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Psalm Sixty
New King James Version (NKJV)
YLT To the Overseer. -- `Concerning the Lily of
Testimony
' a secret treasure of David
to teach
in his striving with
Aram-Naharaim
and with Aram-Zobah
and Joab turneth back and smiteth Edom in
the valley of Salt -- twelve thousand.
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 60
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. The words
"shushaneduth" are thought
by Aben Ezra
to be the beginning of a
song
to the tune of which this psalm was set; though others
as he observes
take them to be the name of a musical instrument
on which it was sung. Some
take "shushan" to be an instrument of six chords
an hexachord; and
"eduth"
which signifies a "testimony"
to be the title of
the psalm
it being a testimony
or lasting memorial
of the victory obtained
over the Syrians and Edomites; though rather they may be considered as
expressing the subject matter of the psalm; and so the Targum interprets them
"concerning
the ancient testimony of the sons of Jacob and Laban;'
referring
to Genesis 31:47; they
may be rendered
as they are by some
"concerning the lily of the
testimony"F1"Super rosa testimonii"
Tigurine
version; "super flore testimonii"
Musculus. ; and be applied to the
Gospel
the testimony of our Lord Jesus
the pure
lily white
and unblemished
testimony it bears to him
his person
office
and grace; and particularly to
salvation as alone in him
and to which witness is borne in this psalm
Psalm 60:11. This
psalm is a "michtam"
or golden psalm of David
and its use is
"to teach". It is of the instructive kind
and teaches where help and
salvation are to be expected; see Colossians 3:16; it
was written when David "strove"
or fought
with Aramnaharaim
the
Syrians of Mesopotamia
which lay between the two rivers
Tigris and Euphrates
from whence is the name; hence the Septuagint render it Mesopotamia of Syria;
and the Targum is
"he
made war with Aram
which is by Euphrates;'
and
at the same time David also fought with Aramzobah
or the Syrians of Zobah
as
they are called in 2 Samuel 10:6; with
JosephusF2Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. s. 1. and l. 8. c. 7. s. 6.
Zobah is
the same with Sophene; but wrongly
as is thought by learned menF3Vid.
Hudson. Not in ibid. : for though this is a name which some part of Syria goes
by in MelaF4De Orbis Situ
l. 1. c. 6. ; and PtolemyF5Geograph.
l. 5. c. 13. makes mention of a place of this name; yet that was beyond
Euphrates
and in Armenia; whereas this must be nearer the land of Israel; for
it is saidF6Gloss. in T. Bab. Cetubot
fol. 25. 1. that Aramzobah is
the country of Syria
which David subdued
and joined to the land of Israel;
concerning which the Jews so often say
that in some things it was the same
with it: according to HillerusF7Onomast. Sacr. p. 586.
it is the
same country which the Arabians call Kinnosrina
the chief city of which is
Haleb
or Aleppo; and R. Benjamin TudelensisF8Itimerar. p. 59.
making mention of Haleb
says
this is Aramzobah. Moreover
this psalm was
written "when Joab returned
and smote of Edom in the valley of salt
twelve thousand"; the "valley of salt" was near the Dead Sea
and upon the borders of Idumea; the battle fought here by Joab was either the
same with the former
or different from it
at or about the same time; and
accounts seemingly different from this are given in 2 Samuel 8:13; in
the first of these the number is said to be eighteen thousand Syrians
and the
victory is ascribed to David; and in the latter the same number as there
but
said to be Edomites
as here
and the slaughter ascribed to Abishai. The note
of R. AbendanaF9In Miclol Yophi in loc.
for the reconciling of
this
is worth transcribing: Our Rabbins of blessed memory say there were two
battles; that Abishai
the son of Zeruiah
slew eighteen thousand
and after
that Joab came and smote of them twelve thousand; and this is what is said; and
"Joab returned"
&c. the sense is
he returned after Abishai: and
in the book of Samuel the battle is ascribed to David
because he was the root
or chief (that is
under whom Joab and Abishai fought); but R. David Kimchi
writes
that there were between them all eighteen thousand only; that Abishai
began the battle
and smote of them six thousand
and after that Joab returned
and smote of them twelve thousand; but of a truth the wise R. Joel Ben Sueb
gives the right sense of this affair
which is this; when David was fighting
with the Syrians of Naharaim and Zobah
it was told him that Edom was come out
to meet him
and help the Syrians; and then he veiled himself in prayer
and
said this psalm; and Joab returned from the army
and went to meet the
Edomites
that they might not pass over to help the Syrians
and join them
and
he smote of them twelve thousand; and David was left fighting with the Syrians
of Naharaim and Zobah
and subdued them under him
and he turned to help Joab;
and Abishai
the son of Zeruiah was over the army
and he smote of them eighteen
thousand
and they were in all thirty thousand
according to our Rabbins of
blessed memory; and the text in 2 Samuel 8:13;
should be inverted and explained thus;
"when
he returned from smiting the Syrians
he got him in the valley of salt a name;
for his fame went abroad
because he smote there eighteen thousand
and this
was in Edom.'
