Psalm 60

PSALM 60

"A Prayer for Deliverance of the Nations"

After many psalms which David penned in a day of distress, Psalm 60 was written for a day of TRIUMPH.  It was penned after he was settled in the throne, upon an occasion where God blessed his forces with victory over the Syrians & Edomites.  This psalm reflects the time David was in the zenith of his prosperity and the affairs of his kingdom seem to have been in a better posture than they ever were before or after. 

The general design of this psalm of David is to TEACH.  The Levites must teach it to the people, both to trust in God and to triumph in Him. 

In Biblical account, it is noted that David in prosperity was as devout as David in adversity.  Can this be said of me?

The psalm opens in verses 1-3 as a melancholy memorial of the many disgraces and disappointments which God had, for some years past, put His people under. 

You have shown Your people hard things:

You have made us drink the wine of confusion.  ~ Ps. 60:3

In verse 4, David states:

You have given a banner to those who fear You,

That it may be displayed because of the truth.  ~ Ps. 60:4

A banner is a battle flag used to identify different troops –
here, it identifies those who follow TRUTH

 I love verses 6-8!  Verse 6 reads

God has spoken in His holiness; I will rejoice . . . ~ Ps. 60:6

David is referring to God’s power and ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY.  The warfare of the nations is incidental; God determines destinies.  All the nations listed in verses 6-8 are under God’s sovereign control. 

Hope in God is the best principle of true courage – what need those fear who have God on their side?  ~  Matthew Henry

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is my restorer
• GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER THE NATIONS (and everything else too!)
• God saves with His right hand
• God is holy
• God is my helper
• Only through God, only with His help, do we do valiantly

 HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise God for His absolute sovereignty - when I am fearful, I can trust that He has all things under His control
• I praise God for His might, that through Him all things are possible. 
• God helps me in trouble; the help of man is useless without the help of God
• I praise God for showing me hard things, even though I don’t like it when I am going through the “lesson” of it; yet, I love the end result - the way He refines, teaches & molds me through it

 PRAYER:

      Thank You, O Lord, that You are Sovereign God, the Blessed Controller of all things.  How my heart finds such rest in this truth, it is a balm for my soul when I am fearful and anxious.  May Your Holy Spirit impress this truth upon my mind & heart, that I will never forget it or cease to rest upon it. 

     Father, even today, I bless You for Your servant David - a man who has taught us how to know You more intimately, to trust You more deeply, to love You more fully.  May I grow in all of these things as I continue this meditation of the psalms.  In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen