Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Psalms 60:9-12
David Declares His Assurance That Although God Has Appeared For A While To Have Abandoned His People, He Will Now Arise And Enable Them To Gain The Victory (Psalms 60:9).
David now questions who it is who has caused him to venture against Edom, and who it is who will give Israel victory over them (lead them into Edom's strong city, Petra)? Surely it cannot be God for God appears to have cast them off and not to be going forth with them. But his point is that they could be satisfied with nothing less than God's help. Indeed, man's help would be useless. And he ends on the assurance that God will indeed act and enable Israel to triumph.
It is a reminder to us that however hopeless the circumstances, and however dark things might appear to be, in the end those who are God's can be sure that He will intervene on their behalf, even though outwardly He might not appear to be in a hurry.
‘Who will bring me into the strong city?
Who has led me to Edom?'
By now Joab would have been on his way with his strong relieving force, and David puts to God the question as to who will bring him (his invading forces) into Edom's strong city, Petra, an almost inaccessible fortress in the wilderness (see Obadiah 1:3). Indeed, he questions as to who it is who has “led him to Edom”, that is, caused him to attempt what he is undertaking. Outwardly, he says, it would not appear to be God. He is attempting by this to bring home to God his own helplessness if God will not help him. But, of course, in his heart David's hope was that God was indeed with him, even if at first it might appear not to be so.
‘Have not you, O God, cast us off?
And you do not go forth, O God, with our hosts.'
The initial success of Edomite/Syrian forces against the defenders of southern Judah (defenders who would be somewhat sparse because the majority of them would be with David in Syria proper) suggested that God had cast Israel off. For could not God save by many or by few? Thus Edom's success could only indicate that God was not going forth with the defenders, something which was not only disastrous for Judah, but also, in the eyes of the nations, a sign of God's weakness.
‘Give us help against the adversary,
For vain is the help of man.'
He thus urges God now to alter His position and give them help against their adversary, for he recognises that that help is vital. If he is to have certainty of victory he must have God's support.
‘Through God we will do valiantly,
For he it is who will tread down our adversaries.'
The final verse of the Psalm demonstrates that he is satisfied that his prayers have ‘moved God'. He is sure now that God will be with his forces so that through Him they will do valiantly, and by Him they will tread down their adversaries. Victory is now assured, a victory that in fact resulted in the decimation of the forces of Syria/Edom and the conquest of Edom (2 Samuel 8:13).
For us it is a reminder that if we are suffering defeats in our spiritual lives, we must first of all examine ourselves and heed God's chastening. And once we have done this, and repented and put things right, we can know that He will arise on our behalf, once again giving us victory. Indeed, to depend on anyone else would be futile.