Psalms 60:10

KJV

[Wilt] not thou, O God, [which] hadst cast us off? and [thou], O God, [which] didst not go out with our armies?

KJV (with Strong's)

Wilt not thou, O God {H430}, which hadst cast us off {H2186}{H8804)}? and thou, O God {H430}, which didst not go out {H3318}{H8799)} with our armies {H6635}?

Complete Jewish Bible

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

Berean Standard Bible

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

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalm 60:10 is a deeply poignant and rhetorical lament from King David, capturing the profound distress and perceived divine abandonment of the nation during a period of significant military setback and national humiliation. It articulates the bewilderment of a people who feel God has "cast them off" and is no longer actively leading their forces to victory, challenging their fundamental understanding of His covenant faithfulness and His role as their divine warrior. This verse serves as a desperate and raw plea for God's renewed presence and intervention in their dire national crisis, reflecting a moment of intense spiritual and existential questioning.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 60 is categorized as a "Michtam of David," a type of psalm often characterized by deep reflection, lament, and a plea for divine intervention, frequently concluding with a renewed expression of hope. The psalm opens with a stark and visceral description of national devastation, portraying the land as "broken" and "shaken" by divine judgment, reflecting God's apparent anger and withdrawal (e.g., the vivid imagery in [Psalm 60:1-3](/psalms/60-1-3 "Psalm 60:1-3 - A Nation's Anguish and God's Displeasure")). Verse 10 is situated within the heart of the psalm's lament section, where the psalmist directly confronts God with questions about His perceived absence and rejection. This raw expression of pain and bewilderment then dramatically shifts in the latter half of the psalm, transitioning into a powerful declaration of renewed trust in God's promises and an anticipation of His ultimate victory, despite the dire present circumstances (as seen in [Psalm 60:6-12](/psalms/60-6-12 "Psalm 60:6-12 - From Lament to Hope and Trust")). The superscription, which meticulously details specific military conflicts, provides a crucial historical framework, grounding the psalm as a prayer born out of a tangible, real-world national emergency and giving the lament in verse 10 a profound historical and emotional weight.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The superscription of Psalm 60 explicitly connects it to a specific period in David's reign, detailing his military campaigns against Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, alongside Joab's decisive victory over Edom in the Valley of Salt, where twelve thousand Edomites were slain. This points to a complex and often challenging era of warfare during David's consolidation of power, likely paralleling accounts found in [2 Samuel 8](/2_samuel/8 "2 Samuel 8 - David's Military Victories and Administration") and [1 Chronicles 18](/1_chronicles/18 "1 Chronicles 18 - David's Conquests and Riches"). While David's reign is generally characterized by conquest and expansion, this psalm uniquely highlights an initial setback or a period of intense struggle where Israel felt vulnerable and defeated. Crucially, in ancient Israelite culture, military success was not merely a matter of strategy or strength but was intrinsically and profoundly linked to God's active presence and favor. Yahweh was revered as the "Divine Warrior," the one who would "go out" with His armies, guaranteeing victory and protection (a concept powerfully articulated in [Exodus 14:14](/exodus/14-14 "Exodus 14:14 - The Lord Fights for Israel") and [Deuteronomy 20:4](/deuteronomy/20-4 "Deuteronomy 20:4 - God's Presence in Battle")). Therefore, a defeat or a perceived lack of success was interpreted not just as a military failure, but as a direct sign of God's displeasure, His withdrawal, or even His "casting off" of His people, leading to immense national humiliation, fear, and spiritual crisis.

