Psalm 60:1
You have rejected us, O God; You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us!
You have rejected us, O God
The Hebrew root for "rejected" is "zanach," which conveys a sense of casting aside or forsaking. This phrase reflects a deep sense of abandonment felt by the Israelites, who believed that God had turned away from them. Historically, this could be linked to a period of military defeat or national crisis, possibly during King David's reign when Israel faced formidable enemies. Theologically, it underscores the covenant relationship between God and His people, where divine favor is contingent upon Israel's faithfulness. The plea acknowledges God's sovereignty and the reality of divine discipline, urging believers to introspect and realign with God's will.

You have broken us
The term "broken" comes from the Hebrew "parats," meaning to break through or burst. This imagery suggests not just physical defeat but a profound spiritual and communal fracture. In the historical context, this could refer to the disarray and vulnerability experienced by Israel during times of conquest or internal strife. Spiritually, it serves as a metaphor for the brokenness that sin and disobedience bring into the lives of believers. It is a call to recognize human frailty and the need for divine intervention to restore wholeness.

You have been angry
The Hebrew word for "angry" is "anaph," indicating a deep, righteous indignation. This phrase acknowledges God's holiness and justice, which cannot tolerate sin and rebellion. The anger of God is not capricious but is a response to covenant unfaithfulness. Historically, this reflects the periods when Israel's idolatry and moral failures led to divine chastisement. For contemporary believers, it is a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the importance of repentance and seeking God's mercy.

restore us!
The plea for restoration uses the Hebrew "shub," which means to return or bring back. This is a hopeful and faith-filled request for God to renew and heal the relationship with His people. It implies repentance and a desire to return to a state of favor and blessing. In the broader biblical narrative, restoration is a recurring theme, pointing to God's redemptive plan through Christ. For believers, it is an assurance that no matter how far one has strayed, God's grace is sufficient to restore and renew. This phrase encapsulates the hope and trust in God's unfailing love and the promise of renewal for those who seek Him earnestly.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The author of the psalm, traditionally believed to be King David, who often wrote psalms during times of distress and national crisis.

2. Israel
The nation of Israel is the primary subject of the psalm, experiencing a period of divine rejection and seeking restoration.

3. God
The central figure to whom the psalm is addressed, highlighting His sovereignty and the need for His favor and restoration.

4. Military Defeat
The context of the psalm suggests a backdrop of military defeat or national calamity, prompting a plea for divine intervention.

5. Restoration
The desired outcome of the psalm, where the people seek to be restored to God's favor and protection.
Teaching Points
Understanding Divine Discipline
Recognize that God's rejection or discipline is often a response to sin or disobedience. It is crucial to examine our lives and repent where necessary.

The Importance of Repentance
True restoration begins with acknowledging our failures and turning back to God with a contrite heart.

God’s Sovereignty in Trials
Even in times of distress, God remains sovereign. Trust in His ultimate plan and purpose, even when circumstances seem dire.

The Power of Prayer for Restoration
Like David, we should boldly approach God in prayer, seeking His mercy and restoration in our lives and communities.

Hope in God’s Unfailing Love
Despite moments of divine anger, God’s love and desire to restore His people remain steadfast. Hold onto hope in His promises.
Bible Study Questions
1. What might have caused God to reject and break Israel, and how can we apply this understanding to our personal lives today?

2. How does the theme of divine discipline in Psalm 60:1 relate to the broader account of Israel’s history in the Old Testament?

3. In what ways can we seek restoration in our relationship with God when we feel distant or rejected?

4. How does the plea for restoration in Psalm 60:1 connect with the New Testament teachings on repentance and forgiveness?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced a "breaking" in your life. How did you seek God’s restoration, and what was the outcome?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Samuel 8
Provides historical context for the military campaigns of David, which may relate to the backdrop of Psalm 60.

Psalm 44
Another psalm that reflects on divine rejection and the plea for God’s intervention, showing a similar theme of seeking restoration.

Isaiah 54:7-8
Speaks of God’s momentary anger and the promise of everlasting kindness, paralleling the plea for restoration in Psalm 60.

Lamentations 5:21
A call for restoration to God, echoing the themes of repentance and renewal found in Psalm 60.
A Psalm of DefeatJ. Stalker.Psalm 60:1-12
Assurance in PrayerC. Short Psalm 60:1-12
Despondency and its AntidoteW. Forsyth Psalm 60:1-12
People
Aram, David, Edomites, Joab, Manasseh, Psalmist, Syrians
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Angry, 60, Aram, Aram-naharaim, Aramzobah, Aram-zobah, Broken, Burst, Cast, Chief, Choirmaster, Covenant, David, Death, Defenses, Directions, Displeased, Edom, Edomites, Eduth, Fighting, Forth, Fought, Gt, Hadst, Hast, Instruction, Joab, Killed, Leader, Lily, Lt, Mesopotamia, Michtam, Miktam, Music, Musician, Music-maker, Naharaim, O, Oh, Overseer, Poem, Rejected, Restore, Return, Returned, Salt, Scattered, Secret, Shushan, Shushan-eduth, Smiteth, Smote, Striving, Strove, Struck, Syrians, Teach, Teaching, Testimony, Thousand, Thyself, Treasure, Tune, Turn, Turneth, Twelve, Valley, Zobah
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 60:

     4446   flowers
     4472   lily
     5088   David, character
     5420   music
     5607   warfare, examples

Psalm 60:1-3

     6115   blame

Library
Moab is My Washpot
What does Moab represent to you and to me? We are the children of Israel by faith in Christ, and in him we have obtained by covenant a promised land. Our faith may cry, "I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valles of Succoth." All things are ours in Christ Jesus; "Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine." Now Moab was outside of Canaan. It was not given to Israel as a possession, but in course of time it was subdued in warfare, and became tributary to the Jewish king. Even thus our faith overcometh
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

That we must not Believe Everyone, and that we are Prone to Fall in Our Words
Lord, be thou my help in trouble, for vain is the help of man.(1) How often have I failed to find faithfulness, where I thought I possessed it. How many times I have found it where I least expected. Vain therefore is hope in men, but the salvation of the just, O God, is in Thee. Blessed be thou, O Lord my God, in all things which happen unto us. We are weak and unstable, we are quickly deceived and quite changed. 2. Who is the man who is able to keep himself so warily and circumspectly as not
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Dialogue i. --The Immutable.
Orthodoxos and Eranistes. Orth.--Better were it for us to agree and abide by the apostolic doctrine in its purity. But since, I know not how, you have broken the harmony, and are now offering us new doctrines, let us, if you please, with no kind of quarrel, investigate the truth. Eran.--We need no investigation, for we exactly hold the truth. Orth.--This is what every heretic supposes. Aye, even Jews and Pagans reckon that they are defending the doctrines of the truth; and so also do not only the
Theodoret—The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret

Vehicles of Revelation; Scripture, the Church, Tradition.
(a) The supreme and unique revelation of God to man is in the Person of the Incarnate Son. But though unique the Incarnation is not solitary. Before it there was the divine institution of the Law and the Prophets, the former a typical anticipation (de Incarn. 40. 2) of the destined reality, and along with the latter (ib. 12. 2 and 5) for all the world a holy school of the knowledge of God and the conduct of the soul.' After it there is the history of the life and teaching of Christ and the writings
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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