His people (Psalms 60:4), or alternatively as God’s promise to David. But in either case it depicts God as arising victoriously, and exultantly carrying out His purpose and revealing His sovereignty. The whole area is under His control.

Shechem and Succoth were the two places which Jacob had first reached on entering the land after his sojourn in Paddan Aram (Genesis 33:17-18). Shechem was west of the Jordan, and Succoth east of Jordan. They may thus have been seen as representing the north of Israel on both sides of the Jordan over which God now claims to exercise His authority and control. The thought may be included here that God is fulfilling His promises to Jacob.

Gilead and Manasseh may be seen as representing the whole swathe of land east of the Jordan (Gilead is a flexible term often indicating a large part of the land east of Jordan). Although Manasseh was also well represented west of the Jordan, a large part of the land east of Jordan was territory belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. It is being emphasised that they belong to God.

Ephraim was the popular name for the central highlands and related territory, and was the name of the most powerful tribe in Israel. It would eventually became synonymous with northern Israel (a somewhat restricted Israel), but at this stage it was simply the largest and strongest tribe. This is portrayed as God’s battle helmet. Judah, of course, represented the southern part of the kingdom, the part which had first yielded to David’s rule (2 Samuel 3:2-5). It is represented as God’s sceptre, for it was through Judah that kingship was to be established (Genesis 49:10-12).

Thus the whole of the land over which David ruled is intended to be covered here (geography at that time was vague). The descriptions of Ephraim and Judah as His battle helmet and sceptre indicate how personal is God’s activity on their behalf. It is through Ephraim and Judah that He achieves His warlike success and sovereignty.

Moab, Edom and Philistia, Israel’s nearest neighbours, are portrayed as very much subservient to Israel. Moab is His washpot. That is, it is in Moab that He washes His feet. On Edom He casts His shoe. They are His slaves who are given his shoes to clean ready for Him to wear. Alternately some see the casting of a shoe as a claim to sovereignty. Philistia shout because of Him. The idea is that they proclaim His lordship, and possibly even that they run before His chariot clearing the way for Him.

Thus David is assured that the whole area is subject to God’s control, so that he need not fear that Edom will be successful in their attempts to take over southern Judah.

K&D 6-8, "A divine utterance, promising him victory, which he has heard, is expanded in this second strophe. By reason of this he knows himself to be in the free and inalienable possession of the land, and in opposition to the neighbouring nations, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, to be the victorious lord to whom they must bow. The grand word of promise in 2Sa_7:9. is certainly sufficient in itself to make this feeling of certainty intelligible, and perhaps Psa_60:8-10 are only a pictorial reproduction of that utterance; but it is also possible that at the time when Edom threatened the abandoned bordering

kingdom, David received an oracle from the high priest by means of the Urim and Thummim, which assured him of the undiminished and continued possession of the Holy Land and the sovereignty over the bordering nations. That which God speaks “in His holiness” is a declaration or a promise for the sure fulfilment and inviolability of which He pledges His holiness; it is therefore equal to an oath “by His holiness” (Psa_89:36; Amo_4:2). The oracle does not follow in a direct form, for it is not God who

speaks (as Olshausen thinks), to whom the expression אעלזה is unbecoming, nor is it the

people (as De Wette and Hengstenberg), but the king, since what follows refers not only

to the districts named, but also to their inhabitants. יC might have stood before אעלזה, but

without it the mode of expression more nearly resembles the Latin me exultaturum esse(cf. Psa_49:12). Shechem in the centre of the region on this side the Jordan, and the valley of Succoth in the heart of the region on the other side, from the beginning; for

there is not only a [Arab.] sâkût (the name both of the eminence and of the district) on

the west side of the Jordan south of Beisân (Scythopolis), but there must also have been another on the other side of the Jordan (Gen_33:17., Jdg_8:4.) which has not as yet

been successfully traced. It lay in the vicinity of Jabbok (ez-Zerka), about in the same

latitude with Shechem (Sichem), south-east of Scythopolis, where Estori ha-Parchi contends that he had found traces of it not far from the left bank of the Jordan. Jos_

13:27 gives some information concerning the עמק (valley) of Succoth. The town and the

valley belonged to the tribe of Gad. Gilead, side by side with Manasseh, Psa_60:9, comprehends the districts belonging to the tribes of Gad and Reuben. As far as Psa_60:9, therefore, free dominion in the cis-and trans-Jordanic country is promised to David. The proudest predicates are justly given to Ephraim and Judah, the two chief tribes; the former, the most numerous and powerful, is David's helmet (the protection of

his head), and Judah his staff of command (מחקק, the command-giving = staff of

command, as in Gen_49:10; Num_21:18); for Judah, by virtue of the ancient promise, is the royal tribe of the people who are called to the dominion of the world. This designation of Judah as the king's staff or sceptre and the marshal's baton shows that it is the king who is speaking, and not the people. To him, the king, who has the promise, are Joab, Edom, and Philistia subject, and will continue so. Joab the boastful serves him as a wash-basin;

(Note: A royal attendant, the tasht-dâr, cup-or wash-basin-bearer, carried the

wash-basin for the Persian king both when in battle and on a journey (vid., Spiegel, Avesta ii. LXIX). Moab, says the Psalmist, not merely waits upon him with the wash-basin, but himself serves as such to him.)

Edom the crafty and malicious is forcibly taken possession of by him and obliged to submit; and Philistia the warlike is obliged to cry aloud concerning him, the irresistible

ruler. רחץ�סיר is a wash-pot or basin in distinction from a seething-pot, which is also

called סיר. The throwing of a shoe over a territory is a sign of taking forcible possession,

just as the taking off of the shoe (חליצה) is a sign of the renunciation of one's claim or

right: the shoe is in both instances the symbol of legal possession.

(Note: The sandal or the shoe, I as an object of Arab. wt'ʖ, of treading down,

oppressing, signifies metaphorically, (1) a man that is weak and incapable of

defending himself against oppression, since one says, ma kuntu na‛lan, I am no shoe,

i.e., no man that one can tread under his feet; (2) a wife (quae subjicitur), since one

says, g'alaa‛ na‛lahu, he has taken off his shoe, i.e., cast off his wife (cf. Lane under

Arab. OiPa'â', which even signifies a shoe and a wife). II As an instrument of Arab. w2‛,

tropically of the act of oppressing and of reducing to submission, the Arab. wa‛lserves as a symbol of subjugation to the dominion of another. Rosenmüller (Das alte und neue Morgenland, No. 483) shows that the Abyssinian kings, at least, cast a shoe upon anything as a sign of taking forcible possession. Even supposing this usage is based upon the above passage of the Psalms, it proves, however, that a people thinking and speaking after the Oriental type associated this meaning with the casting of a shoe upon anything. - Fleischer. Cf. Wetzstein's Excursus at the end of this volume.)

The rendering of the last line, with Hitzig and Hengstenberg: “exult concerning me, O

Philistia,” i.e., hail me, though compelled to do so, as king, is forbidden by the עלי,

instead of which we must have looked for לי. The verb �רוע certainly has the general

signification “to break out into a loud cry,” and like the Hiph. (e.g., Isa_15:4) the Hithpal. can also be used of a loud outcry at violence.

7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter.

BAR�ES, "Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine - That is, My dominion or authority is extended over these regions - Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah. The idea here is substantially the same as in the former verse, that his dominion extended over the country on both sides of the Jordan; or that in the direction of east and west it embraced all that had been promised - “from the great sea to the river Euphrates.” In verse 6, this idea is expressed by selecting two spots or towns as representatives of the whole country - Shechem on the west, and Succoth on the east; in this verse, the same idea is expressed by a reference to the two regions so situated - Gilead and Manasseh on the east, and Ephraim and Judah on the west. Gilead was on the east of the river Jordan, properly embracing the mountainous region south of the river Jabbok, Gen. 31:21-48; Son_4:1. The word has sometimes, however, a wider signification, including the whole mountainous tract between the rivers Arnon and Bashan, and thus including the region occupied by the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, Num_32:26, Num_32:29, Num_

32:39. Hence, in this place, it is put for the region occupied by the tribes of Reuben and Gad. “Manasseh” refers to the district or region occupied by the half tribe of Manasseh, on the east of the Jordan. These two portions - Gilead and Manasseh - or, Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh - would, therefore, embrace the whole of the land of promise, north and south, on the east of the Jordan. The limits of these regions to the east were properly the banks of the Euphrates; that is, the original promise would embrace this. David had gone to carry the boundaries of his country to those assigned limits 2Sa_8:3, and he now says that he had completed that undertaking.

Ephraim also - Ephraim and Judah were the principal tribes on the west of the Jordan, and they would well represent that part of Canaan. The idea is, that the whole of the promised land, east and west, was now under his control. There needed only the territory of Edom, on the south, to complete the conquest, and place the whole of the promised land under his dominion, Psa_60:8-9.

Is the strength of my head - This means that Ephraim constituted his chief strength, or was that on which he mainly relied. It was that which protected him, as the helmet does the head; that on which his very life in battle depended. This honor is given to the tribe of Ephraim because it was one of the largest tribes, and because it was situated in the very center of the land.

Judah is my lawgiver - This means that the tribe of Judah, by its position, its numbers, and the prominence given to it in the prophecies Gen_49:8-12, actually gave law to the nation. Its influence was felt in all the institutions of the land. The controlling influence went out from that tribe in the time of David; and its authority in this respect was recognized, perhaps partly in anticipation of what it had been said would be its importance in future times: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come.” Gen_49:10.

CLARKE, "Gilead is mine - This country was also beyond Jordan, and Manasseh and Ephraim are put for the tribes that formed the kingdom of Israel. All these, after the return from the captivity, formed but one people, the Jews and Israelites being united.

The strength of mine head - It shall be the principal support of the new-found kingdom, when all distinctions shall be buried.

Judah is my lawgiver - This tribe was chief of all those who returned from the captivity; and Zerubbabel, who was their leader, was chief of that tribe, and of the family of David. As this part of the Psalm appears to relate to the return of the captives from Babylon, and their repossession of their own land, the psalmist may refer, not only to the promises of their restoration, but also to the principal person under whose superintendence they returned.

