Psalm 60–62

A Lament After a Defeat and a Prayer for Restoration

60For the music director, according to Shushan Eduth.^a

A miktam of David. To teach.

When he fought Mesopotamia and Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand persons.^b

¹O God, you have rejected us. You have broken us.

You have been angry. Restore us!

²You have made the land quake. You have split it open.

Heal its fissures, because it totters.

³You have shown your people hard things;

You have given us wine that staggers.

⁴You have rallied those who fear you round a banner

out of bowshot,^c Selah

⁵so that your beloved ones may be rescued.

Save by your right hand and answer us.

⁶God has spoken in his holiness,

“I will rejoice;

I will divide up Shechem,

and portion out the valley of Succoth.

⁷Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine,

and Ephraim is the helmet for^d my head;

Judah is my scepter.^e

⁸Moab is my washing pot;

over Edom, I will cast my sandal.

On account of me, O Philistia, raise a shout.”

⁹Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰Have not you yourself rejected us, O God,

and not gone out with our armies, O God?

¹¹Give us help against the adversary,

for the help of humankind is futile.

¹²Through God we will do valiantly,^f

and it is he who will tread down our enemies.

Confidence in God’s Protection

61For the music director, upon stringed instruments.^a Of David.^b

¹Hear, O God, my cry;

attend to my prayer.

²From the end of the earth^c I call to you

when my heart grows faint.

You will lead me to a rock that is higher than I.

³For you have been my refuge,

a strong tower from the enemy.

⁴Let me reside in your tent forever.

Let me take refuge under the covering of your wings. Selah

⁵For you, O God, you have heard my vows.

You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

⁶You will add days to the days of the king,

his years like those of many generations.^d

⁷May he live^e forever in the presence of God.

Appoint loyal love and faithfulness to preserve him.

⁸So I will sing the praise of your name forever,

that I may fulfill^f my vows daily.^g

Confidence in God’s Salvation

62For the music director, on Jeduthun.^a

A psalm of David.^b

¹Only for God my soul waits in silence.

From him is my salvation.

²Only he is my rock and my salvation,

my high stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

³How long will you attack a man?

All of you will be shattered^c

like a leaning wall, a tottering fence.

⁴They only^d plan to thrust him down from his high position;

they are pleased with deception.

With their mouths^e they bless,

but inwardly^f they curse. Selah

⁵Only for God wait in silence, O my soul,

because my hope is from him.

⁶Only he is my rock and my salvation,

my high stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

⁷On God rests my salvation and my glory;

God^g is my strong rock, my refuge.

⁸Trust him at all times, O people;

pour out before him your heart.

God is a refuge for us. Selah

⁹Only a vapor^h are men of low degree,

a deception are men of high degree.

Weighedⁱ in a balance,

together they are lighter than a vapor.

¹⁰Do not trust in extortion,

and do not put vain confidence in robbery.

If wealth increases,

do not set your heart on it.

¹¹Once God has spoken;

twice I have heard this:

that strength belongs to God.

¹²And to you belongs loyal love, O Lord,

because you will render to each according to his work.