Psa 60:1 | NETfull | STEP | For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a prayer of David written to instruct others. It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. O God, you have rejected us. You suddenly turned on us in your anger. Please restore us!

Psalms 60:1

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; ^{▼▼ The Hebrew expression means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title.} a prayer ^{▼▼ The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56–59, is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”} of David written to instruct others. ^{▼▼ Heb “to teach.”} It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down ^{▼▼ In Josh 8:21 and Judg 20:48 the two verbs “turn back” and “strike down” are also juxtaposed. There they refer to a military counter-attack.} 12,000 Edomites ^{▼▼ Heb “12,000 of Edom.” Perhaps one should read אֲרַם (’aram, “Aram”) here rather than אֱדוֹם (’edom, “Edom”).} in the Valley of Salt. ^{▼▼ The heading apparently refers to the military campaign recorded in 2 Sam 10 and 1 Chr 19.}

1 O God, you have rejected us. ^{▼▼ You have rejected us. See Pss 43:2; 44:9, 23.}
You suddenly turned on us in your anger. ^{▼▼ Heb “you broke out upon us, you were angry.”}
Please restore us! ^{▼▼ The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s wish or prayer.}