GILL, "Psalms 60:7

Gilead is mine,.... This is particularly mentioned, because over this Abner made Ishbosheth king, 2Sa_2:9; and is the place to which the Jews shall be brought in the latter day, when converted, Zec_10:10; It was a country that abounded with pastures fit for feeding cattle, Num_32:1, and may point out those green pastures where Christ makes his flocks to lie down and rest;

and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head: these two were also under Saul's son when David first came to the throne, but afterwards became his, as was promised him, and he believed, 2Sa_2:9. And the concord and harmony of the people of God among themselves, and under David their Prince, the King Messiah, are signified and Ephraim being one in the hand of the by the ceasing of the envy of the one, and of the vexation of the other, Eze_37:19; Ephraim was more numerous and populous than Manasseh, and abounded with mighty men, which are the strength of a prince, and therefore called here the strength of his head;

Judah is my lawgiver; manifestly referring to Gen_49:10; which furnished out persons fit to be counsellors in enacting laws, and proper to be employed in the execution of them. The great Lawgiver is Christ himself, who came of this tribe, Isa_33:22; All this is expressive of dominion over the whole land of Judea, Ephraim, and Manasseh, with the places mentioned with them; the house of Joseph being, as Aben Ezra observes, in the north part of it, and Judah in the south. Next mention is made of the subjection of the Gentiles, and dominion over them.

HE�RY, "David here rejoices; and it is in prospect of two things: -

1. The perfecting of this revolution in his own kingdom. God having spoken in his holiness that David shall be king, he doubts not but the kingdom is all his own, as sure as if it were already in his hand: I will divide Shechem (a pleasant city in Mount Ephraim) and mete out the valley of Succoth, as my own. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine,and both are entirely reduced, Psa_60:7. Ephraim would furnish him with soldiers for his life-guards and his standing forces; Judah would furnish him with able judges for his courts of justice; and thus Ephraim would be the strength of his head and Judah his lawgiver. Thus may an active believer triumph in the promises, and take the comfort of all the good contained in them; for they are all yea and amen in Christ. “God has spoken in his holiness, and then pardon is mine, peace mine, grace mine, Christ mine, heaven mine, God himself mine.” All is yours, for you are Christ's, 1Co_3:22, 1Co_3:23.

JAMISO�, "Gilead ... and Manasseh — as large districts, east and west of Jordan, represent the whole land.

divide ... and mete out — means to have entire control over.

Ephraim — denotes the military (Deu_33:17); and -

Judah — (the lawgiver, Gen_49:10), the civil power. Foreign nations are then presented as subdued.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 7. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. He claims the whole land on account of the promise. Two other great divisions of the country he mentions, evidently delighting to survey the goodly land which the Lord had given him. All things are ours, whether things present or things to come; no mean portion belongs to the believer, and let him not think meanly of it. �o enemy shall withhold from true faith what God has given her, for grace makes her mighty to wrest it from the foe. Life is mine, death is mine, for Christ is mine.Ephraim also is the strength of mine head. All the military power of the valiant tribe

was at the command of David, and he praises God for it. God will bow to the accomplishment of his purposes all the valour of men; the church may cry, "the prowess of armies is mine, " God will overrule all their achievements for the progress of his cause.Judeah is my lawgiver. There the civil power was concentrated: the king being of that tribe sent forth his laws out of her midst. We know no lawgiver, but the King who came out of Judah. To all the claims of Rome, Or Oxford, or the councils of men, we pay no attention; we are free from all other ecclesiastical rule, but that of Christ: but we yield joyful obedience to him: Judeah is my lawgiver. Amid distractions it is a great thing to have good and sound legislation, it was a balm for Israel's wounds, it is our joy in the Church of Christ.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 6-7. See Psalms on "Psalms 60:6" for further information.Ver. 7. Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine. That is to say, I will possess myself of them and rule over them; not as a conqueror over slaves, but as a lord over subjects, as a father over children, owning and acknowledging them as mine. They are my inheritance, and shall be my people, my subjects. John Brinsley.Ver. 7. Ephraim also is the strength of mine head. The strong and warlike tribe of Ephraim being to the state what the helmet is to the warriors in battle; or, perhaps the allusion is to De 33:17: "His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the nations." J. J. Stewart Perowne.Ver. 7. Judah is (or shall be) my lawgiver, i.e., all his subjects should be brought under one Head, one governor, who should give them laws, according to which they should be ordered or governed, which power and authority belonged to the tribe of Judeah, according to that prophecy of Jacob (Genesis 49:10), to which the psalmist here alludes. �o way, no means to bring the people unto unity, to bring them into one body, but by bringing them under on head, one law giver, by whose laws they may be regulated and governed. �ow in the church, and in matters of religion, this one Head is Christ, even that Lion of the tribe of Judah, as he is called (Revelation 5:5). He is the Law giver of his church, and let him so be. This will be found one, aye, and the only means to breed an holy and religious unity, and bring home straying, wandering sheep. John Brinsley.Ver. 7. �o government could stand which was not resident in Judah. John Calvin.

CO�STABLE, "Gilead was Israel"s promised territory east of the Jordan River. The tribal territory of Manasseh straddled the Jordan. Ephraim, west of the Jordan, was one of Israel"s strongest and most secure tribes. It lay in central western Canaan and was similar to a helmet in that it provided defense. God had promised Judah the right to rule the other tribes ( Genesis 49:10), which the scepter symbolized.

ELLICOTT, "(7) Gilead and Manasseh on the east of Jordan, and Ephraim and Judah on the west, are employed to denote the whole dominion.

Strength of mine head . . .—i.e., the helmet, or possibly with reminiscence of the

patriarchal blessing on Joseph, Deuteronomy 33:17.

Lawgiver.—In Hebrew a participle of verb meaning to cut or engrave, and is applied as here to the lawmaker (comp. Deuteronomy 33:21), or to the staff or sceptre which was the emblem of law, Genesis 49:10, �umbers 21:18. The LXX. and Vulg. have “my king.”

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:7 Gilead [is] mine, and Manasseh [is] mine; Ephraim also [is] the strength of mine head; Judah [is] my lawgiver;

Ver. 7. Gilead is mine and Manasseh] These countries on the other side of Jordan the Syrians haply had gotten, and now David had recovered them.

Ephraim also is the strength of my head] Because a populous and potent tribe. Junius thinks David here alludeth to that of Moses in his blessing of this tribe, Deuteronomy 33:17; as in the next words to that of Jacob, Genesis 49:10.

Judeah is my lawgiver] There, viz. at Jerusalem, sitteth the Synedrion, �umbers 11:16, and there is my sovereign court of justice, Psalms 122:5, and of that tribe, Christ, the great lawgiver of his Church, shall spring.

WHEDO�, "7. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine—As Shechem and Succoth, Psalms 60:6, geographically represented the total territory of Israel, so Gilead and Manasseh (east) are only a more literal and minute repetition of the same idea, politically considered, of the territory east of Jordan, while Ephraim and Judah represented the west.

Ephraim… is the strength of mine head—My helmet, the defensive armour for the head, denoting how vital a part of the nation’s defence Ephraim was. Moses compared Ephraim and Manasseh to the strength of the neck and horns of the buffalo. Deuteronomy 33:17.

Judah is my lawgiver—A direct allusion to the blessing of Jacob, Genesis 49:10. Thus far David describes the continued unity and integrity of his kingdom, which his recent disasters had threatened, but which faith in the oracle of God had now reassured Ephraim and Manasseh were the jealous and disappointed tribes. See note on Psalms 78. Saul’s son had already sought to dismember the kingdom by their means. 2 Samuel 2:8-11; 2 Samuel 3:2. The moment David’s career of victory was checked he feared the loss of his foreign conquests, followed by the revival of the old internal feuds. Faith has already triumphed over the latter, and he now proceeds to express his exultation over the bordering nations.

COKE, "Verse 7-8Psalms 60:7-8. Gilead is mine, &c.— He exultingly surveys his strength. Gilead and Manasseh comprehended the whole country beyond Jordan, as did Ephraim and

Judah on this side; of which Ephraim, containing the main body of tribes, is here said to be the strength of his head; i.e. the guard of his person: [Achish told David that he would make him the keeper of his head.] The main bulk of the strength lay in Ephraim. Judah was his minister, or secretary of state, as that was the reigning tribe. Moab is my wash-pot, signifies, "the Moabites shall be subject to me." The wash-pot here is a mean piece of household-stuff for the use of the feet, (as the Syriac interprets it) the lowest part of the body, and so it is a fit title for the Moabites; as we may gather from 2 Samuel 8:2 where it is said, He smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive: and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought him gifts. The next phrase, Over Edom will I cast out my shoe, signifies, "I will trample upon the Edomites, and make them my slaves." (Compare 2 Samuel 8:14.) Or, I will reach out my shoe to them, as a master does to his meanest servants, to be untied and taken off by him, Matthew 3:11. Philstia, triumph thou because of me, may signify, "Let the Philistines also add to my triumph, by meeting me as their conquering lord." Houbigant renders it,

Against the Philistines I will be united. See Psalms 108:9. Mudge is of opinion, that, as Ephraim and Judah are mentioned as affording a supply of certain things to David; so we are to understand the same of Moab, Edom, and Philistia; the two former fulfilling the meaner offices, while Philistia is spoken of as his supporter: Philistia, be thou my sidesman or supporter. But the common interpretation appears to be the best; and the verses, disrobed of metaphor, may be thus understood: "Gilead and Manasseh have submitted to me; Ephraim furnishes me with valiant men; and Judah with men of prudence and wisdom. I will reduce the Moabites to servitude: I will triumph over the Edomites, and make them my slaves; and the Philistines shall add to my triumph." See the Essay for a new Translation.

8 Moab is my washbasin, on Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

BAR�ES, "Moab is my washpot - Moab was a region of country on the east of the Dead Sea, extending as far north as the river Arnon. See the notes at Isa_15:1-9. The

words rendered wash-pot mean properly a pot or basin for washing, a wash-basin; and the expression is used here as one of contempt, as if he would use it as the meanest vessel is used. It implies that Moab was already subdued, and that the author of the psalm could make any use of it he pleased. It also implies that Moab was not regarded as adding much to his strength, or to the value of his dominions; but that, compared with other portions of his kingdom, it was of as little value as a wash-basin compared with the more valuable vessels in a house.

