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To the director: To the tune “Lily of the Agreement.” A miktam of David for teaching. Written when David fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and Joab came back and defeated 12,000 Edomite soldiers at Salt Valley.

60 God, you were angry with us.
    You rejected us and destroyed our defenses.
    Please make us strong again.
You shook the earth and split it open.
    It is falling apart like a broken wall.
    Please put it back together.
You have given your people many troubles.
    We are dizzy and fall down like drunks.
But you have provided a flag to show your faithful followers
    where to gather to escape the enemy’s attack. Selah

Use your great power and give us victory!
    Answer our prayer and save the people you love.

God has spoken in his Temple[a]:
    “I will win the war and rejoice in victory!
I will divide this land among my people.
    I will give them Shechem.
    I will give them Succoth Valley.
Gilead and Manasseh will be mine.
    Ephraim will be my helmet.
    Judah will be my royal scepter.
Moab will be the bowl for washing my feet.
    Edom will be the slave who carries my sandals.
    I will defeat the Philistines and shout in victory!”

9-10 But, God, it seems that you have left us!
    You do not go out with our army.
So who will lead me into the strong, protected city?
    Who will lead me into battle against Edom?
11 Help us defeat the enemy!
    No one on earth can rescue us.
12 Only God can make us strong.
    Only God can defeat our enemies!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:6 in his Temple Or “in his holiness.”

Psalm 60[a](A)

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 Naharaim[c] and Aram Zobah,[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(B)

You have rejected us,(C) God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry(D)—now restore us!(E)
You have shaken the land(F) and torn it open;
    mend its fractures,(G) for it is quaking.
You have shown your people desperate times;(H)
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.(I)
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner(J)
    to be unfurled against the bow.[e]

Save us and help us with your right hand,(K)
    that those you love(L) may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(M)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(N)
Gilead(O) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim(P) is my helmet,
    Judah(Q) is my scepter.(R)
Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.(S)

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?(T)
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.(U)
12 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.(V)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
  2. Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
  4. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
  5. Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.