Life-Study of Psalms, by Witness Lee

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IX. THE PSALMIST’S PRAYER TO GOD
FOR HIS RESTORATION

In Psalm 60 we have the psalmist’s prayer to God for His restoration. This psalm also includes God’s exultation in His promise to His people for the possession of the land and the psalmist’s prayer for God’s deliverance from the adversary.

A. The Psalmist’s Prayer for God’s Restoration

In verses 1 through 5 we have the psalmist’s prayer for God’s restoration. In verse 5 the psalmist prays, "That Your beloved ones may be delivered,/Save with Your right hand, and answer us."

B. God’s Exultation in His Promise to His People
for the Possession of the Land

Verses 6 through 8 are concerned with God’s exultation in His promise to His people for the possession of the land. In verse 6a the psalmist says, "God has spoken in His holiness." The Hebrew word for "holiness" here may also be translated "holy place." In His holiness, or holy place, God said that He would exult, divide Shechem, and measure out the Valley of Succoth. He declared that Gilead and Manasseh are His, that Ephraim is the helmet of His head, that Judah is His scepter, that Moab is His washbowl, that upon Edom He would cast His sandal, and that Philistia should shout aloud because of Him. Here the psalmist expresses his expectation that God will subdue the neighboring nations and restore His people to their possession. Regarding the setting up of the kingdom of God on earth, the psalmist’s expectation can be justified. However, spiritually speaking, it is hard to justify what the psalmist is saying here.

C. The Psalmist’s Prayer
for God’s Deliverance from the Adversary

Verses 9 through 12 are the psalmist’s prayer for God’s deliverance from the adversary. Verses 11 and 12 say, "Give us help from the adversary,/For salvation from man is vain. /In God we will do valiantly,/And it is He who will tread down our adversaries." The psalmist asks that good things will happen to Israel and evil things to the enemies. This is the principle in all these psalms.

(Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 25, by Witness Lee)