1 You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses.
You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.
2 You have shaken our land and split it open.
Seal the cracks, for the land trembles.
3 You have been very hard on us,
making us drink wine that sent us reeling.
4 But you have raised a banner for those who fear you—
a rallying point in the face of attack. Interlude
5 Now rescue your beloved people.
Answer and save us by your power.
6 God has promised this by his holiness:
“I will divide up Shechem with joy.
I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine,
and Manasseh, too.
Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors,
and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings.
8 But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant,
and I will wipe my feet on Edom
and shout in triumph over Philistia.”
9 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me victory over Edom?
10 Have you rejected us, O God?
Will you no longer march with our armies?
11 Oh, please help us against our enemies,
for all human help is useless.
12 With God’s help we will do mighty things,
for he will trample down our foes. NLT
::::: DIGGING DEEPER :::::
For the background of this psalm, read 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18, where David and his men are victorious in war through the slaughter thousands of enemy soldiers. It might also be helpful to look at a map of ancient Israel in order to gain familiarity with the nations mentioned in this psalm.
In this psalm of victory, verses 1-3 begin curiously. What is David’s primary concern?
How does verse 4 alleviate David’s concerns? What do you think the “banner” could mean to David?
In verses 5-8, as David rattles off the names of other nations, what point is he trying to communicate?
In verses 9-10, what again is David’s primary concern?
Even though David is a successful warrior, what do verses 11-12 reveal to you about his heart?
::::: APPLICATION CHALLENGE :::::
This psalm was used for teaching Israel about faith in God. What lesson about faith could you apply to your life today?