PsaumesChapitre 60

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For the choir director. To the tune of "The Lily of the Covenant." A miktam of David, for teaching.

When he fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

God, you have rejected us and broken through our ranks; you were angry with us—now restore us!

You shook the land and split it open; heal its fractures, for it is tottering.

You made your people endure hard things; you gave us wine that left us reeling.

Yet you have given those who fear you a banner to rally to, raised up for the sake of truth. Selah

So that those you love may be rescued, save with your right hand and answer me.

God has spoken in his holiness: "I will exult! I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is the helmet on my head, Judah my scepter.

Moab is my washbasin; on Edom I hurl my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph."

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Have you not rejected us, God? Will you not march out with our armies, God?

Give us help against the enemy, for human deliverance is worthless.

With God we will do mighty deeds, and he will trample our enemies down.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 60

Main Theme: A lament psalm in which David seeks God’s help after a military defeat, yet expresses confidence in God’s promises of victory.

Content: The psalm is linked to David’s wars against Aram and Edom. David laments that God has rejected and shaken His people, and he pleads for restoration. Amidst the lament, a divine oracle sounds forth, declaring God’s sovereignty over both the land of Israel and the lands of the enemies. The psalm concludes with an affirmation of trust: only through God can they achieve victory.

Key Words/Images:

The wine of staggering (v. 5): A picture of God’s judgment that leaves His people disoriented and helpless.
Banner/standard (v. 6): A rallying point given by God to His faithful ones, symbolizing hope and deliverance.
"Moab is my washbasin" (v. 10): God’s sovereign rule over enemy nations, expressed through humiliating imagery.
Fortified city (v. 11): A reference to Edom’s capital; it represents the seemingly insurmountable enemy whom only God can defeat.

Contexte historique

Events and Customs

Psalm 60 is linked to a specific military campaign described in the superscription. "Aram-Naharajim" (Aram between the two rivers) refers to the Mesopotamian region between the Euphrates and Tigris, while "Aram-Soba" was an Aramean kingdom north of Damascus. According to 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18, David waged wars against these Aramean states to secure Israel's northern borders. Joab's victory over Edom in the Valley of Salt, where 12,000 were killed, marked a significant expansion of David's kingdom to the south. This combination of wars in the north and south demonstrates the scope of David's military operations.

Places

The psalm contains a poetic listing of geographical areas that made up David's kingdom. Shechem in the central highlands and the Valley of Succoth east of the Jordan represent the core regions. Gilead and Manasseh were territories on the east side of the Jordan, while Ephraim and Judah constituted the two dominant tribes west of the river – Ephraim as a military force ("my helmet") and Judah as the royal seat ("scepter"). The hostile nations Moab, Edom, and Philistia are mentioned with derogatory imagery: Moab as a washbasin and Edom as a place to cast sandals (possibly a sign of ownership or contempt). The "fortified city" in verse 11 likely refers to Sela (later Petra), the capital of Edom.

Key Terms

The expression "שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת" (shushan edut, "lily-witness") in the superscription is a musical or liturgical direction whose exact meaning is uncertain. The word "מִכְתָּם" (miktam) appears in six psalm superscriptions and may mean "golden psalm" or refer to a special poetic form. The expression "יַיִן תַּרְעֵלָה" (wine that makes one stagger) in verse 5 is a powerful image of God's judgment – an intoxicating wine that causes dizziness and confusion, a well-known prophetic motif (cf. Isaiah 51:17).

Personnages5

Ephraim (the tribe of Ephraim/men as a group, not the patriarch himself)1 David1 Gilead1 Judah1 Manasse (Joseph's son)1

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Mots-clés9

God — The almighty Creator who, according to Genesis, created the heavens, the earth, and all life.
Created — The term used to describe God's act of bringing the universe and everything in it into existence.
Psalm — A poetic text from the Bible, often a prayer or praise to God.
Salvation — God's act of saving people from sin and punishment, and giving them eternal life.
Enemies — Persons or forces that oppose God's people, often symbolizing evil and sin.
The Lord's hand — An expression of God's power and influence in the world.
Banner — A symbol of unity and fellowship among God's people, as well as their shared faith and purpose.
Grace — God's unconditional love and mercy toward people, despite their sins and failures.
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