1.
O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.
Title. Michtam. App-65 .
when, &c. See 2 Samuel 8:13-14 .
Aram-naharaim, &c. = Mesopotamia or Syria. See 1 Chronicles 18:5 , and note below on "twelve thousand".
twelve thousand. In 2 Samuel 8:13 , and 1 Chronicles 18:12 , it is David's and Abishai's exploit, which was 18,000. Here, it is Joab's exploit, and his share was 12,000, but he took six months longer in finishing up his task (1 Kings 11:15 , 1 Kings 11:16 ). David's 22,000 in 1 Chronicles 18:5 were in a Syrian campaign. See notes on 2 Samuel 8:12 , 2 Samuel 8:13 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
2.
Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
broken = made fissures. Occurs only here.
3.
Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
shewed = suffered . . . to see. astonishment: or confusion, or trembling.
4.
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
the truth: or [Thy] faithfulness. Hebrew. koshet. Occurs only here in Psalms. Compare Proverbs 22:21 = certainty, or exact, precise truth. (No Art.)
Selah. Connecting the gift, with the great and important object of it. ( App-66 .)
5.
That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
hear = answer.
me. Hebrew text reads "us"; but some codices, with four early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "me".
6.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
hath spoken. Verses 6-9 refer to the promise of the possession of the whole of Canaan, confirmed in 2 Samuel 7:10 . David here encourages himself by it.
Shechem . . . Succoth. West and east of Jordan.
7.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
Gilead . . . Manasseh. Eastern side.
Ephraim . . . Judah. Western side.
lawgiver. Compare Genesis 49:10 . Numbers 21:18 . Deuteronomy 33:21 .
8.
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
Moab . . . Edom. Spoken of as the chattels of a conqueror (2 Samuel 8:12-14 ).
washpot = footbath: i.e. an ignominious vessel.
cast out my shoe. Idiom for taking possession.
Philistia. Syriac reads "over Philistia".
9.
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
the strong city. Probably Sela or Petra, corresponding with Edom (compare 2 Kings 14:7 ). David claims the promise of Numbers 24:18 .
10.
Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?
O God. Some codices omit "O God".
11.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
help from trouble = succor out of trouble.
help of man = salvation or deliverance of man. Compare "save", Psalms 60:5 .
12.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
To the chief Musician. See App-64 .
upon = relating to.