The
Targum very wrongly renders it
"and
there fell of the armies of David and Joab twelve thousand.'
The
title of this psalm
in the Syriac version
is
"which
David gave out
saying
if I should come into the hands of Saul
I shall
perish; and he fled
and those that were with him: but to us it declares the
conversion of the Gentiles
and the rejection of the Jews.'
The
former part of which is quite foreign; but the latter seems to be right; for
reference is had to both in this psalm
and to Christ
the banner displayed
or
ensign lifted up
and to his dominion over Jews and Gentiles in the latter day
and to that salvation which is alone in him.
Psalm 60:1 O
God
You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh
restore us again!
YLT
1O God
Thou hadst cast us
off
Thou hadst broken us -- hadst been angry! -- Thou dost turn back to us.
O God
thou hast cast us off
.... What is said in this
verse
and Psalm 60:2
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 they obtained
over them
when Saul and his sons were slain; and to the civil wars between the
house of Saul and David; but rather the whole belongs to future times
which
David
by a prophetic spirit
was led to on the occasion of the victory
obtained
when before this the nation had been in bad circumstances. This
refers to the casting off of the Jews as a church and nation
when they had
rejected the Messiah and killed him
persecuted his apostles
and despised his
Gospel; of which see Romans 11:15;
thou hast scattered us; as they were by the
Romans among the various nations of the world
and among whom they are
dispersed to this day; or "thou hast broken us"F11פרצתנו "rupisti nos"
Montanus
Michaelis;
"disrupisti"
Gejerus; so Ainsworth.
as in Psalm 80:12; not
only the walls of their city were broken by the battering rams of the Romans
but their commonwealth
their civil state
were broke to pieces by them. Jarchi
applies this to the Romans; his note is this;
"when
Edom fell by his hand (David's)
he foresaw
by the Holy Ghost
that the Romans
would rule over Israel
and decree hard decrees concerning them;'
thou hast been displeased; not only with their
immorality and profaneness
with their hypocrisy and insincerity
with their
will worship and superstition
and the observance of the traditions of their
elders; but also with their rejection of the Messiah
and contempt of his
Gospel and ordinances;
O turn thyself to us again; which prayer will be
made by them
when they shall become sensible of their sins
and of their state
and condition
and shall turn unto the Lord; and when he will turn himself to
them
and turn away iniquity from them
and all Israel shall be saved
Romans 11:25; or
"thou wilt return unto us"F12תשובב
לנו "reverteris ad nos"
Pagninus
Montanus; "reduces ad nos"
Gussetius
p. 836. ; who before were cast
off
broken
and he was displeased with; or others to us.
Psalm 60:2 2 You have made the earth
tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches
for it is shaking.
YLT
2Thou hast caused the land
to tremble
Thou hast broken it
Heal its breaches
for it hath moved.
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 HeathensF13A.
Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 2. c. 28. were of opinion that all earthquakes were of
God. This respects not the whole earth
but the land of Israel only; and so the
Targum
"thou
hast moved the land of Israel
thou hast shaken and rent it;'
and
it does not design a natural earthquake in it
but a figurative one; a shaking
and rending of their civil and church state; see Hebrews 12:26;
heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh; which will be
done in the latter day
when they shall return into their own land
and be
restored as at the beginning
Isaiah 30:30.
Psalm 60:3 3 You have shown Your people
hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion.
YLT
3Thou hast shewn Thy people
a hard thing
Thou hast caused us to drink wine of trembling.
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 Lord's by profession
who called themselves so
though now
a "loammi"
Hosea 1:9; and
these were hard things to flesh and blood
yet no other than what they
deserved;
thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment; or "of
trembling"F14תרעלה
"tremoris"
Musculus
Vatablus
Amama; "trepidationis"
Michaelis; "horroris"
Gejerus.
