Celebrate Recovery – Psalm 60

“To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.” Psalm 60:1

The lily is an emblem of beauty. Triumph blooms as a lily when the Lord gives Israel a military victory over their foes.

In Psalm 60, the Lord teaches us to rely on Him during times of war. During the Reformation era, Martin Luther composed hymns to teach people theology, Scripture, and faith. These hymns replaced complex Latin liturgy with accessible songs, shifting worship toward congregational participation and teaching doctrine through music, particularly on justification by faith. [1]

In 2 Samuel 8:1-8, God gave David victory over the Philistines, the Moabites and the Syrians. David and his men killed 22,000 attacking Syrians in one battle. They confiscated large amounts of gold and bronze from them. They also received ongoing tribute from the Moabites. 2 Samuel 8:13 records that David killed 18,000 Syrians in the Valley of Salt. However, 1 Chronicles 18:12 clarifies that it was Abishai, under David’s command, who led this attack. Besides these 18,000 dead Edomite combatants, the introduction of Psalm 60, records that Joab and his men killed an additional 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. Did Joab and Abishai divide the troops and fight on two fronts? They did! In 2 Samuel 10:9-14, during their very next victory over the Syrians, Joab and Abishai divided the troops between them and attacked from two directions.

“O God, You have cast us off. You have broken us down. You have been displeased. O, restore us again! You have made the earth tremble. You have broken it. Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. You have shown Your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine of confusion. You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah! That Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me.” Psalm 60:1-5

In his book, “Reality, Grief, Hope: Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks,” Walter Brueggemann writes: “The prophetic tasks of the church are to tell the truth in a society that lives in illusion, grieve in a society that practices denial, and express hope in a society that lives in despair.” In his book, “The Prophetic Imagination,” he emphasizes that “without death, there is no resurrection.” God’s prophets urged people to relinquish the wrong way to receive the right way.

Are you familiar with “Celebrate Recovery” (CR)? CR teaches in accordance with Psalm 34:18 that “the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “Admitting powerlessness over ‘hurts, hang-ups, and habits’—is the necessary starting point, or precursor, to finding wholeness, healing, and restoration through Jesus Christ.” [2]

Before David went to war with Israel’s foes, he expressed to God on behalf of his nation their sense of distance, brokenness and rejection. They had seen hard things. They were feeling unstable. They were confused. He wanted God to fly the banner of truth over them so that they would not think that He abandoned them. Then, he straight out asked God to deliver His beloved nation with His right hand – an allusion to Messiah who sits at God’s right hand.

Yes, salvation is of the Lord! Our Lord Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lord must win the battle.

“God has spoken in His holiness: ‘I will rejoice! I will divide Shechem and measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine. Ephraim also is the helmet for My head. Judah is My lawgiver. Moab is My washpot. Over Edom I will cast My shoe. Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.’” Psalm 60:6-8

David rejoiced because God had spoken to him in His holiness – a holiness that never tells lies. God’s Word is a firm foundation for hope and joy for believers. [3]

In Matthew 5:5, Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The Lord placed Shechem and Succoth into David’s hands. The Lord called men from the tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah to help David. Ephraim supplied David with soldiers. Judah supplied David with judges (lawgivers) for his courts of justice. [4] The greatest lawgiver and law keeper in the family line of David is Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

“Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” Psalm 60:9-12

Who could lead David to victory over a strong city and over Edom? The answer was God. At first, when the surrounding nations gathered against Israel to attack them, it appeared that God had forsaken them, but, no, God helped them to do valiantly and to tread down their enemies with a great slaughter.

Though it is God that performs all things for us, yet there is something to be done by us. We are to go forth to battle with strong hope in our hearts that we will return home victoriously. [5] Perhaps, even singing God’s praises as we march towards our enemy. That’s what King David’s descendant – King Jehoshaphat – did. In 2 Chronicles 20:21-22, he sent singers of praise out before his army. They sang, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” As they sang God’s praises, the Lord caused their enemies to turn against each other. God defeated their enemies!

It is through God that we do valiantly. Glory, honor and power be to His holy Name. Amen!



[1] https://www.reformedworship.org/resource/luthers-musical-reformation
[2] https://celebraterecovery.com/
[3] Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid