לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד לְלַמֵּד

For the chief musician, on shushan edut, meaning literally, “lily of testimony.” This psalm, like those immediately preceding it, was apparently accompanied by an ancient melody. The psalm was written in celebration of major victories in a war, and though the war might not have reached its decisive conclusion, there was already ample reason to give thanks. The psalm is called an instruction by David to teach because in addition to being a prayer, it also teaches of past events.

בְּהַצּוֹתוֹ אֶת אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם וְאֶת אֲרַם צוֹבָה וַיָּשָׁב יוֹאָב וַיַּךְ אֶת אֱדוֹם בְּגֵיא מֶלַח שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אָלֶף

David wrote this psalm when his armies were engaged in active combat on several fronts: He contended with AramNaharayim,at the northernmost border of David’s kingdom, and with Aram Tzova, to the northwest; and Yoav, his general, returned from those wars and smote twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, apparently adjacent to the Dead Sea, or Salt Sea as it is known in Hebrew, to the south. In effect, then, David and his armies were fighting two major wars and won battles on both fronts. The psalm is thus a combination of praise, thanks, and remembrance.

אֱלֹהִים זְנַחְתָּנוּ פְרַצְתָּנוּ אָנַפְתָּ תְּשׁוֹבֵב לָנוּ

God, it appeared to us that You had abandoned us and that You had sundered us. You were angry with us, and we beseeched You to restore us.

הִרְעַשְׁתָּה אֶרֶץ פְּצַמְתָּהּ רְפָה שְׁבָרֶיהָ כִי מָטָה

You had made the land quake; You shattered it, and we prayed: Heal its broken pieces, for it has toppled.

הִרְאִיתָ עַמְּךָ קָשָׁה הִשְׁקִיתָנוּ יַיִן תַּרְעֵלָה

You showed Your people harshness; You gave us poison wine to drink, so to speak. The years prior to the current victories were characterized by difficulties and defeats, with enemies pressing on all sides.

נָתַתָּה לִּירֵאֶיךָ נֵּס לְהִתְנוֹסֵס מִפְּנֵי קֹשֶׁט סֶלָה

Now, however, You have given those who fear You a banner of victory to wave proudly, because of Your truth, Your faithfulness in keeping the ancient covenant that You made with our forefathers. Selah.

לְמַעַן יֵחָלְצוּן יְדִידֶיךָ הוֹשִׁיעָה ימִינְךָ וַעֲנֵנִי

So that Your beloved ones, the people of Israel, be saved, deliver us with Your right hand; answer me.

אֱלֹהִים דִּבֶּר בְּקָדְשׁוֹ אֶעְלֹזָה אֲחַלְּקָה שְׁכֶם וְעֵמֶק סֻכּוֹת אֲמַדֵּד

The psalmist now describes the victories: God spoke to me in His holiness, assuring me of victory; I therefore exulted. I divided Shekhem and measured out the valley of Sukot. Until this point, these regions had been only partially under the rule of Israel; other nations had occupied and fortified portions of them. After David’s victories they fell completely under Israelite control, and he was now able to divide these areas among the people.

לִי גִלְעָד וְלִי מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם מָעוֹז רֹאשִׁי יְהוּדָה מְחֹקְקִי

Israel’s victory in battle was made possible by the fact that the people of Israel were now united behind a single leader: Gilad is mine, and Manasseh, who dwelled in Gilad and the Bashan, is also mine, and Ephraim is my stronghold. Judah is my lawgiver, the one who decides and sets the laws. All of the tribes, even those who had not been on friendly terms with one another, were unified under David’s rule.

מוֹאָב סִיר רַחְצִי עַל אֱדוֹם אַשְׁלִיךְ נַעֲלִי עָלַי פְּלֶשֶׁת הִתְרוֹעָעִי

Moav is my washbasin,an expression of contempt; I will fling my shoe at Edom,an insulting gesture recognized throughout the Middle East. Philistia will be crushed because of me.

מִי יוֹבִלֵנִי עִיר מָצוֹר מִי נָחַנִי עַד אֱדוֹם

Who leads me to besiege the city, who guides me to Edom?

הֲלֹא אַתָּה אֱלֹהִים זְנַחְתָּנוּ וְלֹא תֵצֵא אֱלֹהִים בְּצִבְאוֹתֵינוּ

Is it not You, God, who had previously abandoned us, You, God, who would not go forth with our armies?

הָבָה לָּנוּ עֶזְרָת מִצָּר ושָׁוְא תְּשׁוּעַת אָדָם

But now that You have once again come to our aid, give us help against the foe, for deliverance by man alone is in vain.

בֵּאלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה חָיִל וְהוּא יָבוּס צָרֵינוּ

And if You come to our assistance, we will require no other form of salvation, for with God we will triumph, and He will rout our foes.