Psalms 108:11

[Wilt] not [thou], O God, [who] hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

Wilt not thou, O God {H430}, who hast cast us off {H2186}? and wilt not thou, O God {H430}, go forth {H3318} with our hosts {H6635}?

God, have you rejected us? You don't go out with our armies, God.

Have You not rejected us, O God? Will You no longer march out, O God, with our armies?

Hast not thou cast us off, O God? And thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts.

Psalms 108:11 expresses a poignant plea for divine intervention and leadership in battle, even from a people who feel momentarily abandoned by God. This verse is part of a composite psalm, drawing heavily from Psalm 57:7-11 and Psalm 60:5-12, reflecting a moment of national distress and a desperate cry for God to restore their fortunes.

Context

Psalm 108 is attributed to David and serves as a prayer for victory after a period of perceived defeat or abandonment. Specifically, the source material in Psalm 60 refers to a time when Israel had suffered military setbacks, possibly against Edom or Syria. The phrase "cast us off" likely reflects the deep discouragement and sense of divine displeasure felt by the Israelites, as if God had withdrawn His favor and protection, leading to their vulnerability. In the ancient world, a nation's success in warfare was intrinsically linked to the favor of its deity, making God's perceived absence in battle a profound crisis. The psalmist, therefore, makes a bold appeal for God to re-engage and lead their "hosts" (armies) to victory.

Key Themes

  • Desperate Appeal for Divine Presence: The rhetorical question "Wilt not thou, O God... go forth with our hosts?" is not an expression of doubt but a fervent, hopeful appeal. It acknowledges that victory is impossible without God's active participation and leadership in their military endeavors.
  • Faith Amidst Perceived Abandonment: Despite the feeling of being "cast off," the psalmist still turns to God, demonstrating an enduring faith that God is capable and willing to intervene. It highlights the tension between human experience of suffering and divine faithfulness.
  • God as the Source of Victory: The verse powerfully underscores the biblical truth that true strength and triumph in any battle, whether physical or spiritual, come from God alone, not from human might or strategy (see Zechariah 4:6).

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew verb for "cast us off" is zanach (זָנַח), which conveys a strong sense of rejection, disdain, or abandonment. It implies that God has pushed His people away or ceased to care for them, reflecting the depth of their despair and the severity of their situation.
  • The word "hosts" is tseva'ot (צְבָאוֹת), meaning armies or military forces. This term is also famously used in the title "Lord of Hosts" (YHWH Sabaoth), emphasizing God's supreme command over all heavenly and earthly armies, making the plea for Him to "go forth with our hosts" a request for His ultimate, invincible power to lead them.

Practical Application

Psalms 108:11 offers profound encouragement for believers facing overwhelming challenges today. Even when we feel abandoned by God, or when circumstances suggest He has "cast us off," this verse teaches us to persist in prayer and appeal to His unfailing character. It reminds us that our hope for victory, whether in personal struggles, spiritual warfare, or life's difficulties, lies in God's presence and active involvement. Like the psalmist, we are called to trust that God, who never truly leaves or forsakes His people (Hebrews 13:5), will go forth with us, leading us to triumph even when we feel weakest.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 44:9

    ¶ But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.

  • 2 Chronicles 13:12

    And, behold, God himself [is] with us for [our] captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

  • 1 Samuel 17:36

    Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

  • 2 Chronicles 20:15

    And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God's.

  • 1 Samuel 29:1

    ¶ Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which [is] in Jezreel.

  • 1 Samuel 29:11

    So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

  • Deuteronomy 20:3

    And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

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