O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The word translated as "scattered" actually carries the stronger meaning of "broken." This isn't just a simple scattering of troops; it paints a picture of a complete rout, a shattering defeat where the very defenses and structure of the nation were broken apart.
O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with a lament following a significant military defeat, likely against the Edomites, which shattered Israel's defenses and left them scattered. The psalmist sees this disaster not as random misfortune, but as a direct consequence of God's anger, prompting a desperate plea for divine restoration.
Have you ever felt like God has turned His back on you? This psalm doesn't shy away from that feeling, but uses powerful language to describe it.
The psalmist opens with an astonishing declaration: 'O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry.' This isn't just a description of defeat; it's an interpretation of that defeat through the lens of God's relationship with His people.
God's Actions as Interpretation
This isn't about God being fickle; it's about the deep consequences of sin within a covenant relationship. When God's people stray, the result is not just external defeat, but an internal sense of being broken and abandoned by the very One who is their strength.
After such a stark confession of God's actions, the psalmist doesn't stay in despair. What is the immediate prayer that follows?
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The first verse climaxes not with continued lament, but with a direct, urgent plea: 'Oh, restore us!' This prayer is the pivot point, shifting from diagnosing the problem to seeking the solution.
The Nature of 'Restore Us'
This prayer isn't a magical incantation, but an expression of dependence. It acknowledges that only God can mend what sin has broken and turn away His righteous anger.
Understand the original words
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The generic term for the divine Being, referring to His power, majesty, and authority as the Creator and Judge of all mankind.
zanach · Hebrew Verb
The act of God withdrawing His favor, covenant presence, or protection from His people due to their disobedience, serving as a form of divine discipline.
anaph · Hebrew Verb
To be filled with righteous indignation against sin; it represents God’s settled opposition to evil and His active, holy response to the covenant unfaithfulness of His people.
shuwb · Hebrew Verb
The act of God bringing His people back into a state of favor, fellowship, or prosperity after a period of divine judgment or exile.
This psalm captures a moment of profound crisis following a military defeat, despite David's earlier string of victories. The lament reveals that even in times of conquest, the people felt vulnerable and keenly aware of their dependence on God's presence and favor.
c. 1000 BC
David's Victories and Syrian Wars
King David achieves significant military victories, subduing surrounding nations like the Arameans (Syrians) of Zobah and Mesopotamia, and the Edomites. This period established Israelite dominance but also involved ongoing conflicts.
c. 1000-995 BC— this verse
Joab's Campaign Against Edom
Joab, David's commander, leads a brutal campaign against the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, reportedly killing 12,000 men. This event likely occurred after initial skirmishes and solidified David's control over the region.
Unknown, possibly shortly after Edomite defeat
Incursion and Defeat
Despite recent victories, Israel suffers a significant military setback. The people feel abandoned and broken, leading the psalmist to cry out to God, suggesting a loss of divine favor and protection.
Reign of Solomon (c. 970-931 BC)
Continued Edomite Resistance
Though David defeated them, the Edomites remained a persistent thorn in Israel's side. During Solomon's reign, an Edomite prince named Hadad escaped to Egypt and later returned to foment rebellion, indicating ongoing conflict.
This passage echoes the same sense of divine abandonment and military defeat, describing how Israel was put to shame and scattered among the nations.
Jeremiah 30:11This verse expresses a similar plea for restoration after God has disciplined His people, stating that while He will 'make a full end of all nations,' He will not 'make a full end' of Israel but will 'correct you justly.'
Luke 21:24Jesus predicts the scattering of Jerusalem and its people among the nations, a fulfillment of the 'scattering' mentioned in the psalm, highlighting a broader pattern of judgment and dispersion for God's people.
Romans 11:15Paul reflects on the rejection of Israel as leading to their being cast off and scattered, but he also points to a future restoration, mirroring the psalm's cry for God to turn back to His people.
Lamentations 5:22This passage directly parallels the lament of Psalms 60:1 by questioning if God has utterly rejected His people, expressing a deep sense of abandonment and asking for renewal of their days.
pulpitPsalms 60:1: "<> O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again."
Verse 1. - O God, thou hast east us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased (comp. Psalm 44:9-11). The expressions used imply a signal defeat, which, though not mentioned in the historical books, harmonizes with the account given in 1 Kings of the severe treatment of Edom by Joab. From the fact of the defeat the psalmist infers the ground of it - God's di…
gillPsalms 60:1: "To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand. O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again."
O God, thou hast cast us off,.... What is said in this verse, and Psalm 60:2 , are by some applied to times past; to the distress of the people Israel by their neighbours in th…
The word translated as "scattered" actually carries the stronger meaning of "broken." This isn't just a simple scattering of troops; it paints a picture of a complete rout, a shattering defeat where the very defenses and structure of the nation were broken apart.
This psalm opens with a lament following a significant military defeat, likely against the Edomites, which shattered Israel's defenses and left them scattered. The psalmist sees this disaster not as random misfortune, but as a direct consequence of God's anger, prompting a desperate plea for divine restoration.
This psalm opens with a lament following a significant military defeat, likely against the Edomites, which shattered Israel's defenses and left them scattered. The psalmist sees this disaster not as random misfortune, but as a direct consequence of God's anger, prompting a desperate plea for divine restoration.
"O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us." — The word translated as "scattered" actually carries the stronger meaning of "broken." This isn't just a simple scattering of troops; it paints a picture of a complete rout, a shattering defeat where…
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Last reviewed October 2026