Isaiah 51:17; that
is
to endure such troubles as made them tremble
and astonished and stupefied
them; took away their senses
and made them unfit for anything
being smitten
with madness
blindness
and astonishment of heart
as is threatened them
Deuteronomy 28:28;
see Romans 11:7.
Psalm 60:4 4 You have given a banner to
those who fear You
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah
YLT
4Thou hast given to those
fearing thee an ensign. To be lifted up as an ensign Because of truth. Selah.
Thou hast given a banner
.... The word נס is
by Jarchi
taken to signify "temptation"
or "trial"F15So Yalkut Simconi in loc. par. 2. fol. 103.
1. ; 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 of the distresses of the people of
Israel; but they are rather to be considered as declaring a peculiar blessing
and favour bestowed upon some among them
who are here described
when the rest
were involved in the greatest calamities
signified by a "banner" or
"ensign" given them; by which is meant
not so much David literally
and the victory he obtained over the Syrians and Edomites
of which the banner
displayed might be a token; but the Messiah
who is said to be given for a
banner
or set up as an ensign for the people
Isaiah 11:10; for
the gathering of them to him
to prepare them for war
and animate them to
fight the good fight of faith
and oppose every enemy; to direct where they
should stand to be on duty
where they should go
and whom they should follow;
and is expressive of the victory over sin
Satan
and the world
they have
through him: and this is given
to them that fear thee; who have the grace of
fear put into their hearts; who fear the Lord and his goodness
and serve him
with reverence and godly fear; who worship him both inwardly and outwardly
in
spirit and in truth
whether among Jews or Gentiles
though the former may be
chiefly intended; such as old Simeon
Anna the prophetess
and others
to whom
Christ was made known; and especially the apostles of Christ
and those to whom
their ministry became useful; whose business it was to display this banner
set
up this ensign
and hold out this flag; as it follows:
that it may be displayed because of the truth; not because
of the truth of Abraham
as the Targum; nor because of the truth
sincerity
and uprightness
of those that fear the Lord; but because of his own truth and
faithfulness in the performance of his promises made concerning the displaying
of this banner; or the sending of his son into the world
and the preaching of
his Gospel in it; see Romans 15:8.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psalm 3:2.
Psalm 60:5 5 That Your beloved may be
delivered
Save with Your right hand
and hear me.
YLT
5That Thy beloved ones may
be drawn out
Save [with] Thy right hand
and answer us.
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 Psalm 60:4
which
makes so full a stop; rather they are to be considered in construction with the
following clause. By the Lord's "beloved" ones are meant
not so much
the people of Israel
who were loved and chosen by the Lord above all people on
the face of the earth
as the elect of God
both among Jews and Gentiles
who
are the chosen of God
and precious
and are loved of him with a free
sovereign
everlasting
and unchangeable love: these are the beloved of Father
Son
and Spirit; who
falling into a state of condemnation and death in Adam
and being under the power of sin
and involved in the guilt and faith of it;
and being fallen into the hands of many enemies
sin
Satan
and the world;
stood in need of deliverance out of all this
which they could not work out of
themselves
nor any creature for them; wherefore
that they might be delivered
the following request is made;
save with thy right hand; from sin
the cause of
damnation; from the law
which threatens with condemnation and death; from
Satan
that would devour and destroy; and from all their enemies; from wrath to
come
from hell and the second death; or from going down to the pit of
corruption. The persons for whom this petition is put up are not only David
himself
but all the beloved ones; and these God has appointed unto salvation;
Christ is the Saviour of them
and to them salvation is applied in due time by
the Spirit
and in a little while they will be in the full possession of it:
and this is wrought out by the "right hand" of the Lord; either by
his mighty power
the saving strength of his right hand
who is mighty to save;
or by his Son
the man of his right hand
made strong for himself
who able to
save to the uttermost; and by whom God has determined to save
and does save
all his people; or the words may be rendered
"save thy right hand
thy
Benjamins"F16הושיעה ימינך. who are as near and dear to thee as thy right hand
being his mystical self
to whom salvation is brought by him
Isaiah 63:1;
and hear me; in so doing
he suggests he would hear and answer him his
prayers would be ended and accomplished; this being the sum of them
his own
salvation
and the salvation of the Lord's beloved ones. The "Cetib"
or writing of this clause
is
"hear us"; the "Keri"
or
reading of it
"hear me".