* **Key Themes:** Psalm 60:10 significantly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Psalms and the broader biblical narrative, offering a window into the complexities of faith during adversity. The most prominent theme is the **Perceived Divine Withdrawal**, where the psalmist articulates the painful and bewildering feeling that God has abandoned His people and is no longer actively fighting on their behalf. This perception, while not a theological statement about God's actual unfaithfulness, powerfully captures the human experience of doubt and distress when faced with overwhelming adversity. Closely intertwined is the theme of **Lament and Honest Prayer**, as the verse exemplifies the rich biblical tradition of voicing raw, unfiltered questions, complaints, and even accusations directly to God. It underscores that true faith is robust enough to accommodate such expressions of pain and bewilderment, providing a model for authentic spiritual wrestling. Finally, the verse speaks profoundly to the theme of **National Distress and Absolute Dependence on God**, illustrating how Israel's very survival, security, and success in warfare were understood to be utterly reliant on God's active presence as their Divine Warrior. The absence of this presence, even if only perceived, plunged the nation into deep crisis and underscored their desperate need for divine intervention, a dependency that echoes throughout the historical narratives of Israel, such as the period of the Judges or the early monarchy, where God's presence was the key to victory over their enemies.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **God (Hebrew, _ʼĕlôhîym'_):** This plural noun, used here with singular meaning (referring to the one supreme God), emphasizes God's majesty, power, and sovereignty. The psalmist's direct address, "O God," underscores the personal and covenantal relationship, making the perceived abandonment all the more painful. It highlights that the one being questioned is the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer, the very source of Israel's strength.
* **cast us off (Hebrew, _zânach'_):** This verb conveys a strong sense of rejection, abandonment, or disdain. It implies a deliberate and decisive act of turning away or forsaking, not merely a passive absence. In this context, it expresses the psalmist's profound feeling that God has withdrawn His favor, protection, and active involvement, leaving His people vulnerable and exposed to their enemies. It communicates a deep sense of betrayal and the shattering of expectations regarding God's covenant loyalty.
* **go out (Hebrew, _yâtsâʼ'_):** This verb signifies active participation, movement, or emergence. In the context of warfare, particularly when paired with "armies," it describes God's direct and leading presence in battle. For Israel, God's "going out" with them was the guarantee of victory, signifying His role as the Divine Warrior. The negation, "didst not go out," therefore expresses the shocking and devastating perceived absence of this crucial divine leadership and power, leading to military defeat and national humiliation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"[Wilt] not thou, O God, [which] hadst cast us off?":** This opening clause is a powerful rhetorical question, saturated with pain, bewilderment, and a desperate plea. It is not a genuine inquiry for information but rather an anguished expression of the psalmist's deep distress and the shocking nature of God's perceived abandonment. The phrase "cast us off" encapsulates the profound feeling of being rejected and forsaken by the very God who had covenanted to protect and deliver them. It highlights the acute tension between the psalmist's unwavering expectation of God's faithfulness and their current, devastating experience of suffering and defeat. The question implicitly appeals to God's character and covenant promises, urging Him to reconsider or reveal His purpose.
* **"and [thou], O God, [which] didst not go out with our armies?":** This second clause functions as a direct parallel and practical manifestation of the "casting off" articulated in the first. The perceived absence of God's active presence and leadership in their military campaigns is presented as the tangible, undeniable evidence of His withdrawal. For a nation whose identity, security, and very survival were so intrinsically intertwined with God's role as their Divine Warrior, His failure to "go out with their armies" was not merely a military setback but a catastrophic and deeply unsettling theological crisis. It signified a loss of divine favor, plunging the nation into deep humiliation, vulnerability, and despair.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 60:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound emotional and theological message. The most prominent is the **Rhetorical Question**, posed twice in parallel ("Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off?" and "and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?"). These are not questions seeking factual answers but rather expressions of intense lament, bewilderment, and desperate pleading. They underscore the depth of the psalmist's distress and the perceived contradiction between God's known character as a faithful deliverer and their present circumstances, simultaneously voicing pain and implicitly appealing for a reversal of fortune. Additionally, the verse utilizes **Anthropomorphism** in depicting God as "going out with our armies," attributing human-like action (marching alongside soldiers) to God to vividly describe His active, leading presence in battle. This concrete imagery makes God's perceived absence all the more palpable and devastating for the Israelite community. Finally, there is a clear instance of **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous or synthetic parallelism, where the second clause ("didst not go out with our armies") reinforces and elaborates on the first ("hadst cast us off"). Both phrases convey the same core idea of divine withdrawal, but from slightly different angles, intensifying the lament and emphasizing the dual nature of their perceived abandonment—both spiritual rejection and practical military failure.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 60:10 powerfully grapples with the profound theological tension between God's unwavering covenant faithfulness and the human experience of perceived divine absence or judgment. While the psalmist expresses a feeling of being "cast off," this raw lament is a testament to the depth and authenticity of their relationship with God, allowing for such honest and even accusatory questioning within the framework of enduring faith. It affirms that even in moments of national crisis and personal despair, when God's presence seems hidden and His hand withdrawn, believers are not only permitted but encouraged to bring their deepest pains, confusion, and doubts directly to Him. This verse underscores the biblical truth that God's sovereignty extends even to allowing His people to experience hardship and perceived abandonment, which can serve as a crucible for deeper faith, a call to repentance, or a means of revealing His ultimate purposes. Ultimately, the broader psalm moves from this initial lament to a renewed declaration of trust and hope, reminding us that God's character as a faithful deliverer remains unchanged, even when our immediate circumstances suggest otherwise, and that His ultimate victory is assured.