Over Edom will I cast out my shoe - Edom or Idumea was the country which still remained unsubdued. This David was anxious to possess, though the conquest had been delayed and prevented by the adverse circumstances to which allusion has already been made in the notes at the psalm. On the situation of Idumea, see the notes at Isa. 34. It was a region whose possession was necessary to complete the acquisition of territory that properly pertained to the promised land; and David was now intent on acquiring it. He here expresses the utmost confidence that he would succeed in this, notwithstanding the adverse events which had occurred. It is supposed that there is allusion in the expression “I will cast out my shoe,” to the custom, when transferring a possession, of throwing down a shoe on the ground as a symbol of occupancy. Compare Rth_4:7. In the middle ages this was expressed by throwing down a glove; in the time of Columbus, by solemnly taking possession and setting up a cross; in other times, by erecting a standard, or by building a fort. Compare Rosenmuller, Das alte und neue Morgenland, No. 483. The idea is, that he would take possession of it, or would make it his own.

Philistia, triumph thou because of me - On the situation of Philistia, see the notes at Isa_11:14. In the margin this is, “triumph thou over me, by an irony.” It may be regarded as irony, or as a taunt, meaning that Philistia was no longer now in a situation to triumph over him; or it may be understood as referring to the exultation and shouting which would ensue on the reception of its sovereign. The former seems to be the most probable interpretation, as the language is undoubtedly intended to denote absolute subjection, and not the voluntary reception of a king. The language in the entire passage is that of triumph over foes.

CLARKE, "Moab is my washpot - The Moabites shall be reduced to the meanest slavery.

Over Edom will I cast out my shoe - I will make a complete conquest of Idumea, and subject the Edomites to the meanest offices, as well as the Moabites.

Philistia, triumph thou because of me - John Hyrcanus subdued the Idumeans, and caused them to receive circumcision, and profess the Jewish religion. The words here seem to predict their entire subjugation.

In an essay for a new translation of the Bible, there is what appears to me a correct paraphrase of the seventh and eighth verses: “Gilead and Manasseh have submitted unto me; Ephraim furnishes me with valiant men, and Judah with men of prudence and wisdom. I will reduce the Moabites to servitude; I will triumph over the Edomites, and make them my slaves; and the Philistines shall add to my triumph.”

GILL, "Moab is my washpot,.... To wash hands and feet in: and so the Syriac version, "and Moab the washing of my feet"; a vessel for low and mean service, and so denotes the servile subjection of the Moabites to David; see 2Sa_8:2; and as the words

may be rendered, "the pot of my washing" (r). Great numbers of the Moabites might be at this time servants to the Israelites, and to David and his court particularly; and might be employed, as the Gibeonites were, to be drawers of water, to fill their pots, in which they washed their hands and feet, and their bathing vessels, in which they bathed themselves: Aben Ezra explains it,

"I wilt wash their land as a pot;''

and so may not only signify the very great subjection of the Gentiles, even the chief among them, to Christ and his church, Isa_49:23; but as Moab was begotten and born in uncleanness, and his posterity an unclean generation, it may design the washing, cleansing, sanctifying, and justifying of the Gentiles in the name of Christ, and by his Spirit, 1Co_6:11;

over Edom will I cast out my shoe; as a token of possessing their land, Rth_4:7; so some; or of subduing them; putting the feet on which the shoe is upon the necks of them, Jos_10:24. So Kimchi interprets it,

"the treading of my foot;''

to which the Targum agrees, paraphrasing it thus;

"upon the joint of the neck of the mighty men of Edom I have cast my shoe.''

It may allude to a custom (s) in confirming a bargain, or taking possession, to pluck off

the shoe in token of it, נעלי may be rendered "my glove"; as it is by the Targum on Rth_

4:7; for, as the shoe encloses and binds the foot, so the glove the hand: and the allusion may be thought to be to a custom used by kings, when they sat down before any strong city to besiege it, to throw in a glove into the city; signifying they would never depart from the city until they had took it. Hence the custom, which still continues, of sending a glove to a person challenged to fight. And indeed the custom of casting a shoe was used by the emperor of the Abyssines, as a sign of dominion (t). Take the phrase in every light, it signifies victory and power; that he should be in Edom as at home, and there pluck off his shoe, and cast it upon him; either to carry it after him, as some think, which was the work of a servant, to which the Baptist alludes, Mat_3:11; or rather to clean it for him; for as Moab was his washpot, to wash his hands and feet, in Edom was his shoe cleaner, to wipe off and remove the dirt and dust that was upon them (u); all which denotes great subjection: and this was fulfilled in David, 2Sa_8:14; and may refer to the spread of the Gospel in the Gentile world, and the power accompanying that to the subduing of many sinners in it, carried thither by those whose feet were shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;

Philistia, triumph thou because of me: some take this to be an ironic expression, like that in Ecc_11:9; so R. Moses in Aben Ezra, and also Kimchi. Triumph now as thou usedst to do, or if thou canst: but rather they are seriously spoken, seeing they had reason to rejoice and be glad, because they had changed hands and masters for the better, being subject to David, 2Sa_8:1, with this compare Psa_108:9, and may very well be applied to the Gentiles, subdued and conquered by Christ, who triumph in him; and because delivered out of the hands of sin, Satan, and the world, through his victorious arms.

HE�RY 8-10, " The conquering of the neighbouring nations, which had been vexatious to Israel, were still dangerous, and opposed the throne of David, Psa_60:8. Moab shall be enslaved, and put to the meanest drudgery. The Moabites became David's servants, 2Sa_8:2. Edom shall be made a dunghill to throw old shoes upon; at least David shall take possession of it as his own, which was signified by drawing off his shoeover it, Rth_4:7. As for the Philistines, let them, if they dare, triumph over him as they had done; he will soon force them to change their note. Rather let those that know their own interest triumph because of him; for it would be the greatest kindness imaginable to them to be brought into subjection to David and communion with Israel. But the war is not yet brought to an end; there is a strong city, Rabbah (perhaps) of the children of Ammon, which yet holds out; Edom is not yet subdued. Now, (1.) David is here enquiring for help to carry on the ark: “Who will bring me into the strong city? What allies, what auxiliaries, can I depend upon, to make me master of the enemies' country and their strongholds?” Those that have begun a good work cannot but desire to make a thorough work of it, and to bring it to perfection. (2.) He is expecting it from God only: “Wilt not thou, O God? For thou hast spoken in thy holiness; and wilt not thou be as good as thy word?” He takes notice of the frowns of Providence they had been under: Thou hadst, in appearance, cast us off; thou didst not go forth with our armies. When they were defeated and met with disappointments, they owned it was because they wanted (that is, because they had forfeited) the gracious presence of God with them; yet they do not therefore fly off from him, but rather take so much the faster hold of him; and the less he has done for them of late the more they hoped he would do. At the same time that they own God's justice in what was past they hope in his mercy for what was to come: “Though thou hadst cast us off, yet thou wilt not contend for ever, thou wilt not always chide; though thou hadst cast us off, yet thou hast begun to show mercy; and wilt thou not perfect what thou hast begun?” The Son of David, in his sufferings, seemed to be cast off by his Father when he cried out, Why hast thou forsaken me? and yet even then he obtained a glorious victory over the powers of darkness and their strong city, a victory which will undoubtedly be completed at last; for he has gone forth conquering and to conquer. The Israel of God, his spiritual Israel, are likewise, through him, more than conquerors. Though sometimes they may be tempted to think that God has cast them off, and may be foiled in particular conflicts, yet God will bring them into the strong city at last. Vincimur in praelio, sed non in bello -We are foiled in a battle, but not in the whole war. A lively faith in the promise will assure us, not only that the God of peace shall tread Satan under our feet shortly, but that it is our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom.

JAMISO�, "Moab — is a my washpot - the most ordinary vessel.

over — or, “at”

Edom — (as a slave) he casts his shoe.

Philistia, triumph, etc. — or, rather, “shout.”

for me — acknowledges subjection (compare Psa_108:9, “over Philistia will I triumph”).

CALVI�, "8Moab is my wash-pot In proceeding to speak of foreigners, he observes a wide distinction between them and his own countrymen. The posterity of Abraham he would govern as brethren, and not as slaves; but it was allowable for him to exercise greater severities upon the profane and the uncircumcised, in order to their being brought under forcible subjection. In this he affords no precedent to conquerors who would inflict lawless oppression upon nations taken in war; for they want the divine warrant and commission which David had, invested as he was not only with the authority of a king, but with the character of an avenger of the Church, especially of its more implacable enemies, such as had thrown off every feeling of humanity, and persisted in harassing a people descended from the same stock with themselves. He remarks, in contempt of the Moabites, that they would be a vessel in which he should wash his feet, the washing of the feet being, as is well known, a customary practice in Eastern nations. (394) With the same view he speaks of casting his shoe over Edom. This is expressive of reproach, and intimates, that as it had once insulted over the chosen people of God, so now it should be reduced to servitude. (395) What follows concerning Palestina is ambiguous. By some the words are taken ironically, as if David would deride the vain boastings of the Philistines, who were constantly assaulting him with all the petulance which they could command. (396) And the Hebrew verb רוע, ruang, though it means in general to shout with triumph, signifies also to make a tumult, as soldiers when they rush to battle. Others, without supposing any ironical allusion, take the words as they stand, and interpret them as meaning servile plaudits; that much and obstinately as they hated his dominion, they would be forced to hail and applaud him as conqueror. Thus in Psalms 18:44, it is said, “The sons of the strangers shall feign submission to me.” (397)