Psalm 60:6 6 God has spoken in His
holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of
Succoth.
YLT
6God hath spoken in His
holiness: I exult -- I apportion Shechem
And the valley of Succoth I measure
God hath spoken in his holiness
.... Or "in his holy
place"F17בקדשו "in sanctuario
suo"
Tigurine version
Vatablus; "in sancto suo"
V. L.
Musculus
Cocceius. ; 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 mercy seat: or "by his Holy
Ones"
as the Arabic version; by his holy prophets
Samuel and Nathan
by
whom he spoke to David concerning the kingdom; and by his Holy Spirit dictating
this psalm
and the rest unto him; and by his Son
his Holy One
by whom he has
spoken in these last times unto his people
to which this psalm has reference:
or it may be understood of the perfection of his holiness in which he has
spoken
and by which he has swore; not only to David literally
concerning the
extent of his dominion
the perpetuity and stability of it; but to David's son
and antitype
the Messiah
concerning his seed
possession
and inheritance
Psalm 89:19;
I will rejoice; at the holiness of the Lord
which is
matter of joy to the saints
especially as the is displayed and glorified in
salvation by Christ
Psalm 97:12; and at
what he said in his holiness to David
concerning his temporal kingdom
and the
duration of it; because he knew that what he said he would perform; and at what
was spoken to him by the Messiah
in council and covenant
concerning his
seeing his seed
and prolonging his days; which was the joy set before him
which carried him through his sorrows and sufferings
Hebrews 12:2;
wherefore he believed his kingdom should be enlarged
both among Jews and
Gentiles
as follows;
I will divide Shechem; a city in Mount Ephraim
Joshua 20:7; and so
was in the hands of Ishbosheth the son of Saul; as the valley of Succoth
Gilead
Ephraim
and Manasseh
after mentioned
and all the tribes of Israel
were
but Judah
2 Samuel 2:4; but
because of God's promise
David believed that they would be all in his
possession; signified by dividing
as a land is divided for an inheritance when
conquered
Joshua 13:7; or
this is said in allusion to the dividing of spoils in a conquered place; and so
the Targum
"I
will divide the prey with the children of Joseph
that dwell in Shechem;'
and
as Shechem was the same with Sychar
near to which our Lord met with the
Samaritan woman
and converted her
and many others of that place
then might
he be said to divide the spoils there
John 4:5;
and mete out the valley of Succoth; with a measuring line
so taking possession of it
2 Samuel 8:2;
Succoth was near to Shechem
Genesis 33:17; and
was in the tribe of Gad
and in a valley
Joshua 13:27; there
was a Succoth in the plain of Jordan
1 Kings 7:46; it
signifies booths
tents
or tabernacles
and may mystically signify the
churches of Christ
wherein he dwells and exercises his dominion.
Psalm 60:7 7 Gilead is Mine
and
Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is
My lawgiver.
YLT
7Mine [is] Gilead
and mine
[is] Manasseh
And Ephraim [is] the strength of my head
Judah [is] my
lawgiver
Gilead is mine
.... This is particularly
mentioned
because over this Abner made Ishbosheth king
2 Samuel 2:9; and
is the place to which the Jews shall be brought in the latter day
when
converted
Zechariah 10:10; It
was a country that abounded with pastures fit for feeding cattle
Numbers 32:1
and
may point out those green pastures where Christ makes his flocks to lie down
and rest;
and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength
of mine head: these two were also under Saul's son when David first came to
the throne
but afterwards became his
as was promised him
and he believed
2 Samuel 2:9. And
the concord and harmony of the people of God among themselves
and under David
their Prince
the King Messiah
are signified and Ephraim being one in the hand
of the by the ceasing of the envy of the one
and of the vexation of the other
Ezekiel 37:19;
Ephraim was more numerous and populous than Manasseh
and abounded with mighty
men
which are the strength of a prince
and therefore called here the strength
of his head;
Judah is my lawgiver; manifestly referring to Genesis 49:10;
which furnished out persons fit to be counsellors in enacting laws
and proper
to be employed in the execution of them. The great Lawgiver is Christ himself
who came of this tribe
Isaiah 33:22; All
this is expressive of dominion over the whole land of Judea
Ephraim
and
Manasseh
with the places mentioned with them; the house of Joseph being
as
Aben Ezra observes
in the north part of it
and Judah in the south. Next
mention is made of the subjection of the Gentiles
and dominion over them.
