To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim, and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of Salt twelve thousand.

O God, thou hast cast us off What is said in this verse, and (Ps. 60:2, Ps. 60:3) , are by some applied to times past; to the distress of the people Israel by their neighbours in the times of the judges; to their being smitten by the Philistines, in the times of Eli and Samuel; and to the victory…

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it As is frequently done by an earthquake; which, whatever natural causes there may be of it, is always to be ascribed to God. The ancient Heathens [[11]] were of opinion that all earthquakes were of God.

Thou hast showed thy people hard things As to have their city and temple burial, multitudes of them slain, and the rest carried captive, and put into the hands of cruel lords and hard masters, and made a proverb, a taunt, and a curse, in all places; and all this done to a people that were the…

Thou hast given a banner The word (נס) is, by Jarchi, taken to signify “temptation” or “trial” [[13]]; and he interprets it of many troubles which they had, that they might be tried by them, whether they would stand in the fear of God, and so considers these words as a continuation of the account…

That thy beloved may be delivered Some think that these words express the effect or end of the banner being displayed; but because of the word “Selah” at the end of , which makes so full a stop; rather they are to be considered in construction with the following clause.

God hath spoken in his holiness Or “in his holy place” [[15]]; in heaven, the habitation of his holiness and of his glory; or “in the house of the sanctuary”, as the Targum: in the tabernacle, in the holy place by Urim and Thummim; and in the most holy place by his sacred oracle, from between the…

Gilead is mine This is particularly mentioned, because over this Abner made Ishbosheth king, ; and is the place to which the Jews shall be brought in the latter day, when converted, ; It was a country that abounded with pastures fit for feeding cattle, , and may point out those green pastures where…

Moab is my washpot To wash hands and feet in: and so the Syriac version, “and Moab the washing of my feet”; a vessel for low and mean service, and so denotes the servile subjection of the Moabites to David; see ; and as the words may be rendered, “the pot of my washing” [[16]].

Who will bring me into the strong city? &c.] Which some understand of Rabbah of the Ammonites, which Joab besieged, and sent to David to come and take it in person, (2 Sam. 12:26, 2 Sam. 12:29) . The Targum interprets it of Tyre, which was a strong fortified city, (Ezek. 26:4, Ezek. 26:11) .

Wilt not thou, O God? &c.] This is an answer to the question, and is made by putting another, which tacitly contains in it an affirmation that God would do it.

Give us help from trouble To have trouble is the common lot of all men, but especially of the people of God. They have some troubles which others have not, arising from indwelling sin, Satan’s temptations, and the hidings of God’s face; and as for outward troubles, they have generally the greatest…

Through God we shall do valiantly Or, “through the Word of the Lord”, as the Targum; Christ, whose name is the Word of God, appearing at the head of his armies, in a vesture dipped in blood, and with a sharp sword proceeding out of his mouth, will inspire his people to fight valiantly under him;…