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 8. Having looked at home with satisfaction, the hero king now looks abroad with exultation.Moab, so injurious to me in former years, is my washpot. The basin into which the water falls when it is poured from an ewer upon my feet. A mere pot to hold the dirty water after my feet have been washed in it. Once she defiled Israel, according to the counsel of Balaam, the son of Beor; but she shall no longer be able to perpetrate such baseness; she shall be a washpot for those whom she sought to pollute. The wicked as we see in them the evil, the fruit, and the punishment of sin, shall help on the purification of the saints. This is contrary to their will, and to the nature of things, but faith finds honey in the lion, and a washpot in filthy Moab. David treats his foes as but insignificant and inconsiderable; a whole nation he counts but as a footbath for his kingdom.Over Edom will I cast out my shoe. As a man when bathing throws his shoes on one side, so would he obtain his dominion over haughty Esau's descendants as easily as a man casts a shoe. Perhaps he would throw his shoe as nowadays men throw their glove, as a challenge to them to dare dispute his sway. He did not need draw a sword to smite his now crippled and utterly despondent adversary, for if he dared revolt he would only need to throw his slipper at him, and he would tremble. Easily are we victors when Omnipotence leads the way. The day shall come when the church shall with equal ease subdue China and Ethiopia to the sceptre of the Son of David. Every

believer also may by faith triumph over all difficulties, and reign with him who hath made us kings and priests. "They overcame through the blood of the Lamb, "shall yet be said of all who rest in the power of Jesus.Philistia, triumph thou because of me. Be so subdued as to rejoice in my victories over my other foes. Or does he mean, I who smote thy champion have at length so subdued thee that thou shalt never be able to rejoice over Israel again; but if thou must needs triumph it must be with me, and not against me; or rather is it a taunting defiance, a piece of irony? O proud Philistia, where are thy vaunts? Where now thy haughty looks, and promised conquests? Thus dare we defy the last enemy, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" So utterly hopeless is the cause of hell when the Lord comes forth to the battle, that even the weakest daughter of Zion may shake her head at the enemy, and laugh him to scorn. O the glorifying of faith! There is not a grain of vain glory in it, but yet her holy boastings none can hinder. When the Lord speaks the promise, we will not be slow to rejoice and glory in it.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 8. Moab is my washpot. Implying that Moab should be reduced to slavery, it being the business of a slave to present the hand washing basin to his master. With the Greeks, plunein tina, to wash down any one, was a slang term, signifying to ridicule, abuse, or beat; hence we have the word washpot applied to the subject of such treatment. "You do not appear to be in your right senses, who make a washpot of me in the presence of many men." Aristophanes. Thomas S. Millington, in "The Testimony of the Heathen to the Truths of Holy Writ, "1863.Ver. 8. (second clause). When, keeping in view the idea of washing the feet, a person throws his shoes, which he has taken off, to any one to be taken away or to be cleaned--kylvh with le and also with la, 1 Kings 19:19, is "to throw to any one" --the individual to whom it belongs to perform such an office must be a slave of the lowest kind. E. W. Hengstenberg.Ver. 8. Over Edom will I cast out my shoe, which notes either contempt of them, as if he had said, O look upon them as worthy only to scrape and make clean my shoes. Or secondly, conquest over them --I will walk through Edom and subdue it. Joseph Caryl.Ver. 8. Over Edom will I cast out my shoe. By extension, immission, or projection of the shoe, either upon the necks of people, or over their countries, is meant nothing else but to overcome, subdue, bring under power, possess, and subject to vileness such men and such countries. The very vulgar acceptation of the word possession, in the grammatical sense, imports as much; for the etymology of possessio is no more but pedum positio. This manner of speaking hath also allusion to the positive law recorded in De 25:6-10; for the letter of the law is, that is the kinsman would not marry the brother's widow and raise up seed unto his brother; the widow loosing his shoe, and spitting in his face, he lost the claim and interest of such possessions as belonged to the woman in right of her husband. And the house of such a man was called domus discalceati, that is to say, "The house of him that hath his shoe loosed." The practice also of this law we find recorded in the book of Ruth, in the case of Elimelech's land, between Boaz and the kinsman, about the widow Ruth, who had her interest by right of her husband in the said land. Moreover, the frequent use of this phrase meeting us very often in the book of God, makes this to

be the meaning of the words, as clear as the day. This king elsewhere singing his trophies, saith, "They are fallen under my feet." "Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon." But the people must "not meddle with Mount Seir; for God would not give them thereof so much as a foot's breadth; "yet ever the place whereon the soles of their feet should tread, from the wilderness of Lebanon and from the river Euphrates unto the utmost sea, should be theirs. Psalms 18:38 De 1:36 2:5. William Loe, in "A Sermon before the King at Theobalds, "entitled, "The King's Shoe, made and ordained to trample on, and to tread down enemies, "1623.Ver. 8. Over Edom will I cast out my shoe. Turnus, having slain Palias, --"Bestrode the corpse, and pressed it with his foot." Virgil.Ver. 8. Of the Philistines he says, Over Philistia it is mine to boast; for so I would translate, and not, as is usual, Philistia, triumph thou over me, which does not yield a consistent meaning. Hermann Venema.Ver. 8. (last clause). Let not our adversaries triumph over our breaches. "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy." Or, if they will, let them triumph: Triumph thou, O Philistia, because of me, or over me. John Brinsley.Ver. 8-10. Moab in the East, Edom in the South, and Philistia in the West (the �orth is not mentioned, because the banner of David had already been victorious there.) Augustus F. Tholuck.

CO�STABLE, "Moab would serve God as a washbasin; namely, it would be reduced to the status of a servant. God"s people would experience purification there as they fought this neighbor. God would throw His shoe toward Edom as a man threw his shoe toward his servant when he came home. Evidently this was commonly done in the ancient �ear East. The Edomites, like the Moabites, were God"s servants, not His sons in the same sense that the Israelites were. The �IV"s translation, "Over Philistia I shout in triumph," pictures God announcing David"s victory over the Arameans to this enemy.

ELLICOTT, "(8) Moab is my washpot—i.e., probably the footbath, a figure expressing great contempt, which receives illustration from the story told of Amasis (Herod. ii. 172) and the golden footpan, which he had broken to pieces and made into an image of one of the gods—from base use made divine—as allegorical of his own transformation from a private person to a king. Others explain, from analogy of Arabic proverbs, that the conqueror would as it were wash his face white, i.e., acquire renown in Moab.

Possibly the comparison of Moab to a bath was suggested by its proximity to the Dead Sea, which might be said to be at the foot of Israel.

Over Edom . . .—The most natural explanation of this figure is that Edom is disgraced to the character of the slave to whom the conqueror tosses his sandals (na’al is collective), that they may be cleaned. (Comp. Matthew 3:11). The symbolic action of Ruth 4:7 had a different meaning, the transfer of a right of ownership, and so cannot be employed in illustration.

Of the “shoe,” as a figure of what is vilest and most common, Dr. J. G. Wetzstein quotes many Arabic proverbs. A covering for the feet would naturally draw to it such associations. (Comp. the use of footstool repeatedly in the Psalms, and Shakespeare’s use of foot,

“What my foot my tutor!”—Tempest.)

But the custom which Israel brought from Egypt (Exodus 3:3), of dropping the sandals outside the door of a temple, and even of an ordinary house, must have served still more to fasten on that article of dress, ideas of vileness and profanation.

Philistia, triumph thou because of me . . .—This cannot be the meaning intended by the clause, since it is quite out of keeping with the context, and in Psalms 108 we have the very opposite, “over Philistia will I triumph.” We must therefore change this reading so as to get, over Philistia is my triumph, or render the text as it stands, from analogy with Isaiah 15:4 : Upon (i.e., because of) me, Philistia, raise a mournful wail.

The LXX. and Vulg. indicate this meaning while translating the proper name, “the foreigners have been subdued to me.”

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:8 Moab [is] my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.

Ver. 8. Moab is my wash pot] A pot wherein to wash my feet, a vessel of dishonour, such as at my pleasure I will break in pieces, Psalms 2:9; and such as I reserve of them alive, shall be my scullions and underlings, glad to do my drudgery. �on vas coquendi carnes, sed lavandi pedes (Kimchi).

Over Edom I will cast out my shoe] i.e. Walk through their country as a conqueror; or, I will tread them under my feet; or, I will throw my shoe at the heads of them, and make them to take it up; or, I will make no more of subduing them, than of casting my shoe over them. Exutos mihi calceos et in ipsorum caput proiectos attollere iubebo (Beza).

Philistia, triumph thou because of me] i.e. Cry me up for thy king; Si velis, et videas quid in extremum eveniet, saith Kimchi. Or, triumph thou over me (by an irony) as thou lately didst over Saul and his sons in Mount Gilboa; and as since that time thou camest forth to seek me, but wentest home again by weeping cross.

WHEDO�, "8. Washpot—A vessel for common washing, as distinct from a seething pot, or a sacred vessel. Some suppose it the same as Herodotus mentions as (book ii, c. 172) used for “spitting and washing feet.” The term is expressive of great contempt and degradation.

Cast out my shoe—Rather, cast upon, or cast at, my shoe. The throwing the shoe at one, or striking him with it, was a sign of servile submission and contempt. The language is highly oriental, and must be explained in conformity with the usages and proverbialisms of the country. Wetzstein, however, thinks the most natural interpretation to be, “Moab is the vessel in which I wash my face and hands clean; that is, the country and people in which I acquire to myself (by its conquest) splendour and renown, and Edom I degrade to the place whither I throw my cast-off shoes; that is, I cause Edom to endure the most humiliating treatment, that of a helot” or slave. But the history of 2 Samuel 8:2, suggests a degradation of Moab not less than that of Edom. The figure is not to be compared with Ruth 4:7, which was a civil transaction denoting legal transfer.

Philistia, triumph… because of me— �ot an irony. The word for “triumph” means simply to cry aloud, but whether for victory or from alarm and distress the connexion must determine. In Hiphil it is used in both senses. For distress, the wail of the captive, see Judges 7:21; Isaiah 15:4; Micah 4:9. “The Hithpael may also be used of a loud outcry of violence.”—Delitzsch. Translate: Philistia, wail [as a captive] because of me. The preposition admits this sense, and the connexion and history require it. See note on Psalms 108:9

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

BAR�ES, "Who will bring me into the strong city? - The strong city - the fenced, the fortified city - referred to here is doubtless the capital of Idumea. This was the celebrated city Petra, situated in the rocks, and so difficult to be taken by an enemy. For a description of it, see the notes at Isa_16:1. It was this city, as the capital of the land of Edom, which David was now so anxious to secure; and he asks, therefore, with interest, who among his captains, his mighty men, would undertake the task of conducting his armies there.

Who will lead me into Edom? - Into the capital, and thence into the whole land to subdue it. This was done under the combined command of Joab and Abishai his brother. See the notes at the title to the psalm.

CLARKE, "Who will bring me into the strong city? - If this part of the Psalm, from the sixth

to the twelfth verse, refer to the return of the captives from Babylon, as I think probable; then the strong city may mean either Petra, the capital of Idumea; Bozra, in Arabia, near the mountains of Gilead; Rabba, the capital of the Ammonites; or Tyre, according to the Chaldee, the capital of Phoenicia; or Jerusalem itself, which, although dismantled, had long been one of the strongest cities of the east. Or it may imply, Who shall give me the dominion over the countries already mentioned? who will lead me into Edom? who will give me the dominion over that people?

GILL, "Who will bring me into the strong city?.... Which some understand of Rabbah of the Ammonites, which Joab besieged, and sent to David to come and take it in person, 2Sa_12:26. The Targum interprets it of Tyre, which was a strong fortified city, Eze_26:4. It rather seems to be the same with Edom, or the metropolis of the Edomites; since it follows:

who will lead me into Edom? which was situated in the clefts of the rock, and on the height of the hill, Jer_49:16; but is mystically to be understood of the city of Rome, the great and mighty city, as it is often called in the book of the Revelation, Rev_11:8; whose destruction is certain, being predicted; and after which there have been desires raised in the hearts of God's people in all ages; and particularly just before the time God will put it into the hearts of the kings of the earth to burn it with fire; who are here represented by David, as desirous of entering into it in triumph to destroy it, Rev_17:16.

JAMISO�, "He feels assured that, though once angry, God is now ready to favor His people.

who will lead me — or, who has led me, as if the work were now begun.

CALVI�, "9Who will bring me into the fortified city? Anticipating an objection which might be alleged, he proceeds to state that he looked to God for the accomplishment of what remained to be done in the capture of the fortified places of his enemies, and the consolidation of his victories. It might be said, that as a considerable number continued to resist his claims, the confident terms which he had used were premature. God, however, had pledged his word that every nation which set itself in opposition to him would be brought under his power, and in the face of remaining difficulties and dangers he advances with certainty of success. By the fortified city, (399) some understand Rabbah, the capital of the Moabites. Others, with more probability, consider that the singular is used for the plural number, and that David alludes in general to the different cities under protection of which his enemies were determined to stand out. He declares, that the same God who had crowned his arms with victory in the open field would lead him on to the siege of these cities. With a view to prove his legitimate call to the government, he

amplifies a second time the marks of the divine favor which it had received, by contrasting it with that which preceded. “The God,” he says, “who had formerly cast us off, and abandoned us to unsuccessful warfare, will now lay open before me the gates of hostile cities, and enable me to break through all their fortifications.”

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 9. As yet the interior fortresses of Edom had not been subdued. Their invading bands had been slain in the valley of salt, and David intended to push his conquests even to Petra the city of the rock, deemed to be impregnable.Who will bring me into the strong city? It was all but inaccessible, and hence the question of David. When we have achieved great success it must be a stimulus to greater efforts, but it must not become a reason for self confidence. We must look to the strong for strength as much at the close of a campaign as at its beginning.Who will lead me into Edom? High up among the stars stood the city of stone, but God could lead his servant up to it. �o heights of grace are too elevated for us, the Lord being our leader, but we must beware of high things attempted in self reliance. EXCELSIOR is well enough as a cry, but we must look to the highest of all for guidance. Joab could not bring David into Edom. The veterans of the valley of salt could not force the passage, yet was it to be attempted, and David looked to the Lord for help. Heathen nations are yet to be subdued. The city of the seven hills must yet hear the gospel. Who will give the church the power to accomplish this? The answer is not far to seek.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 8-10. Moab in the East, Edom in the South, and Philistia in the West (the �orth is not mentioned, because the banner of David had already been victorious there.) Augustus F. Tholuck.Ver. 9. Who will lead me into Edom? The entrance to Petra is by a narrow gorge, lined by lofty precipices, formed by the channel of a rivulet. This defile is nearly two miles in length. At some places the overhanging rocks approach so near to each other that only two horsemen can proceed abreast. Dr. Tweedie, in "Ruined Cities of the East, "1859.Ver. 9. The believer, when he promises to himself great things, must neither be senseless of the difficulties of opposition which he is to meet with, nor of his own inability to overcome difficulties; but being sensible of both, must look to God for assistance and furniture to overcome; for when David considered the strength of the fenced royal cities of the enemy, he saith, Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, O God? David Dickson.

CO�STABLE, "Verse 9-10David was confident in view of God"s promises to subdue Israel"s enemies and give her the Promised Land. He would lead the Israelites to ultimate victory, even though He had allowed them to suffer immediate defeat.

ELLICOTT, "(9) Who will . . .—i.e., how can this ancient Divine oracle be fulfilled now in present circumstances? This is the poet’s question. He may be a king himself eager for triumph, or more probably Israel personified. (See the plural in Psalms 60:10-12.) Edom is the particular foe in view, and as the difficulties of the undertaking present themselves, misgivings arise and the assurance gained from the

triumphs of olden time turns into prayer, half plaintive, half confident, that the Divine favour and power may be once more on the side of the chosen people.

The strong city.—As in the Hebrew the article is wanting, any strongly fortified city might be intended, were it not for the parallelism. Here it must stand for Selah or Petra, the capital of Edom. For its impregnable position (see �ote Obadiah 1:3). The question, “Who will lead me into Petra?” is explained by the fact that there are only two possible approaches to the city, each a long narrow tortuous defile, and that the place itself is so buried in its ravines that it cannot be seen from any spot in its neighbourhood far or near.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:9 Who will bring me [into] the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

Ver. 9. Who will bring me into the strong city?] Into Rabbah of the Ammonites, which at length he got, 2 Samuel 12:29-31, and now wisheth for. Kimchi readeth it in the perfect tense, Who has led me into the strong cities? who has brought me into Edom? Hast not thou, O God? &c.

WHEDO�, "9. Strong city—That is, Selah, the rock, afterwards called Petra, the capital of Edom. It was situated in the eastern mountains of the Arabah, about fifty miles south, bearing east, from the Dead Sea, and about seventy miles from the head of the Gulf of Akaba. It was captured by David and by Amaziah. In 2 Kings 14:7, and Isaiah 16:1, it is translated “Selah” in our English Bible, and in 2 Chronicles 25:12, “the Rock.” Three hundred years before Christ it became the great transit point of commerce between the East and the West across the Arabian Desert, and was renowned for its wealth and strength.

Who will bring me into the strong city—Selah was situated in a hollow of the mountains, two thousand feet above the Arabah valley, surrounded east and west by high cliffs, with no military roads on the west, and approached on the east by caravans only through a narrow, though famous, ravine, the Sik. It was deemed impregnable.

Who will lead me—Who has led me unto Edom? The change of tense, in the Hebrew, would more naturally explain itself by remembering God had directed the army of Israel to the border of Edom by an oracle from the priest; and the interrogatory form, on which the prayer and faith of David are founded, is suitable to an unfinished act. They now stood in the border of Edom, checked and baffled, but hopeful. The strong city, the key to the whole kingdom, lies beyond them, and the argument of the prayer is, that as God had already led them into Edom, so he would bring them into the capital or strong city. See more in introductory note to Psalms 108.

EBC, "The third part (Psalms 60:9-12) is taken by some commentators to breathe the same spirit as the first part. Cheyne, for instance, speaks of it as a "relapse into despondency," whilst others more truly hear in it the tones of rekindled trust. In

Psalms 60:9 there is a remarkable change of tense from "Who, will bring?" in the first clause, to "Who has guided?" in the second. This is best explained by the supposition that some victory over Edom, had preceded the psalm, which is regarded by the singer as a guarantee of success in his assault of "the fenced city," probably Petra. There is no need to supplement Psalms 60:10, so as to read, "Wilt not Thou, O God, which," etc. The psalmist recurs to his earlier lament, not as if he thought that it still held true, but just because it does not. It explained the reason of past disasters; and, being now reversed by the Divine Oracle, becomes the basis of the prayer which follows. It is as if he had said, "We were defeated because Thou didst cast us off. �ow help as Thou hast promised and we shall do deeds of valour." It is impossible to suppose that the result of the Divine answer, which makes the very heart of the psalm, should be a hopeless repetition of the initial despondency. Rather glad faith acknowledges past weakness and traces past failures to self-caused abandonment by a loving God, who let His people be worsted that they might learn who was their strength, and ever goes forth with those who go. forth to war with the consciousness that all help but His is vain, and with the hope that in Him even their weakness shall do deeds of prowess. "Hast not Thou cast us off?" may be the utterance of despair; but it may also be that of assured confidence and the basis of a prayer that will be answered by God’s present help.

COKE, "Verse 9Psalms 60:9. Who will bring me, &c.— Dr. Delaney observes, that David, having promised himself, in a prophetic rapture, the dominion over Moab and Edom, considered himself as that rod which should rise out of Israel, and smite the corners of Moab, and make Edom a possession, �umbers 24:17. And what king but David subdued the haughty Philistines, conquered Moab first, and Edom after? And when could this prophesy be written, but in the beginning of his reign; when the Philistines were triumphant, and before he had made any of these conquests? It appears from this verse, that David expected to be brought by God into a strong city, before he was brought into Edom by him. Jerusalem is the only city so characterised, which David took before his war with Edom. He concludes with imploring the divine aid; with a resolution, that, on this presumption, he and his people would act valiantly; and accordingly they marched directly against Jerusalem, and took it by storm. Some, from the title of this psalm, imagine the strong city here mentioned to be Rabbah of the Ammonites. See 2 Samuel 12:26.

REFLECTIO�S.—1st, We have here,

1. The deplorable state of the affairs of the Jewish nation during the ill administration of Saul, and the struggles of Ishbosheth. Probably, this description looked forward also, as prophetical of that state, when, for their rejection of God's anointed, his wrath should be kindled, more terribly convulsions destroy their whole polity and government, and, scattered into all lands, they should bear the marks of God's heavy hand; an astonishment to others, a terror to themselves.

2. In the midst of their distresses, a banner is displayed for the faithful Israelites, in David promised to be their king and captain, and now exalted to the throne; under

whom enlisted, union within prepared them for victory without: animated by his presence, and bold under such a leader, they lifted up their hostile banners, defied and vanquished their foes. Christ, the captain of our salvation, may also be here designed; his banner of love spread abroad, invites poor sinners to his standard; under him enlisted, spiritual strength and courage animate their souls, and they go forth conquering and to conquer: and to him shall the dispersed of Israel be gathered at last, and, turning to the Lord, see a period of their miseries. �ote; (1.) The deeper our distresses, the more are the power and grace of our God magnified in our deliverance. (2.) We should ever remember the state in which Jesus found us, and the misery from which he drew us, as an engagement to be faithful, and fight manfully under his banners.

