Chapter 60 After many psalms which David penned in a day of distress this comes which was calculated for a day of triumph; it was penned after he was settled in the throne, upon occasion of an illustrious victory which God blessed his forces with over the Syrians and Edomites; it was when David was in the zenith of his prosperity, and the affairs of his kingdom seem to have been in a better posture then ever they were either before or after.Psalm 60. (This is) for the music leader. (He must use) “A *Lily of the *Covenant”. (Psalm 60) is a *miktam of David. It was to teach how: · he fought armies in Mesopotamia · he fought armies in Syria · he sent Joab to Edom, where he killed 12 000 people in the Valley of Salt.
The promise of Military victoryNot only does the superscription of Psalm 60 place this psalm precisely, but so also does the text of the psalm itself. Most psalms intentionally use very general language, reffering to unspecified “enemies” In Contrast, psalm 60 names particular surrourding kingdoms, the nations that David conquered, in its superscription and text.
The psalm expresses the hope that God will bring future victory over enemies {Psalm 60:12} In ch. 18 the Chronicler summarized Davids victories over Phillista, Moab, Aram (Syria)and Edom with the report that the Lord preserved David wherever he went ( 1 Chronicles 18:13 He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. ) In the final account of Davids wars with the Ammonites, Philistines, and descendants of the giant ( 1 Chroinicle 19 & 20 ~ David Defeats the Ammonites Chapter 19 ~ In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king. David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?” So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away. When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.” When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maakah and Zobah. They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle. On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country. Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.” Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem. After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army. When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.
“The Capture of Rabbah”
1 Chroinicle Chapter 20
In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. David took the crown from the head of their king, its weight was found to be a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
“War With the Philistines”
In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated. In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod. In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
Psalm 60:1-12
O’ God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shakes’. Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me. God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; Moab is my wash~pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
Father God, I know from experience that there are many alcoholic husbands that abuse their wives or visa versa, both physically and emotionally and that many children are also placed in danger due to abuse from an alcoholic father or mother. And also Lord Jesus, we know that such drinking habits or even drug addiction can often leave families with insufficient money to live on. Some live in the streets. Protect all those that are vulnerable from all forms of abuse, and convict such men and women of the responsibilities of being loving husbands {Wives} and dependable fathers {Mothers}. Lord Jesus , we pray that they turn from their evil ways to turn to You Lord Jesus, knowing that only in You are true freedom found in overcoming hate and turning it into joy, love and compassion. Keep a hedge of angels around all children and Unite family’s and committed them to safety in Your Precious Name Lord Jesus Amen.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Psalm 60:11
"Only Life Changes" 