psalm

Prayer for National Victory after Defeat

To the choirmaster: according to Shushan Eduth. A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

60 
O God, thou hast rejected us, broken our defenses;

thou hast been angry; oh, restore us.

Thou hast made the land to quake, thou hast rent it open;

repair its breaches, for it totters.

Thou hast made thy people suffer hard things;

thou hast given us wine to drink that made us reel.

Thou hast set up a banner for those who fear thee,

to rally to it from the bow.[a]Selah

That thy beloved may be delivered,

give victory by thy right hand and answer us!

God has spoken in his sanctuary:[b]

“With exultation I will divide up Shechem

and portion out the Vale of Succoth.

Gilead is mine; Manas′seh is mine;

E′phraim is my helmet;

Judah is my scepter.

Moab is my washbasin;

upon Edom I cast my shoe;

over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

10 Hast thou not rejected us, O God?

Thou dost not go forth, O God, with our armies.

11 O grant us help against the foe,

for vain is the help of man!

12 With God we shall do valiantly;

it is he who will tread down our foes.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 60:4 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb truth
  2. Psalm 60:6 Or by his holiness