The Secret To David’s Success

Psalm 60

For the choir director: A psalm of David useful for teaching, regarding the time David fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. To be sung to the tune “Lily of the Testimony.”

1You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses.

You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.

2You have shaken our land and split it open.

Seal the cracks before it completely collapses.

3You have been very hard on us,

making us drink wine that sent us reeling.

4But you have raised a banner for those who honor you—

a rallying point in the face of attack.

Interlude

5Use your strong right arm to save us,

and rescue your beloved people.

6God has promised this by his holiness:

“I will divide up Shechem with joy.

I will measure out the valley of Succoth.

7Gilead is mine,

and Manasseh is mine.

Ephraim will produce my warriors,

and Judah will produce my kings.

8Moab will become my lowly servant,

and Edom will be my slave.

I will shout in triumph over the Philistines.”

9But who will bring me into the fortified city?

Who will bring me victory over Edom?

10Have you rejected us, O God?

Will you no longer march with our armies?

11Oh, please help us against our enemies,

for all human help is useless.

12With God’s help we will do migihty things,

for he will trample down our foes.

When David finally came to power, he had a lot of work to do. On all sides enemies chipped away at Israelite territory. In the west Saul had tried to fight the Philistines, but he was badly distracted by his obsession with David. In fact, Saul died in a losing battle against those Philistines. Meanwhile, the land of Israel was threatened by the Moabites, the Arameans, and the Edomites. Assuming the throne, David quickly mobilized his forces against the nation’s enemies, waging successful campaigns on all sides.

Was David a master military strategist? Maybe. But he had another secret, as he expresses in Psalm 60. When Israel acts in a way that pleases God, things go well; but when the nation turns away from God, things fall apart. This psalm serves as a national confession. It doesn’t name Saul, but it seems to refer to the struggles the nation had during his reign, when he was straying from God’s desires. Now, however, the army was victorious. Apparently God was smiling on them once again.

Be careful about this. Good fortune doesn’t always mean that you’re living well, nor does bad fortune automatically mean you’re sinning. Other Scriptures, such as the book of Job and even other psalms, confirm this. But we can be certain that sin ultimately takes a toll on us and that right living will bring blessings, even if we don’t experience those blessings until eternity.

Give us now relief from pain

Human aid is all in vain;

We, through God, shall yet prevail,

HATFIELD

Bible Networking

If you are looking for help (verse 11), see Psalms 108:12; 124:1-3; 140:1-3.

Notable Quotable

“So long as sight and reason find footing in matters, there is no place for faith and hope; the abundance of human help puts not grace to proof, but the strength of faith is in the absence of them all.”

WILLIAM STRUTHER