A manual of the book of Psalms · Martin Luther
PSALM LX.
_David, complaining to God of former judgment,—now, upon better hope, prayeth for deliverance.—Comforting himself in God’s promises, he craveth that help whereon he trusteth._ To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand. O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. Thou hast given a banner to them that feared thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. That thy beloved may be delivered; save _with_ thy right hand and hear me. God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead _is_ mine, and Manasseh _is_ mine; Ephraim also _is_ the strength of mine head; Judah _is_ my lawgiver; Moab _is_ my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. Who will bring me _into_ the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? _Wilt_ not thou, O God, _which_ hadst cast us off? and _thou_, O God, _which_ didst not go out with our armies?
Give us help from trouble: for vain _is_ the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he _it is that_ shall tread down our enemies. This is a signal thanksgiving. David gives thanks for the happy state of his kingdom, in which religion and political government flourished and prospered; for, in these two things, well-ordered, consist all things divine and human. Before the time of David, in the days of Saul, all things were in disorder, and the kingdom was in a declining state; as the former verses of the Psalm show. The Philistines had greatly afflicted the Israelites: so much so that even the ark of the Lord was despised and profaned. Again, in the reign of Saul, all things were carried on with injury, oppression, and wickedness: which is always the case, when God forsakes magistrates, and suffers them to go on in their own ways. And the example of David, who was obliged to have recourse to such various, wise, and cautious means for safety, shows that the palace of Saul was full of Ahithophels, and of all such pests of religion and good government. But, says David, “Thou, O Lord, hast given a sign to them that feared thee, that they may display it, and may believe and be assured, that thou art present with them.” For God had given to his own a sign, and had left it to them; by which, all those that believed in the grace of God, might be comforted; namely, the ark of the covenant and the mercy-seat; which God had delivered, by signal miracles, out of the hand of the Philistines. For God had promised and declared, that he would hear all those that called upon him before this ark, and this mercy-seat; and that he would there vouchsafe his presence.
At the end of the Psalm, he enumerates all his countries and his people; and, in a very striking and eminent way, extols the true worship of God, the true religion. “God (saith he) speaks in his holiness (or sanctuary); I will rejoice:” that is, God is present in my kingdom by his word, which is there preached: in this I will rejoice. He enumerates, in order, these countries: Succoth, Shechem, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, Judah, Moab, Philistia. And, at the end, he confesses, that, to defend and protect all these, by a good government, and to ensure them victory against all their enemies,—against Edom and Philistia, (that is to carry on war and to extend dominions, successfully,) is not in the power of human wisdom or human strength; “For vain (saith he) is the help of man. All successful valour and victory are from God.” Why he does not mention by name more countries than these nine, it belongs to a full commentary to explain; the narrow limits, therefore, of our present summary, will not allow us to enter upon that explanation. We may sing this Psalm to the honour of God also, because in the church of Christ, God is continually making new orchards and gardens; and daily increasing the number of its churches and parishes; in which the word of God is preached; in which the sacraments are administered in a godly manner; and in which there are various gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.