3. He prays earnestly for God's help and healing. O turn thyself to us again, cease from thy displeasure, and visit us with thy salvation; heal the breaches, for thou alone canst heal them; and as the danger is imminent, it shaketh, let thy mercy to the land be speedy, that thy beloved may be delivered from the hands of all their enemies; for, having no power of themselves, they look to thee; save with thy right hand and hear me,—their advocate. �ote; (1.) Sin has made a deadly breach in our souls, which nothing but the grace of God can repair. (2.) They who turn to God in prayer, may expect his return to them in mercy. (3.) They who fear God are beloved by him, and his right hand will save them.

2nd, David appears triumphing in the divine promises; God hath sworn; he believes, and in consequence rejoices.

1. All foes within and without shall yield to him. Israel, in their several tribes who had joined Ishbosheth, shall return to him. Conquest without would follow union within. �ote; (1.) When a believer can say, Christ is mine, then all other blessings necessarily follow. (2.) When God pleases, he can make our bitterest foes our warmest friends. (3.) �ational union is a great blessing from God.

2. He answers a difficulty which might be suggested from the strength of the enemy's fortresses. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? God is the strength of his confidence. Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? yes, assuredly: now thou art returned in mercy, we shall be victorious; and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies before, shalt make us now more than conquerors. Therefore give us help from trouble, in answer to our fervent prayers; for vain is the help of man, we acknowledge it; and, renouncing every human confidence, desire alone to repose ourselves on thee. And thus we are confident, that through God we shall do valiantly, and put all our enemies under our feet, for he it is who shall tread down our enemies, on whom we depend, and to whom we will ascribe the praise of all our success. �ote; (1.) Difficulties will often stand in the believer's way, but faith will overcome them all. (2.) When to sense we seem as cast off, we must not quit our hold of the promise, but trust, and wait to see the salvation of God. (3.) When our dangers are greatest, our prayers and cries should be most earnest. (4.) The less we expect to receive from the creature, the surer we are to avoid disappointment. (5.) If we are enabled to do valiantly against

our spiritual enemies, let us remember from whom cometh our strength, and lay at his feet the crown which his own grace has obtained for us.

COFFMA�, "Verse 9PLEADI�G WITH GOD TO HELP

"Who will bring me into the strong city?

Who hath led me unto Edom?

Hast not thou, O God, cast us off?.

And thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts.

Give us help against the adversary;

For vain is the help of man."

"Who will bring me into the strong city" (Psalms 60:9)? The `strong city' here is Petra, the almost impregnable capital of Edom. �o city of antiquity was ever any better fortified and protected than was Petra. The city occupied a canyon bounded by solid stone walls on both sides, into which residences, offices, and temples had been constructed by carving them out of the solid stone.

"Hast not thou, O God, cast us off?.And thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts."

(Psalms 60:10, ASV)SIZE>

We do not like to find fault with the ASV, but in this verse, we are constrained to believe that the King James Version is superior.

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

(Psalms 60:10, KJV).SIZE>

The Douay Version of the Old Testament also corresponds with the KJV here; and to us this rendition is far more appropriate than the American Standard Version or the RSV, both of which, it appears to this writer, provide negative elements in the prayer. Psalms 60:10, as it stands either in RSV or American Standard Version is nothing but a complaint.

Through the use of the past tenses (as in KJV), the meaning then becomes, "God, we know that you will take us into the strong city, despite the fact that you allowed us to be defeated."

"Give us help against the adversary" (Psalms 60:11). The psalmist again appeals mightily to God for help against the enemy.

"For vain is the help of man" (Psalms 60:11). "Seldom has the help that man can provide in emergencies been more aptly expressed than it is in this verse - `For vain is the help of man.'"[11]

PETT, "Verses 9-12David Declares His Assurance That Although God Has Appeared For A While To Have Abandoned His People, He Will �ow Arise And Enable Them To Gain The Victory (Psalms 60:9-12).

David now questions who it is who has caused him to venture against Edom, and who it is who will give Israel victory over them (lead them into Edom’s strong city, Petra)? Surely it cannot be God for God appears to have cast them off and not to be going forth with them. But his point is that they could be satisfied with nothing less than God’s help. Indeed, man’s help would be useless. And he ends on the assurance that God will indeed act and enable Israel to triumph.

It is a reminder to us that however hopeless the circumstances, and however dark things might appear to be, in the end those who are God’s can be sure that He will intervene on their behalf, even though outwardly He might not appear to be in a hurry.

Psalms 60:9

‘Who will bring me into the strong city?Who has led me to Edom?’By now Joab would have been on his way with his strong relieving force, and David puts to God the question as to who will bring him (his invading forces) into Edom’s strong city, Petra, an almost inaccessible fortress in the wilderness (see Obadiah 1:3). Indeed, he questions as to who it is who has “led him to Edom”, that is, caused him to attempt what he is undertaking. Outwardly, he says, it would not appear to be God. He is attempting by this to bring home to God his own helplessness if God will not help him. But, of course, in his heart David’s hope was that God was indeed with him, even if at first it might appear not to be so.

K&D 9-12, "The third strophe reverts to prayer; but the prayer now breathes more

freely with a self-conscious courage for the strife. The fortified city (מצור�עיר) is not

Rabbath Ammon; but, as becomes evident from the parallel member of the verse and

2Ki_14:7, the Idumaean chief city of Sela' (סלע) or Petra (vid., Knobel on Gen_36:42, cf.

Psa_31:22; 2Ch_8:5; 2Ch_11:5 together with Psa_14:5). The wish: who will conduct me = Oh that one would conduct me (Ges. §136, 1)! expresses a martial desire, joyful at the

prospect of victory; concerning נחני�מי, quis perduxerit me, vid., on Psa_11:3. What

follows is not now to be rendered: Not Thou (who but Thou), Elohim, who...(Hitzig) - for in order to have been understood thus and not as in Psa_60:3, Psa_44:10, the poet

could not have omitted אשר - on the contrary, the interrogatory הלא is the foundation on

which the supplicatory הבה is raised. The king of Israel is hard pressed in the battle, but

he knows that victory comes from above, from the God who has hitherto in anger refused it to His people, inasmuch as He has given power to Edom to break through the

defensive forces of Israel (vid., Psa_44:10). עזרת (not עזרה = עזרת) is, as in Psa_108:13,

equivalent to עזרתה. The view that it is equal to עזרתי, the suffix being cast away, is not

confirmed in this instance, vid., on Psa_16:6, cf. Psa_3:3. How vain is human succour, has been seen only very recently in the case of the kings of Zobah and Ammon, who have succumbed in spite of their confederates. Israel prays for its victorious power from

above, and also obtains it thence, as is most confidently expressed in v. 14. חיל�עשה, to do

valiantly, to show valour, is equivalent to: to be victorious, as in Psa_118:16. In God does Israel conquer, and God, who is in Israel, will by means of Israel tread down Edom in accordance with its deserts.

10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?

BAR�ES, "Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst east us off? - See the notes at Psa_60:1. The meaning is, that although God had seemed to reject and forsake them, they had no other resource, and the appeal might be still made to him. The psalmist hoped that he would again be favorable to his people, and would not forsake them altogether. It is still true that although God may seem to forsake us, that although he may leave us for a time to discouragement and darkness, yet we have no other resource but himself; it is still true that we may hope in his mercy, and plead for his return.

And thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? - Who didst suffer us to be defeated. See the notes at Psa_60:2-3.

CLARKE, "Wilt not thou, O God - It is God alone from whom we can expect our enlargement. He who has cast us off, and has abandoned us in battle; it is that very God alone from whom we expect complete enlargement, the repossession of our own land,

and the subduction of the surrounding nations; and we expect this, because he has graciously promised these mercies.

GILL, "Psalms 60:10Wilt not thou, O God?.... This is an answer to the question, and is made by putting another, which tacitly contains in it an affirmation that God would do it. He has foretold the destruction of the Romish antichrist; he has said it shall be: he is faithful to his purposes, predictions, and promises; he is able to effect it; strong is the Lord that judgeth Babylon, Rev_18:10; He will put it into the hearts of the kings of the earth to hate her; he will encourage them to reward her double; he will give her blood to drink, because she is worthy; her destruction will be according to his righteous judgment, and will be irretrievable; he will call upon all his people to rejoice at it, whose shoutings on this occasion will be like those of persons that enter into a conquered city in triumph;

which hadst cast us off; who seemed in former times to have cast off his people, when they were killed all the day long; accounted as sheep for the slaughter; were slain in great numbers in the Low Countries; burnt here in England; massacred in France and Ireland: especially God seemed to have cast off his people, and to have had no regard to his interest, when antichrist so prevailed, that all the world wondered after the beast;

and thou, O God, which didst not go forth with our armies: but suffered the antichristian beast to make war with the saints, and to overcome and kill them; and which was the case in many pitched battles with the Waldenses and Albigenses before the Reformation, and with the Protestants in Germany since. But this will not be always the case; he whose name is the Word of God, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, will fight with the antichristian powers, and overcome them, and make his people more than conquerors over them; and his having formerly seemed to have cast them off, and not going forth with their armies, will serve as a foil to set off the glorious and complete victory that will at last be obtained.

JAMISO�, "Wilt not thou? — or, “Is it not Thou?”

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 10. Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? Yes, the chastising God is our only hope. He loves us still. For a small moment doth he forsake, but with great mercy does he gather his people. Strong to smite, he is also strong to save. He who proved to us our need of him by showing us what poor creatures we are without him, will now reveal the glory of his help by conducting great enterprises to a noble issue.And thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? The self same God art thou, and to thee faith cleaves. Though thou slay us, we will trust in thee, and look for thy merciful help.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 8-10. Moab in the East, Edom in the South, and Philistia in the West (the �orth is not mentioned, because the banner of David had already been victorious there.)

Augustus F. Tholuck.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:10 [Wilt] not thou, O God, [which] hadst cast us off? and [thou], O God, [which] didst not go out with our armies?

Ver. 10. Wilt not thou, O God?] Or, hast not thou, &c. The glory of all victories is to be given to God in solidum. Strong cities are nothing, when he will have them subdued, and sacked.

Which hadst cast us off] See Psalms 44:9. The Church’s prosperity, like checker work, is intermingled with adversity.

PETT, "Psalms 60:10

‘Have not you, O God, cast us off?And you do not go forth, O God, with our hosts.’The initial success of Edomite/Syrian forces against the defenders of southern Judah (defenders who would be somewhat sparse because the majority of them would be with David in Syria proper) suggested that God had cast Israel off. For could not God save by many or by few? Thus Edom’s success could only indicate that God was not going forth with the defenders, something which was not only disastrous for Judah, but also, in the eyes of the nations, a sign of God’s weakness.

