1 To the Overseer. -- `Concerning the Lily of Testimony,' a secret treasure of David, to teach, in his striving with Aram-Naharaim, and with Aram-Zobah, and Joab turneth back and smiteth Edom in the valley of Salt -- twelve thousand. O God, Thou hadst cast us off, Thou hadst broken us -- hadst been angry! -- Thou dost turn back to us.
2 Thou hast caused the land to tremble, Thou hast broken it, Heal its breaches, for it hath moved.
3 Thou hast shewn Thy people a hard thing, Thou hast caused us to drink wine of trembling.
4 Thou hast given to those fearing thee an ensign. To be lifted up as an ensign Because of truth. Selah.
5 That Thy beloved ones may be drawn out, Save `with' Thy right hand, and answer us.
6 God hath spoken in His holiness: I exult -- I apportion Shechem, And the valley of Succoth I measure,
7 Mine `is' Gilead, and mine `is' Manasseh, And Ephraim `is' the strength of my head, Judah `is' my lawgiver,
8 Moab `is' my pot for washing, over Edom I cast my shoe, Shout, concerning me, O Philistia.
9 Who doth bring me `to' a city of bulwarks? Who hath led me unto Edom?
10 Is it not Thou, O God? hast Thou cast us off? And dost Thou not go forth, O God, with our hosts!
11 Give to us help from adversity, And vain `is' the deliverance of man.
12 In God we do mightily, And He treadeth down our adversaries!
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Psalm 60 lament?
What does verse 8 mean by 'Moab is my washpot'?
How does the psalm end?
Moab is called God's 'washpot' and Edom the place where He casts out His shoe, images tied to the campaigns recorded in 2 Samuel 8:12-13. The psalm ends on confident resolve, 'through God we shall do valiantly,' before the exile-tinged prayer of Psalms 61.
