Psalm 60

Psalm Category: Community Lament

Central Thought: Success should bring godly reflection.

The title of this psalm places it in the context of 2 Samuel 8, where David’s impressive victories are glowingly cataloged at the height of his military power.

It is striking, therefore, that the first half of Psalm 60 reads like a lamentation. David perceives that God has cast off and broken down His people (v. 1), and that hardship and danger are the order of the day (v. 3). Why the disparity of perspective?

In one sense, David gives voice to the brutal realities of war that stand hidden behind the brief biblical accounts of his victories. The resilience of his enemies and the cost of his victories are seen as “hard things” (v. 3) from the hand of God despite the successful outcome of his campaigns. At the peak of his military power, David could only find cause for repentance in the aftermath of his conquests. To David, victory hardly mitigated the pain of having to fight in the first place, and he perceived even the cost of success as a failure of sorts. David would not rejoice, much less gloat, over his vanquished enemies. Instead, he would turn to the Lord and confess His sovereign kingship over the nations.

In verses 6-8, David acknowledges that it is the Lord who determines the destiny of peoples and the historical roles of nations. Some are vessels of honor: “Ephraim is the helmet for My head” (v. 7). Some are vessels of dishonor: “Moab is My wash pot” (v. 8). As David subdued the surrounding nations, it was the Lord who stood behind it all, like the Master of an estate, drawing boundaries, delegating lands, and assigning tasks.

This realization is no less important in the modern world, in which we see wars and convulsive political events changing the course of history. It is important for us to remember that the wisdom of God stands behind the ebb and flow of nations, all for the purpose of accomplishing His intentions, and ultimately for the purpose of revealing Christ as the true King of all nations. It is noteworthy that God says, “Judah is My lawgiver” (v. 7). This prophecy of a lawgiver from Judah stretches back to Genesis 49:10 and culminates in the coming of Christ, the King of nations and the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5).

As the psalm concludes, David looks to a battle yet to come (Ps. 60:9) and perceives the danger he faces if God is not with him (v. 10). In his many conflicts, David learned a lesson that applies to the spiritual realm no less than the military realm—“the help of man is useless” (v. 11). Without the Lord even the greatest victory is a latent defeat; but with the Lord, or, rather, through Him, David found the courage for his calling. “Through God we will do valiantly” (v. 12).

At the height of his military power, David saw himself as a small part of a grand scheme in which God caused the rise and fall of nations for His own purposes. Even David’s victories were seen as chastenings of a sort—costly reminders that the outcome of events does not depend on the strength or will of man, but upon the decree of God, the true King, who disposes all things according to His wisdom, justice, and mercy. David had learned the humbling lesson of God’s withdrawing and had learned to seek the mercy and guidance of the Lord all the more. Then, he could look confidently to the battle ahead.

Through David’s eyes we gain a valuable perspective on the course of events and human achievements, from the big picture of history to the microcosm of our individual lives. The Lord’s hand is behind it all, always crafting the outcome according to His good pleasure. Our accomplishments, therefore, should not engender pride, but be occasions of self-examination. Left to our own strength we would be nothing and nowhere, lost in life and lost in sin. But in Christ we are given the strength to believe and be saved, and to do what the Lord calls us to do, so that we too can say, “Through God we will do valiantly.”

King David acknowledged the Lord’s kingship, ultimately to be revealed in Christ. This psalm beckons us to make the same confession and to serve the true King of the nations. It remains to be seen whether our nation will be a vessel of honor or dishonor. However, the call to repent and turn to Christ is laid upon us presently and urgently.