11 Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.

BAR�ES, "Give us help from trouble - From the troubles which have now come upon us and overwhelmed us.

For vain is the help of man - Margin, salvation. The idea is, that they would look in vain to man to assist them in their present difficulties. They must depend on God alone. What is here said of temporal troubles is true as absolutely in the matter of salvation. When we are burdened with the consciousness of guilt, and trembling under the apprehension of the wrath to come, it is not man that can aid us. Our help is in God alone. Man can neither guide, comfort, pardon, nor save; and in vain should we look to any man, or to all people, for aid. We must look to God alone: to God as the only one

who can remove guilt from the soul; who can give peace to the troubled heart; who can deliver us - from condemnation and ruin.

CLARKE, "Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man - We have done all we can do, and have trusted too much in ourselves; now, Lord, undertake for us.

GILL, "Give us help from trouble,.... To have trouble is the common lot of all men, but especially of the people of God. They have some troubles which others have not, arising from indwelling sin, Satan's temptations, and the hidings of God's face; and as for outward troubles, they have generally the greatest share of them, which are certain to them by the appointment of God, and the legacy of Christ; though they are needful and for their good, and lie in their way to heaven. But perhaps here is particularly meant the time of trouble, which will be a little before the destruction of antichrist; which will be great, and none like it; will be the time of Jacob's trouble, though he shall be saved out of it, Jer_30:7. This will be the time of the slaying of the witnesses, the hour of temptation, that will try the inhabitants of the Christian world; and when the saints, as they do in all their times of trouble, will seek to the Lord for help, in whom it is, and who has promised it, and gives it seasonably, and which is owing wholly to his own grace and goodness; and therefore it is asked that he would "give" it;

for vain is the help of man: or "the salvation of man" (w); man himself is a vain thing; vanity itself, yea, lighter than vanity; even man at his best state, and the greatest among men; and therefore it is a vain thing to expect help and salvation from men, for indeed there is none in them; only in the Lord God is the salvation of his people, both temporal and spiritual.

HE�RY 11-12, " He prays in hope. His prayer is, Give us help from trouble, Psa_60:11. Even in the day of their triumph they see themselves in trouble, because still in war, which is troublesome even to the prevailing side. None therefore can delight in war but those that love to fish in troubled waters. The help from trouble they pray for is preservation from those they were at war with. Though now they were conquerors, yet (so uncertain are the issues of war), unless God gave them help in the next engagement, they might be defeated; therefore, Lord, send us help from the sanctuary. Help from trouble is rest from war, which they prayed for, as those that contended for equity, not for victory. Sic quaerimus pacem - Thus we seek for peace. The hope with which they support themselves in this prayer has two things in it: - 1. A diffidence of themselves and all their creature-confidences: Vain is the help of man. Then only we are qualified to receive help from God when we are brought to own the insufficiency of all creatures to do that for us which we expect him to do. 2. A confidence in God, and in his power and promise (Psa_60:12): “Through God we shall do valiantly, and so we shall do victoriously; for he it is, and he only, that shall tread down our enemies, and shall have the praise of doing it.” Note, (1.) Our confidence in God must be so far from superseding that it must encourage and quicken our endeavours in the way of our duty. Though it is God that performs all things for us, yet there is something to be done by us. (2.) Hope in

God is the best principle of true courage. Those that do their duty under his conduct may afford to do it valiantly; for what need those fear who have God on their side? (3.) It is only through God, and by the influence of his grace, that we do valiantly; it is he that puts strength into us, and inspires us, who of ourselves are weak and timorous, with courage and resolution. (4.) Though we do ever so valiantly, the success must be attributed entirely to him; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies, and not we ourselves. All our victories, as well as our valour, are from him, and therefore at his feet all our crown must be cast.

JAMISO�, "Hence he closes with a prayer for success, and an assurance of a hearing.

CALVI�, "11Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Again he reverts to the exercise of prayer, or rather is led to it naturally by the very confidence of hope, which we have seen that he entertained. He expresses his conviction, that should God extend his help, it would be sufficient of itself, although no assistance should be received from any other quarter. Literally it reads, Give us help from trouble, and vain is the help of man “O God,” as if he had said, “when pleased to put forth thy might, thou needest none to help thee; and when, therefore, once assured of an interest in thy favor, there is no reason why we should desire the aid of man. All other resources of a worldly nature vanish before the brightness of thy power.” The copulative in the verse, however, has been generally resolved into the causal particle, and I have not scrupled to follow the common practice. It were well if the sentiment expressed were effectually engraven upon our hearts. Why is it almost universally the case with men that they are either staggered in their resolution, or buoy themselves up with confidences, vain, because not derived from God, but just because they have no apprehension of that salvation which he can extend, which is of itself sufficient, and without which, any earthly succor is entirely ineffectual? In contrasting the help of God with that of man, he employs language not strictly correct, for, in reality, there is no such thing as a power in man to deliver at all. But, in our ignorance, we conceive as if there were various kinds of help in the world, and he uses the word in accommodation to our false ideas. God, in accomplishing our preservation, may use the agency of man, but he reserves it to himself, as his peculiar prerogative, to deliver, and will not suffer them to rob him of his glory. The deliverance which comes to us in this manner through human agency must properly be ascribed to God. All that David meant to assert is, that such confidences as are not derived from God are worthless and vain. And to confirm this position, he declares in the last verse of the psalm, that as, on the one hand, we can do nothing without him, so, on the other, we can do all things by his help. Two things are implied in the expression, through God we shall do valiantly; (400) first, that if God withdraw his favor, any supposed strength which is in man will soon fail; and, on the other hand, that those whose sufficiency is derived from God only are armed with courage to overcome every difficulty. To show that it is no mere half credit which he gives God, he adds, in words which ascribe the whole work to him, that it is he who shall tread down our enemies Thus, even in our controversy with creatures like ourselves, we are not at liberty to share the honor of success with

God; and must it not be accounted greater sacrilege still when men set free will in opposition to divine grace, and speak of their concurring equally with God in the matter of procuring eternal salvation? Those who arrogate the least fraction of strength to themselves apart from God, only ruin themselves through their own pride.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 11. Give us help from trouble. Help us to overcome the disasters of civil strife and foreign invasion; save us from further incursions from without and division within. Do thou, O Lord, work this deliverance,for vain is the help of man. We have painfully learned the utter impotence of armies, kings, and nations without thine help. Our banners trailed in the mire have proven our weakness without thee, but yonder standard borne aloft before us shall witness to our valour now that thou hast come to our rescue. How sweetly will this verse suit the tried people of God as a frequent ejaculation. We know how true it is.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 11. For vain is the help of man. As they had lately experimented in Saul, a king of their own choosing, but not able to save them from those proud Philistines. John Trapp.Ver. 11. So long as sight and reason find footing in matters, there is no place for faith and hope; the abundance of human helps puts not grace to proof, but the strength of faith is in the absence of them all. A man is stronger when he goeth on his feet alone, than when he standeth by a grip in his infancy, or leaneth on a staff in his old age: the two feet of faith and hope serve us best when we are fixed on the Rock of Sion alone. William Struther.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:11 Give us help from trouble: for vain [is] the help of man.

Ver. 11. Give us help from trouble] Give it us whensoever we need it; as hitherto thou very graciously hast done.

For vain is the help of man] As they had lately experimented in Saul, a king of their own choosing, but not able to save them from those proud Philistines. �o more could the Romans the Britons, oppressed by their northern enemies. They sent Aetius, the Roman praefect of Gaul, and thus complained to him: The barbarous enemy beateth us to the sea, the sea beateth us back to the enemy; between these two kinds of deaths we are either murdered or drowned (Dan. Chron.). But their implorations prevailed not; for Aetius at that time had enough to do to keep his own head, and Valentinian, the empire. The saint’s comfort is, that where human help faileth Divine beginneth, as Philo told his countrymen, when rejected by Caius the emperor.

PETT, "Psalms 60:11

‘Give us help against the adversary,For vain is the help of man.’

He thus urges God now to alter His position and give them help against their adversary, for he recognises that that help is vital. If he is to have certainty of victory he must have God’s support.

12 With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

BAR�ES, "Through God - By the help of God.

We shall do valiantly - literally, we shall make strength. That is, we shall gain or gather strength; we shall go forth with spirit and with courage to the war. This expresses the confident assurance that they would secure the aid of God, and that under him they would achieve the victory.

For he it is that shall tread down our enemies - He will himself tread or trample them down; that is, he will enable us to do it. The psalm, therefore, though begun in despondency and sadness, closes, as the Psalms often do, with confident hope; with the assurance of the favor of God; and with the firm belief that the object sought in the psalm would be obtained. The history shows that the prayer was answered; that the armies of David were successful; that Edom was subdued; and that thus the territories of the Hebrew people had, in fact, in the time of David, the boundaries promised to Abraham.

CLARKE, "Through God we shall do valiantly - Through thee alone shall we do valiantly; thou alone canst tread down our enemies; and to thee alone we look for conquest.

The author to whom Harmer refers in the note on the fourth verse, is one of the writers in a work entitled Gesta dei per Francos, fol. Hanoviae, 1611, 2 vols. And the places quoted by Harmer may be found in vol. i., p. 282; and as the passage is singular, and a good use has been made of it for the illustration of a difficult passage, I shall lay the words of the original before the reader: “Proxima ab hinc die sabbati clarescente, quidam Sarracenorum spe vitae in summitatem tecti domus praecelsae Solomonis ab armis elapsi, circiter trecenti, confugerant. Qui multa prece pro vita flagitantes, in mortis articulo positi, nullius fiducia aut promissione audebant descendere, quousque vexillum Tankradi in signum protectionis vivendi susceperunt. Sed minime misellis

profuit. Nam plurimis super hoc indignantibus, et Christianis furore commotis, ne unus quidem illorum evasit.”

