Psalm 60:1-12 A Lament Psalm by David
Read this passage on BibleGateway.com
Psalm 60:1-12 Scraping Enemies Off His Shoes
Psalm 60 is another mikhtam psalm. Mikhtam means the psalm is an encouragement to be steadfast. Psalms 56 through this one are all mikhtams.
In this psalm, David is encouraging himself to be steadfast in light of the attack by the Edomites against Israel. Things worked out eventually since the Israelites pummeled the Edomites into submission (cf. 2 Sam. 8:13; 1 Kings 11:15-16; 1 Chron. 18:12). But David didn’t know that when he wrote this psalm. He was encouraging himself to be steadfast in light of the attack and in view of his trust of the Lord.
When something happens that you don’t like or you didn’t expect, do you immediately blame God? I learned the “idiot rule” so I don’t tend to do that so much anymore. David had learned his lesson. He was attacking the Arameans to the north of Israel, the Edomites attacked Israel from the south. That would be disconcerting. But David put his faith in the Lord.
At first, David thought the Lord was punishing Israel (v. 1). The effect of the attack on Israel must have been similar to the effect on our nation on 9-11. They felt like the earth had split and the people were reeling (vv. 2-3). David was going to remain steadfast and, figuratively, wave a flag with God’s name on it (v. 4). Remember how everyone wore U.S. flags after 9-11? David was putting his trust in his nation’s God, Yahweh. He knew that God would deliver His beloved nation (cf. Song of Sol. 2:4).
Shechem was a city west of the Jordan River near the valley of Succoth (v. 6). Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah were all tribal areas threatened by the attack (vv. 7). By naming all these areas, David was showing that God was personally aware of their danger. He considered the enemy, Moab and Edom, like a bowl to wash His hands or a place to scrape off his shoes (v. 8). He will make Philistia scream in pain (v. 8c).
David expected the Lord to lead him into Petra, most likely, the capital city of Edom (v. 9). Though David believed God had rejected Israel, he still put his full trust in Him to lead him in victory over his enemies (v. 10). He knows he cannot just rely on his troops, trusting in man is not enough to win (v. 11).
David ends in a statement of complete trust, he “will do valiantly”(v. 12a). It won’t be the Israeli armies that will win the battles, it will be the Lord who “will tread down [the] adversaries” (v. 12b).
In the trials you face today, are you trusting your own power and abilities? Not good. Put your trust in the Lord (cf. Prov. 3:5-6). He alone can you give you victory over your challenges (cf. Ps. 33:17; Prov. 21:31; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:37).
Proverbs 11:15 You Can Loan If You Want
Read this passage on BibleGateway.com
We have already seen a warning from Solomon against securing someone else’s loan (see Signing and Co-Signing). You shouldn’t loan anything to anyone unless you are prepared to not see it again (cf. Luke 6:35). But you can loan. Just expect to not get back whatever you loaned. I remember then whenever I loan out a book. It’s a good thing since I rarely see the book again. But you can loan if you want . . . .