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A Prayer After a Defeat

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lily of the Agreement.” A miktam of David. For teaching. When David fought the Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia and Zobah, and when Joab returned and defeated twelve thousand Edomites at the Valley of Salt.

60 God, you have rejected us and scattered us.
    You have been angry, but please come back to us.
You made the earth shake and crack.
    Heal its breaks because it is shaking.
You have given your people trouble.
    You made us unable to walk straight, like people drunk with wine.
You have raised a banner to gather those who fear you.
    Now they can stand up against the enemy. Selah

Answer us and save us by your power
    so the people you love will be rescued.

God has said from his Temple,
    “When I win, I will divide Shechem
    and measure off the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead and Manasseh are mine.
    Ephraim is like my helmet.
    Judah holds my royal scepter.
Moab is like my washbowl.
    I throw my sandals at Edom.
    I shout at Philistia.”

Who will bring me to the strong, walled city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 God, surely you have rejected us;
    you do not go out with our armies.
11 Help us fight the enemy.
    Human help is useless,
12 but we can win with God’s help.
    He will defeat our enemies.

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.