New English Translation

Psalms 60:1-5

1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7O God, you have rejected us. You suddenly turned on us in your anger. Please restore us!

2You made the earth quake; you split it open. Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.

3You have made your people experience hard times; you have made us drink intoxicating wine.

4You have given your loyal followers a rallying flag, so that they might seek safety from the bow. (Selah)

5Deliver by your power and answer me, so that the ones you love may be safe.

Notes

1. Psalms 60:1 Psalm 60. The psalmist grieves over Israel’s humiliation, but in response to God’s assuring word, he asks for divine help in battle and expresses his confidence in victory. ↩
2. Psalms 60:1 The Hebrew expression means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title. ↩
3. Psalms 60:1 The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56-59, is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.” ↩
4. Psalms 60:1 Heb “to teach.” ↩
5. Psalms 60:1 In Josh 8:21 and Judg 20:48 the two verbs “turn back” and “strike down” are also juxtaposed. There they refer to a military counter-attack. ↩
6. Psalms 60:1 Heb “12,000 of Edom.” Perhaps one should read אֲרַם (’aram, “Aram”) here rather than אֱדוֹם (’edom, “Edom”). ↩
7. Psalms 60:1 The heading apparently refers to the military campaign recorded in 2 Sam 10 and 1 Chr 19. ↩