Chapter Sixty

The psalm was written by David during the persecution from Absalom, when he was already fleeing from Jerusalem. This is pointed to both by the very appeal to God—“Hear, O God, my cry” (Ps 60:2), testifying to the difficult situation of the writer, and by his naming himself king (Ps 60:7), who at that time was not in Jerusalem but far from it (Ps 60:3). David, as king, was persecuted only once, and precisely by Absalom.

Hear, O Lord, my prayer and save me, for I find refuge only in You. Grant me to live forever under Your protection (2–5). You will hear my prayer and will restore to me my inheritance. May the Lord lengthen the days of the king; may he enjoy eternal mercy from God, and then he will thank the Lord with prayers and vows (6–9).

Psalm 60:3. From the end of the earth I cry to You in distress of heart; lead me to a rock that is too high for me, By the “end of the earth” where David was, one can perhaps understand Mahanaim. The writer calls this place the “end of the earth” or border of Palestine to show how distant his present place of residence is from Jerusalem and the temple, which for the devout king was a matter of first necessity: there he could be closer to the Lord and devote himself to prayer before Him. David often calls the Lord a “rock.” To be led to a rock means to be given firm protection.

Psalm 60:5. May I dwell forever in Your house and rest under the shelter of Your wings, “To dwell forever in the house” of God can mean most nearly David’s hope to remain at the tabernacle until the end of his days and to live in Jerusalem, and also the desire to enjoy “forever,” beyond the grave, “closeness to God.”

Psalm 60:6. For You, O God, have heard my vows and have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name. “Have heard,” “have given” are past tenses in place of future (prophetic past). “The inheritance of those who fear Your name”—the Lord preserved for David that inheritance which is promised by Him to those who fear Him. This inheritance is the return to him of the unjustly taken throne. In agreement with verse 5, one can also understand the granting of eternal life beyond the grave as the portion appointed generally for the righteous.

Psalm 60:7. Add days to the days of the king; let his years endure for all generations, “Add days to the days”—lengthen his life, “let his years endure for all generations”—throughout all time that human generations exist. May the name of David be preserved in the generations not in the sense of mere remembrance of him as a historical figure, but in the generations descended from him. Such a descendant was the promised Messiah, the eternal King.

Psalm 60:8. May he dwell forever before God; command mercy and truth to guard him. “To dwell forever before God”—to enjoy eternal mercy, closeness to Him after death.

Psalm 60:9. And I will sing to Your name forever, fulfilling my vows every day. David’s request for mercy from God was accompanied by a promise on his part to “fulfill my vows every day.” Among such vows belongs the daily praise of His name.