(60:1) A Just Cause - This psalm gives us information about David's reign not found in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel or 1 and 2 Chronicles. Although the setting of the psalm is found in 2 Samuel 8, that passage makes no reference to the fact that David's forces had met stiff resistance (60:1-3) and apparently even a temporary defeat (60:9-10). Enemies will oppose us because we threaten their evil and selfish way of living; we can pray this psalm when we pursue a just cause and people attack us for doing so. 

(60:3) God's Rejection - Instead of the wine of blessing, God had given the people the wine of his judgment. God's rejection was intended to bring them back to himself. 

(60:4-5) The Lord is Our Banner - God raised a banner, a military signal flag, to show his care for his people who feared and honored him. Today, God's truth is our banner, and the people who belong to God will rally to truth like soldiers to their banner. The apostle John wrote, "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). Let the truth of God's Word stir you to action and rally you to his cause. 

(60:6-12) God is in Control -God said the cities and territories of Israel were his, and he knew the future of each of the nations. When our world seems out of control, we must remember that God owns the cities and knows the future of every nation. If human help were all we had, we would have little choice but to be fearful and defeated. But God rules despite the apparent chaos around us. 

(60:8) the Lord Keeps His Promises - David mentioned the enemy nations that surrounded Israel. Moab lay directly to the east, Edom to the south, and Philistia to the west. At the time this psalm was written, David was fighting Syria to the north. Although he was surrounded by enemies, David remembered that God had promised triumph over those nations. He knew that Israel's future was closely tied to God's reputation of keeping his promises