When the Ground Gives Way
For the director of music. To the tune of "The Lily of the Covenant." A golden psalm of David, for teaching, when he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
After a defeat the nation says it plainly: you rejected us, you shook the land open, you gave us wine that left us reeling. The reply is our Father's own boast of ownership over Shechem, Moab and Edom, and one verdict: human rescue is worthless.
60 1Our Father, you have rejected us; you have broken through our defenses; you have been angry—now restore us! 2You have made the land quake; you have torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is tottering. 3You have shown your people hard things; you have given us wine to drink that left us reeling. 4You have given a banner to those who fear you, that they may rally to it before the bow. a a v4 'Before the bow' means in the face of enemy attack — a banner to rally around under fire.
5That your beloved ones may be delivered, save us with your right hand and answer us.
6Our Father has spoken in his holiness: "I will exult; I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth. 7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is the helmet on my head, Judah my scepter. 8Moab is my washbasin; on Edom I hurl my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph." b b v8 Throwing a sandal over a territory was an ancient gesture of claiming ownership and dominion.
9Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10Have you not rejected us, our Father? You no longer go out, our Father, with our armies. 11Give us help against our enemies, for human rescue is worthless. 12With our Father we will do valiantly; it is he who will trample our foes.
