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Psalm 60

Sacred song from the Hebrew Bible From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Psalm 60
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Psalm 60 is the 60th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 59. In Latin, it is known as "Deus reppulisti nos et destruxisti nos".[1][2] It is addressed "to the chief Musician upon Shushan Eduth",[3] referring to the title of a song, presumably identifying the intended melody, mentioned only here and in Psalm 80,[4] and described as "a Michtam of David, when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand."[5] The heading text in the Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible Revised Edition refers to Aram-Zobah,[6][7] whereas in the New King James Version the reference is to Zobah.[8] The psalm has been called a psalm of communal lament.

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The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.

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Geographical imagery

In verse 8, many writers consider "Moab is my washbowl" to refer to the Dead Sea in the vicinity of Moab, and "Upon Edom I will toss my sandal" is viewed as Edom becoming a humble servant, such as a servant who would clean a master's sandals. Commentaries expressing this view include Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible,[9] Charles Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers and the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges.[10] Psalm 108 also uses the imagery of tossing a sandal upon Edom.[11] Barnes refers to "an allusion in the expression 'I will cast out my shoe', to the custom, when transferring a possession, of throwing down a shoe on the ground as a symbol of occupancy".[9]

Herod was an Idumean, an Edomite, ruling over the Jews in his day. Some commentators, such as Ray Vander Laan in "In the Shadow of Herod", would view this promise pointing to a victory of the Jews over Edom similar to other promises that Esau (the father of the Idumeans) would serve Jacob and ultimately not fulfilled until Christ.[12]

The "Valley of Salt" is also referred to as the "Valley of Saltpits".[13]

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Uses

Jewish liturgy

In Jewish liturgy, the psalm is recited on Shushan Purim.[14] Verse 7 is part of the closing paragraph of the Amidah.[15]

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the 11th day of the month.[16]

Other uses

Actor Stephen Fry uses the phrase Moab Is My Washpot for the title of his autobiography covering his early years.[17]

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Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 60 in a metred version in German, "Ach Gott, der du vor dieser Zeit", SWV 157, as part of the Becker Psalter, first published in 1628.

Text

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The following table shows the Hebrew text[18][19] of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint[20] and the English translation from the King James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and the Masoretic text come from different textual traditions.[note 1] In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 59.

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Notes

  1. A 1917 translation directly from Hebrew to English by the Jewish Publication Society can be found here or here, and an 1844 translation directly from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton can be found here. Both translations are in the public domain.
  1. In the Jewish verse numbering, the ascription of this psalm is verses 1 and 2, and the rest of the psalm begins from verse 3. However, the Christian verse numbering does not count the ascription.
  2. Shushan Eduth, meaning "Lily of Testimony", may have been the name of a particular tune or style.[21]
  3. This is recorded in 2 Samuel 8.
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See also

References

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