Psalm 60:8 8 Moab is My washpot;
Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia
shout in triumph because of Me.”
YLT
8Moab [is] my pot for
washing
over Edom I cast my shoe
Shout
concerning me
O Philistia.
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 2 Samuel 8:2; and
as the words may be rendered
"the pot of my washing"F18סיר רחצי "olla lotionis
meae"
Pagninus
Montanus
Michaelis
Gejerus; so Tigurine version
Musculus
Vatablus. . Great numbers of the Moabites might be at this time
servants to the Israelites
and to David and his court particularly; and might
be employed
as the Gibeonites were
to be drawers of water
to fill their
pots
in which they washed their hands and feet
and their bathing vessels
in
which they bathed themselves: Aben Ezra explains it
"I
wilt wash their land as a pot;'
and
so may not only signify the very great subjection of the Gentiles
even the
chief among them
to Christ and his church
Isaiah 49:23; but
as Moab was begotten and born in uncleanness
and his posterity an unclean
generation
it may design the washing
cleansing
sanctifying
and justifying
of the Gentiles in the name of Christ
and by his Spirit
1 Corinthians 6:11;
over Edom will I cast out my shoe; as a token of possessing
their land
4:7; so some; or of subduing them;
putting the feet on which the shoe is upon the necks of them
Joshua 10:24. So
Kimchi interprets it
"the
treading of my foot;'
to
which the Targum agrees
paraphrasing it thus;
"upon
the joint of the neck of the mighty men of Edom I have cast my shoe.'
It
may allude to a customF19Elias in Tishbi
fol. 267. in confirming a
bargain
or taking possession
to pluck off the shoe in token of it
נעלי may be rendered "my glove"; as it is by the
Targum on 4:7; for
as the shoe encloses and binds
the foot
so the glove the hand: and the allusion may be thought to be to a
custom used by kings
when they sat down before any strong city to besiege it
to throw in a glove into the city; signifying they would never depart from the
city until they had took it. Hence the custom
which still continues
of
sending a glove to a person challenged to fight. And indeed the custom of
casting a shoe was used by the emperor of the Abyssines
as a sign of dominionF20R.
Immanuel apud Castell. Lex. Polygott. col. 2342. . Take the phrase in every
light
it signifies victory and power; that he should be in Edom as at home
and there pluck off his shoe
and cast it upon him; either to carry it after
him
as some think
which was the work of a servant
to which the Baptist
alludes
Matthew 3:11; or
rather to clean it for him; for as Moab was his washpot
to wash his hands and
feet
in Edom was his shoe cleaner
to wipe off and remove the dirt and dust
that was upon themF21Vid. Bynaeum de Calceis Heb. l. 2. c. 8.
Gusset. Ebr. Comment p. 520. ; all which denotes great subjection: and this was
fulfilled in David
2 Samuel 8:14; and
may refer to the spread of the Gospel in the Gentile world
and the power
accompanying that to the subduing of many sinners in it
carried thither by
those whose feet were shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;
Philistia
triumph thou because of me: some take
this to be an ironic expression
like that in Ecclesiastes 11:9;
so R. Moses in Aben Ezra
and also Kimchi. Triumph now as thou usedst to do
or
if thou canst: but rather they are seriously spoken
seeing they had reason to
rejoice and be glad
because they had changed hands and masters for the better
being subject to David
2 Samuel 8:1
with
this compare Psalm 108:9
and
may very well be applied to the Gentiles
subdued and conquered by Christ
who
triumph in him; and because delivered out of the hands of sin
Satan
and the
world
through his victorious arms.
Psalm 60:9 9 Who will bring me to
the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom?
YLT
9Who doth bring me [to] a
city of bulwarks? Who hath led me unto Edom?