* [Deuteronomy 20:4](/deuteronomy/20-4 "Deuteronomy 20:4 - God Fights for Israel")
* [Exodus 14:14](/exodus/14-14 "Exodus 14:14 - The Lord Will Fight for You")
* [Joshua 1:5](/joshua/1-5 "Joshua 1:5 - God's Promise of Presence and Support")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 60:10 offers profound and timeless insight into the human experience of faith during adversity, validating the authentic expression of lament as a legitimate form of prayer. In our own lives, whether confronting personal trials, societal crises, or spiritual battles, there will inevitably be moments when God's presence feels distant, His answers seem delayed, and circumstances appear to contradict His promises. Like David, we may find ourselves feeling "cast off" or that God is not "going out with our armies," leaving us vulnerable and defeated. This verse grants us profound permission to voice such raw emotions, questions, and even accusations directly to God, without fear of condemnation or a loss of faith. It serves as a powerful reminder that our perception of God's active involvement may waver, but His faithfulness and unchanging character do not. The journey from initial lament to renewed hope, as beautifully illustrated in the broader Psalm 60, teaches us the vital importance of persistent prayer and honest communication with God, even when our hearts are heavy with doubt and our circumstances seem bleak. It calls us to anchor our faith not in fleeting feelings or visible outcomes, but in the enduring truth of God's sovereign love, His ultimate plan for restoration, and His assured victory, trusting that He is working even when we cannot perceive His hand.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do you typically respond when you feel God has "cast you off" or appears to be absent from your most pressing struggles?**
* **What does Psalm 60:10 teach us about the nature of honest prayer and the biblical legitimacy of expressing deep lament and even questioning to God?**
* **In seasons of perceived divine withdrawal or unanswered prayer, how can we reconcile our feelings of abandonment with the biblical truth of God's unfailing presence and faithfulness?**

### FAQ

**Does Psalm 60:10 suggest God actually abandons His people?**

Answer: No, Psalm 60:10 does not suggest that God truly abandons His people in a theological or ultimate sense. Rather, it expresses the psalmist's profound *perception* and *feeling* of abandonment during a time of intense national crisis and military setback. It is a lament, a raw and honest cry from the heart of a believer experiencing deep distress and confusion. The biblical narrative consistently teaches that God is faithful to His covenant and will never ultimately forsake His people, as affirmed in passages like [Deuteronomy 31:6](/deuteronomy/31-6 "Deuteronomy 31:6 - God Will Not Fail You") and [Hebrews 13:5](/hebrews/13-5 "Hebrews 13:5 - God Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You"). The psalmist's question is rhetorical, designed to express the pain and bewilderment of the moment, and implicitly to plead for God to reverse His apparent withdrawal and restore His favor and active presence.

**How does this verse relate to the concept of God as a divine warrior?**

Answer: This verse is deeply intertwined with the concept of God as the Divine Warrior, a central and foundational theme in ancient Israelite theology. From the miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea (e.g., [Exodus 15:3](/exodus/15-3 "Exodus 15:3 - The Lord is a Warrior")) to the conquest of Canaan, Yahweh was consistently understood as the one who "went out" with Israel's armies, fighting on their behalf and guaranteeing victory (a principle explicitly stated in [Deuteronomy 20:4](/deuteronomy/20-4 "Deuteronomy 20:4 - God Fights for Israel")). The lament in [Psalm 60:10](/psalms/60-10 "Psalm 60:10 - God's Perceived Absence in Battle") directly challenges and expresses distress over the perceived absence of this expected divine intervention. The psalmist's cry, "didst not go out with our armies," signifies a profound crisis of faith and national security. It means that the very foundation of their military success—God's active, victorious presence—was perceived as absent, leading to defeat and humiliation. This perceived withdrawal of the Divine Warrior was not merely a military setback but a theological catastrophe, prompting a desperate plea for God to resume His accustomed role as Israel's champion.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The raw lament of Psalm 60:10, expressing a feeling of divine abandonment and absence in battle, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While David cried out from a place of perceived national forsaking, Jesus, the true Son of David, truly experienced ultimate abandonment on the cross. His agonizing cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), echoes the psalmist's lament but with a unique and infinitely deeper significance—He was genuinely forsaken by God the Father as He bore the full weight of the world's sin. Unlike the earthly armies for whom God's presence was sought in Psalm 60:10, Jesus "went out" not with swords and shields, but to the cross, where He alone, as the true Divine Warrior, fought and decisively conquered sin, death, and the powers of darkness (as powerfully declared in [Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Spiritual Powers")). His perceived weakness and suffering on the cross were, paradoxically, the very means by which He secured the decisive and eternal victory, ensuring that those who trust in Him will never be truly "cast off" or separated from God's love ([Romans 8:38-39](/romans/8-38-39 "Romans 8:38-39 - God's Unbreakable Love")). Through Christ's ultimate sacrifice and glorious resurrection, believers are promised an unbreakable divine presence, for He declared, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" ([Matthew 28:20](/matthew/28-20 "Matthew 28:20 - Jesus' Promise of Presence")), transforming the lament of perceived absence into the glorious reality of an ever-present, victorious Savior.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Joshua 7:12

Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

Psalms 108:11

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

Psalms 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.

Deuteronomy 20:4

For the LORD your God [is] he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Deuteronomy 1:42

And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I [am] not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

Psalms 118:9

[It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Psalms 118:10

All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.