David, complaining to God of former judgment, 1-3, now upon better hope, prays for deliverance, 4, 5. Comforting himself in God's promises, he craves that help whereon he trusts, 6-12.
1 [To the Chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth. Michtam of David for Teaching: when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.]
O God, you have cast us off./
You have scattered us./
You have been displeased./
O turn yourself to us again.
2 You have made the earth to tremble./
You have broken it./
Heal its breaches, for it shakes.
3 You have shown your people hard things./
You have made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
4 You have given a banner to those who fear you/
so that it may be displayed because of the truth./
[Selah.]
5 So that your beloved may be delivered,/
save with your right hand and hear me.
6 God has spoken in his holiness, "I will rejoice./
I will divide Shechem/
and measure out the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine. And Manasseh is mine./
Ephraim also is the strength of my head./
Judah is my lawgiver.
8 Moab is my wash-pot./
Over Edom I will cast out my shoe./
Over Philistia I shout in triumph."
9 Who will bring me into the strong city?/
Who will lead me into Edom?
10 Will you not, O God, who had cast us off,/
and you, O God, who did not go out with our armies?
11 Give us help from trouble,/
for the help of man is vain.
12 Through God we shall do valiantly,/
for he will tread down our enemies.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 60[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
David, who was now settled upon the throne, and had gained several signal victories, tending to confirm him in the kingdom, in this Psalm exalts the goodness of God, that he might at once express his gratitude, and by conciliating the favor of such as still stood out against his interests, unite the community, which had been rent into factions. Having first adverted to the clear indications of the Divine favor, which proved that God had chosen him to be king, he more particularly calls the attention of the faithful to the oracle itself, in order to convince them that they could only comply with the mind of God, by yielding their consent and approbation to the anointing which he had received from Samuel. Prayers also are offered up throughout the psalm, urging God to perfect what he had begun.
[v.8] - Originally, this passage read as, "Philistia, triumph because of me." From the Pulpit Commentary: "The context will not allow this rendering, since Philistia, like the other enemies of Israel, must be triumphed over, and not triumph." Also of note is that other commentaries state that the original rendering could be taken as an ironical expression. The Septuagint renders the expression as, "the Philistines have been subjected to me."