Psalms 60:6

in his holiness Or, by his holiness, for -spoken" is the equivalent of -promised" or -sworn." Cp. Psalms 89:35; Amos 4:2. God's -holiness" includes His whole essential nature in its moral aspect, and that nature makes it impossible for Him to break His promise (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). It is equivalent to -Himself" (Amos 6:8; Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 6:17 f). -In his sanctuary" (cp. Psalms 63:2) is a possible but less probable rendering.

I will rejoice Better as R.V., I will exult. But who is the speaker? Is it David or God? The latter alternative is certainly preferable. The language is bold, but not bolder than that of Isaiah 63:1 ff. God is represented as a victorious warrior, conquering the land, and portioning it out to His people. The language recalls the conquest of the land under Joshua (Joshua 18:10); but it certainly does not imply that the land was now permanently in the possession of foreigners, and needing to be reconquered. He makes Ephraim the chief defence of His kingdom, and Judah the seat of government, and treats the neighbouring nations as His vassals. It is possible that some actual oracle is quoted, but more probable that the drift of the great promise to David (2 Samuel 7:9 f) is freely reproduced in a poetical form. Cp. Psalms 2:7; Psalms 89:19.

Shechem … the valley of Succoth Shechem, as a central place of importance, represents the territory west of the Jordan; Succoth, -in the vale" (Joshua 13:27), somewhere to the south of the Jabbok, between Peniel and the Jordan, represents the territory east of the Jordan. These two places may be named, because of their connexion with the history of Jacob, who halted first at Succoth and then at Shechem, when he returned to Canaan (Genesis 33:17-18). God will fulfil His promise to Jacob, apportioning to His people the land in which their great ancestor settled.