The big picture
Psalms 60 opens in verse 1 with “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the…”, and closes in verse 12 with “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” Repeated or prominent terms include Edom, help, armies, astonishment, banner. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 12Psalms 60:1-6
1–6: O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been…
Psalms 60:1–6 opens with “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself…” and reaches “God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by astonishment, banner, beloved.
Context that brings the passage to life
“O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Psalms 60:1-6
King James Version1O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.
2Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
3Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
4Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
5That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
6God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
Psalms 60:7-12
7–12: Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of…
Psalms 60:7–12 opens with “Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my…” and reaches “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by Edom, help, armies.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
Psalms 60:7-12
King James Version7Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
8Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
9Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
10Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?
11Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
12Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 60:1 begins with “O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 60:9 forms a natural hinge: “Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?”
The final note
Psalms 60:12 leaves the reader with “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Edom, help, armies, astonishment, banner, beloved help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.