Psalms 60
1 [I prayed], “God, you have rejected us [Israelis]! Because you have been angry [with us], you have [enabled our enemies] to break through our ranks. [Please] enable us to be strong again!
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.
2 [When we were defeated, it was as though] [MET] there was a big earthquake in our land that caused the ground to split open. So now, [just as only you can] cause the cracks in the land to disappear, [help our army to be strong again], because [it is as though] our country is (falling apart/being destroyed).
Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal its breaches; for it shaketh.
3 You have caused [us], your people, to suffer very much; [it is as though] you forced us to drink [strong] wine that caused us to stagger around [after we became drunk].
Thou hast shown thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
4 But you have raised a battle flag for those who revere you in order that they can gather around it and not [be killed by the enemies’] arrows.
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. (Selah)
5 Answer our [prayers] and enable us by your power [MTY] to defeat [our enemies] in order that we, the people whom you love, will be saved.”
That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
6 [Then] God [answered my prayer and] spoke from his temple, saying, “Because I have conquered [your enemies], I will divide up [everything in] Shechem [city], and I will distribute it among my people [the land in] Succoth Valley.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.
7 The Gilead [region] is mine; the [people of the tribe of] Manasseh are mine; [the tribe of] Ephraim is [like] my helmet [MET]; and [the tribe of] Judah is [like] the (scepter/stick [that I hold which shows that I am the ruler]) [MET];
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of my head; Judah is my lawgiver;
8 but the Moab [region] is [like] my washbasin [MET]; I throw my sandal in the Edom [area to show that it belongs to me]; I shout triumphantly because I have defeated [the people of] the Philistia [area].”
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
9 [Because I want to defeat the people of] Edom, (who will lead my [army triumphantly] to their [capital] city that has strong walls around it?/I want someone to lead my [army triumphantly] to their [capital] city that has strong walls around it.)” [RHQ]
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
10 So, God, we [desire/hope that] [RHQ] you have not truly abandoned us, and that you will go with us when our armies march out [to fight our enemies].
Wilt thou not, O God, who hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, who didst not go out with our armies?
11 [We need you to] help us when we fight against our enemies, because the help that humans can give us is worthless.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
12 But with you [helping us], we shall win; you will enable us to defeat our enemies.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he will tread down our enemies.