Who will bring me into the strong city?.... Which
some understand of Rabbah of the Ammonites
which Joab besieged
and sent to
David to come and take it in person
2 Samuel 12:26. The
Targum interprets it of Tyre
which was a strong fortified city
Ezekiel 26:4. It
rather seems to be the same with Edom
or the metropolis of the Edomites; since
it follows:
who will lead me into Edom? which was situated in
the clefts of the rock
and on the height of the hill
Jeremiah 49:16; but
is mystically to be understood of the city of Rome
the great and mighty city
as it is often called in the book of the Revelation
Revelation 11:8;
whose destruction is certain
being predicted; and after which there have been
desires raised in the hearts of God's people in all ages; and particularly just
before the time God will put it into the hearts of the kings of the earth to
burn it with fire; who are here represented by David
as desirous of entering
into it in triumph to destroy it
Revelation 17:16.
Psalm 60:10 10 Is it
not You
O God
who cast us off? And You
O God
who did not go
out with our armies?
YLT
10Is it not Thou
O God? hast
Thou cast us off? And dost Thou not go forth
O God
with our hosts!
Wilt not thou
O
God?.... 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. He
has foretold the destruction of the Romish antichrist; he has said it shall be:
he is faithful to his purposes
predictions
and promises; he is able to effect
it; strong is the Lord that judgeth Babylon
Revelation 18:10;
He will put it into the hearts of the kings of the earth to hate her; he will
encourage them to reward her double; he will give her blood to drink
because
she is worthy; her destruction will be according to his righteous judgment
and
will be irretrievable; he will call upon all his people to rejoice at it
whose
shoutings on this occasion will be like those of persons that enter into a
conquered city in triumph;
which hadst cast us
off; who seemed in former times to have cast off his people
when
they were killed all the day long; accounted as sheep for the slaughter; were
slain in great numbers in the Low Countries; burnt here in England; massacred
in France and Ireland: especially God seemed to have cast off his people
and
to have had no regard to his interest
when antichrist so prevailed
that all
the world wondered after the beast;
and thou
O God
which didst not go forth with our
armies: but suffered the antichristian beast to make war with the
saints
and to overcome and kill them; and which was the case in many pitched
battles with the Waldenses and Albigenses before the Reformation
and with the
Protestants in Germany since. But this will not be always the case; he whose
name is the Word of God
the King of kings
and Lord of lords
will fight with
the antichristian powers
and overcome them
and make his people more than
conquerors over them; and his having formerly seemed to have cast them off
and
not going forth with their armies
will serve as a foil to set off the glorious
and complete victory that will at last be obtained.
Psalm 60:11 11 Give us help from trouble
For the help of man is useless.
YLT
11Give to us help from
adversity
And vain [is] the deliverance of man.
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 share of them
which are certain to them by the
appointment of God
and the legacy of Christ; though they are needful and for
their good
and lie in their way to heaven. But perhaps here is particularly
meant the time of trouble
which will be a little before the destruction of
antichrist; which will be great
and none like it; will be the time of Jacob's
trouble
though he shall be saved out of it
Jeremiah 30:7. This
will be the time of the slaying of the witnesses
the hour of temptation
that
will try the inhabitants of the Christian world; and when the saints
as they
do in all their times of trouble
will seek to the Lord for help
in whom it
is
and who has promised it
and gives it seasonably
and which is owing wholly
to his own grace and goodness; and therefore it is asked that he would
"give" it;
for vain is the help of man: or "the salvation
of man"F23תשועת אדם
"salus hominis"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c. ; man himself is a
vain thing; vanity itself
yea
lighter than vanity; even man at his best
state
and the greatest among men; and therefore it is a vain thing to expect
help and salvation from men
for indeed there is none in them; only in the Lord
God is the salvation of his people
both temporal and spiritual.
Psalm 60:12 12 Through God we will do
valiantly
For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.[b]
YLT
12In God we do mightily
And
He treadeth down our adversaries!
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; and who
in his name and strength
will get the
victory over all their enemies
the beast
false prophets
and kings of the
earth
and all under them; see Revelation 19:11;
for he it is that shall tread down our enemies; as mire in
the street
or as grapes in a winepress; even kings
captains
mighty men
and
all the antichristian nations and states; the beast
false prophet
and Satan
himself
Revelation 19:15;
and so there will be an end of all the enemies of Christ and his people; after
which they will spend an endless eternity together
in joy
peace
and
pleasure. The victory is wholly ascribed to God the Word; it is not they that
shall do valiantly
that shall tread down their enemies; but he by whom they
shall do valiantly shall do it; even the mighty הוא
"He"
to whom was promised
in Eden's garden
the bruising the head
of the serpent
and all enemies
Genesis 3:15; and
who has the same name here as there.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)