The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 60
In brief
Psalm 60 is a prayer of David after a military setback. He acknowledges that God let his people suffer, asks him to restore them, then recalls the word of God who claims the land as his own. It ends with a change of outlook: help from man is vain, but through God we will do valiantly. It helps us pray in defeat without losing hope.
The chapter in 3 parts
1God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again.
2You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.
3You have shown your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.
4You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth.
5So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.
6God has spoken from his sanctuary: “I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.
7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defense of my head. Judah is my scepter.
8Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my sandal on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.”
9Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?
10Haven’t you, God, rejected us? You don’t go out with our armies, God.
11Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.
12Through God we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.
Key verses
God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again.
The title gives the context: a war fought by David, during which Joab struck twelve thousand Edomites. The prayer is born from a specific situation, and the psalmist says plainly that God let his people suffer.
You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth.
God has given a banner to those who fear him, a rallying sign raised because of the truth. Even in trial, they are not left without a landmark.
God has spoken from his sanctuary: “I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.
God speaks in his holiness. His promise comes before human effort: he declares that he will triumph and that the territory is his.
Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.
David chooses between two kinds of help. Help from man is vain, and only God can truly rescue. This is not contempt for human action, it is a matter of first trust.
Through God we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.
The closing verse: through God we will do valiantly. The achievement is credited to God, who tramples the enemies, and not to the abilities of the people.
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Frequently asked questions about Psalm 60
What does Psalm 60 mean?
Psalm 60 is a prayer of David after a military setback. He acknowledges that God let his people go through the trial, asks for his help, then recalls God's promises about the land. It ends with the conviction that only God gives victory. The message for today: even in failure, we can rely on what God has said rather than on our own strength.
What does it mean that through God we will do valiantly?
Verse 12 (verse 13 in the Hebrew Bible) affirms that strength comes from God and not from man. It does not promise that every battle will be easy or that everything will be obtained automatically. It invites us to act while leaning on God, convinced that he is the one who overthrows the enemies. The same verse appears at the end of Psalm 108.
How do you pray Psalm 60?
Pray it when you feel you have lost a battle. Tell God what has fallen apart, ask him to restore and repair, then remind him of what he has promised. End with verse 11: hand over to him the human supports you cling to, and declare with verse 12 that you will move forward with him.
Articles quoting Psalm 60
World English Bible translation — public domain.