Psalms 60:2

2 Thou movedest the earth, and thou troubledest it; make thou whole (again) the sorrows thereof, for it is moved. (Thou hast shaken the earth, and thou hast troubled it; but now heal thou its wounds, for it is broken in pieces.)

Psalms 60:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 60:2

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it
As is frequently done by an earthquake; which, whatever natural causes there may be of it, is always to be ascribed to God. The ancient Heathens F13 were of opinion that all earthquakes were of God. This respects not the whole earth, but the land of Israel only; and so the Targum,

``thou hast moved the land of Israel, thou hast shaken and rent it;''

and it does not design a natural earthquake in it, but a figurative one; a shaking and rending of their civil and church state; see ( Hebrews 12:26 Hebrews 12:27 ) ;

heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh;
which will be done in the latter day, when they shall return into their own land, and be restored as at the beginning, ( Isaiah 30:30 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F13 A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 2. c. 28.

Psalms 60:2 In-Context

1 To victory, on the witnessing of (the) rose, the sweet song of David, to teach men, when he fought against Aram of floods, and Syria of Zobah; and Joab turned again, and smote Edom in the valley of salt pits, twelve thousand. God, thou hast put away us, and thou hast destroyed us; thou were wroth, and thou hast done mercy to us. (To victory, on the teaching of the lily, the sweet song of David, to teach men, when he fought against Aramnaharaim, and Aramzobah; and Joab returned, and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of the Salt Pits. God, thou hast cast us away, and thou hast destroyed us; thou were angry, but now, show thou thy mercy to us/show thou us thy mercy.)
2 Thou movedest the earth, and thou troubledest it; make thou whole (again) the sorrows thereof, for it is moved. (Thou hast shaken the earth, and thou hast troubled it; but now heal thou its wounds, for it is broken in pieces.)
3 Thou showedest hard things to thy people; thou gavest drink to us with the wine of compunction. (Thou hast shown thy people hard times; and thou hast made us stagger, as though we were drunk with wine.)
4 Thou hast given a signifying to them that dread thee; that they flee from the face of the bow. (Thou hast given a sign, or a warning, to those who fear thee/to those who revere thee; so that they can flee, or escape, from the face of the bow.)
5 That thy darlings be delivered; make thou safe with thy right hand, and hear thou me. (Save thy dear ones; yea, save thou us with thy right hand, and answer thou me.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.