It is very properly added by Albertus, that the noble spirit of Tancred was filled with indignation at this most horrible breach of faith; and he was about to take a summary revenge on the instigators and perpetrators of this unprincipled butchery, when the chiefs interposed, and not only maintained the expediency of the massacre that had already been committed, but the necessity of putting all the inhabitants to the sword. On this the savage fiends, called Christians, flew to arms, and made a universal slaughter of all that remained of the inhabitants. They drew out the prisoners, chopped off their heads, stabbed all they met with in the streets, and-but I can translate no farther; it is too horrible. I shall give my author’s words, who was an ecclesiastic, and wrote down the account from eye-witnesses: “Concilio hoc accepto, (the determination of the chiefs to put all to the sword), tertio die post victoriam egressa est sententia a majoribus: et ecce universi arma rapiunt, et miserabili caede in omne vulgus Gentilium, quod adhuc erat residuum, exsurgunt, alios producentes e vinculis et decollantes: alios per vicos et plateas civitatis inventos trucidantes, quibus antea causa pecuniae, aut humana pietate pepercerunt. Puellas vero, mulieres, matronas nobiles, et faetas cum puellis tenellis detruncabant, aut lapidibus obruebant, in nullis aliquam considerantes aetatem. E contra, puellae, mulieres, matronae, metu momentaneae mortis angustiatae et horrore gravissimae necis concussae Christianos in jugulum utriusque sexus debacchantes ac saevientes, medios pro liberanda vita amplexabantur, quaedam pedibus eorum advolvebantur, de vita et salute sua illos nimium miserando fletu et ejulatu solicitantes. Pueri vero quinquennes aut triennes matrum patrumque crudelem casum intuentes, una miserum clamorem et fletum multiplicabant. Sed frustra haec pietatis et misericordiae signa fiebant: nam Christiani sic neci totum laxaverunt animum, ut non lugens masculus aut faemina, nedum infans unius anni vivens, manum percussoris evaderet. Unde plateae totius civitatis Jerusalem corporibus extinctis virorum et mulierum, lacerisque membris infantium, adeo stratae et opertae fuisse referuntur, ut non solum in vicis, soliis et palatiis, sed etiam in locis desertae solitudinis copia occisorum reperiretur innumerabilis.’GestA Dei Vol. I., p. 283.

This is one specimen of the spirit of the crusaders, and is it any wonder that God did not shine on such villanous measures! No wonder that the Mohammedans have so long hated the name of Christian, when they had no other specimen of Christianity than what the conduct of these ferocious brutes exhibited; and these were called Gesta Dei, the transactions of God!

There are many difficulties in this Psalm; whether they are in general removed by the preceding notes, the reader must judge. The following analysis is constructed on the supposition that the Psalm speaks of the distracted state of the kingdom from the fatal battle of Gilboa, in which Saul fell, to the death of Ishbosheth, when the whole kingdom was united under David.

GILL, "Through God we shall do valiantly,.... Or, "through the Word of the Lord", as the Targum; Christ, whose name is the Word of God, appearing at the head of his armies, in a vesture dipped in blood, and with a sharp sword proceeding out of his mouth, will inspire his people to fight valiantly under him; and who, in his name and strength, will get the victory over all their enemies, the beast, false prophets, and kings of the earth, and all under them; see Rev_19:11;

for he it is that shall tread down our enemies; as mire in the street, or as grapes in a winepress; even kings, captains, mighty men, and all the antichristian nations and states; the beast, false prophet, and Satan himself, Rev_19:15; and so there will be an end of all the enemies of Christ and his people; after which they will spend an endless eternity together, in joy, peace, and pleasure. The victory is wholly ascribed to God the Word; it is not they that shall do valiantly, that shall tread down their enemies; but he by

whom they shall do valiantly shall do it; even the mighty הוא, "He", to whom was

promised, in Eden's garden, the bruising the head of the serpent, and all enemies, Gen_3:15; and who has the same name here as the

HE�RY, "A confidence in God, and in his power and promise (Psa_60:12): “Through God we shall do valiantly, and so we shall do victoriously; for he it is, and he only, that shall tread down our enemies, and shall have the praise of doing it.” Note, (1.) Our confidence in God must be so far from superseding that it must encourage and quicken our endeavours in the way of our duty. Though it is God that performs all things for us,yet there is something to be done by us. (2.) Hope in God is the best principle of true courage. Those that do their duty under his conduct may afford to do it valiantly; for what need those fear who have God on their side? (3.) It is only through God, and by the influence of his grace, that we do valiantly; it is he that puts strength into us, and inspires us, who of ourselves are weak and timorous, with courage and resolution. (4.) Though we do ever so valiantly, the success must be attributed entirely to him; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies, and not we ourselves. All our victories, as well as our valour, are from him, and therefore at his feet all our crown must be cast.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 12. Through God we shall do valiantly. From God all power proceeds, and all we do well is done by divine operation; but still we, as soldiers of the great king, are to fight, and to fight valiantly too. Divine working is not an argument for human inaction, but rather is it the best excitement for courageous effort. Helped in the past, we shall also be helped in the future, and being assured of this we resolve to play the man.For he it is that shall tread down our enemies. From him shall the might proceed, to him shall the honour be given. Like straw on the threshing floor beneath the feet of the oxen shall we tread upon our abject foes, but it shall rather be his foot which presses them down than ours; his hand shall go out against them so as to put them down and keep them in subjection. In the case of Christians there is much encouragement for a resolve similar to that of the first clause.We shall do valiantly, we will not be ashamed of our colours, afraid of our foes, or fearful of our cause. The Lord is with us, omnipotence sustains us, and we will not hesitate, we dare not be cowards. O that our King, the true David, were come to claim the earth, for the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the governor among the nations.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 12. Through God we shall do, etc. In war these two must be joined, and indeed in all actions: HE, we; God and man.1. "We shall do valiantly, "for God helps not remiss, or cowardly, or negligent men.2. And yet, that being done, the work is his: "He shall tread down; "the blow and

the overthrow are not to be attributed to us, but to him. Adam Clarke.

TRAPP, "Psalms 60:12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he [it is that] shall tread down our enemies.

Ver. 12. Through God we shall do valiantly] Faciemus militiam, some render it, and it is true of the spiritual warfare also; we shall be more than conquerors, even triumphers, 2 Corinthians 2:14. Meminisse oportet ista nunc esse ad spirituales Ecclesiae hastes potius quam adversus armatas terra capias referenda, saith Beza, in his argument and use of this psalm.

He it is that shall tread down our enemies] Corporal and spiritual; this is a part of Christ’s kingly office, to the which he will not be wanting. Psalmus hic est de Messia imperante, sicut David, saith Kimchi, out of Derash Rabboth. This psalm is concerning Messiah reigning, as David did.

COFFMA�, "Verse 12CO�FIDE�CE I� GOD

"Through God we shall do valiantly;

For he it is that will tread down our enemies."

These glorying words of confidence do not belong immediately after a complaint that God had deserted their armies and had cast Israel off. To us this is more than sufficient reason for returning to the KJV for Psalms 60:10.

"�o miracle is expected. Let God look upon us favorably; let his light shine into our hearts; and `With God, we shall do valiantly.'"[12]"He will tread down our enemies" (Psalms 60:12). Thus the psalm ends with a prophecy of total victory for Israel. This prophecy was indeed fulfilled, according to 2 Samuel 8:14; 1 Chronicles 18:13.

�ISBET, "‘GOD IS OUR REFUGE A�D OUR STRE�GTH’‘Through God we shall do valiantly.’Psalms 60:12This is a national psalm to be taught to the people (Deuteronomy 31:19). As 44 was sung by the sons of Korah when the Edomites were taking advantage of David’s absence to invade the land, so this psalm was composed after victory had been assured. Shushaneduth means the lily of testimony, and may refer to the name of the tune to which this psalm was set. Aram is Syrians: the Syrians which dwelt between the two floods, Euphrates and Tigris, had become confederate with the Syrians of Zobah (2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 10:8; 2 Samuel 10:16; 2 Samuel 10:19). For the whole story, see 2 Samuel 8.

I. The first stanza tells of disaster.—Cast-off and broken-down, the land trembling and rent, the people learning hard lessons, and reeling in the weakness of drunken men. The measure to which it was set is said in the margin to mean ‘Lily of Testimony,’ whilst the object is described in the inscription, ‘Michtam of David to teach.’ It is good to hold up the mirror, to ascertain what and where we are. The time spent in diagnosing the disease is far from being lost. Let us learn what we are, that we magnify the grace that has raised us from our low estate, and made us to sit with princes.

II. But through it all God yearns over His beloved, and waits to save with His right hand.

III. �o sooner is the prayer uttered than the answer is at hand.—God speaks in his holiness.

God is here described as the Holy One, separated from all created and finite beings, and therefore above all deceit and vacillation. He had promised to give His people the land which He promised to their forefathers, and David rejoices in the assurance that it must be so. Already he claims his inheritance to the full, and though it was not actually in his possession, he exults in the certainty that it is already his.

The recent invasion of the Edomites had opened the eyes of the chosen people, and especially of their king, to the high value of those ancient promises that had guaranteed to them the possession and enjoyment of the whole land: and the psalm proceeds to name several particular places, objects, and tribes, which really describe and cover their inheritance to its full extent. Shechem stands for the Western, and Succoth for the Eastern sides of the Jordan.

Illustration

‘The composition of the psalm has been placed correctly in the time before the battle in the valley of salt rather than afterwards, because it is necessary to suppose that the Edomites had fallen upon the land, laying it waste from the south when David had marched against his powerful enemies in the north and victoriously forced them back, but sent off his general Joab against the Edomites. To this laying waste the land, the lamentation which begins the psalm refers (2 Samuel 8:1-3). There is then a reference to Divine incitement (2 Samuel 8:4) which introduces the prayer for Divine help (2 Samuel 8:5), which passes over into the appropriation of a Divine oracle promising victory (2 Samuel 8:6-8). Upon this is based the renewed petition, intensified by its inconsistency with the present situation (2 Samuel 8:9-10) into pressing supplication for Divine assistance (2 Samuel 8:11-12).’

PETT, "Psalms 60:12

‘Through God we will do valiantly,

For he it is who will tread down our adversaries.’The final verse of the Psalm demonstrates that he is satisfied that his prayers have ‘moved God’. He is sure now that God will be with his forces so that through Him they will do valiantly, and by Him they will tread down their adversaries. Victory is now assured, a victory that in fact resulted in the decimation of the forces of Syria/Edom and the conquest of Edom (2 Samuel 8:13-14).

For us it is a reminder that if we are suffering defeats in our spiritual lives, we must first of all examine ourselves and heed God’s chastening. And once we have done this, and repented and put things right, we can know that He will arise on our behalf, once again giving us victory. Indeed, to depend on anyone else would be futile.