Psalms 60:2

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

Thou hast made the earth {H776} to tremble {H7493}{H8689)}; thou hast broken {H6480}{H8804)} it: heal {H7495}{H8798)} the breaches {H7667} thereof; for it shaketh {H4131}{H8804)}.

You made the land shake, split it apart; now repair the rifts, for it is collapsing.

You have shaken the land and torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is quaking.

Thou hast made the land to tremble; thou hast rent it: Heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

Commentary

Psalms 60:2 (KJV): "Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh."

Context

Psalm 60 is a lament attributed to David, likely written during a period of national military crisis involving conflicts with Aram and Edom (mentioned in the psalm's title). This verse immediately follows an expression of God's displeasure and rejection of His people. It describes the severe impact of this divine judgment or permission of crisis upon the nation, using vivid imagery of the very ground beneath them being unstable and damaged, symbolizing the deep distress, defeat, and potential division within Israel.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Discipline: The verse attributes the national turmoil and suffering directly to God's action ("Thou hast made... thou hast broken"), indicating that the crisis is understood as a consequence of God's judgment or allowing difficult circumstances.
  • National Instability and Division: The imagery of a "trembling," "broken," and "shaking" earth with "breaches" powerfully depicts the state of the nation – fractured, vulnerable, and unstable, perhaps reflecting military defeats, internal strife, or loss of unity.
  • Plea for Restoration: Despite the acknowledgment of divine judgment, the psalmist immediately appeals to God to "heal the breaches thereof," demonstrating faith in God's ability and willingness to restore and mend what has been broken.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew words used convey strong senses of violent disruption and damage:

  • Charad (tremble/shaketh): This word means to quake, be terrified, or anxious. It implies a deep, unsettling disturbance affecting the very foundations.
  • Patsam (broken): Means to break in pieces, crush, or tear apart. It denotes severe damage or destruction, suggesting the nation's structure or strength has been shattered.
  • Peres (breaches): Refers to a breach, gap, or division, often used in the context of walls being broken down (making a city vulnerable) or divisions among people. It highlights separation or damage that needs repair.

Reflection

Psalms 60:2 speaks to the experience of profound upheaval and suffering, whether national, communal, or even personal, where it feels like the very ground is unstable and things are falling apart. It encourages acknowledging God's ultimate sovereignty even in difficult times, recognizing that He has the power to shake the earth and allow breaking. Crucially, it models turning to God in prayer for restoration, asking Him to heal the breaches and bring stability and unity out of chaos. It reminds us that hope for recovery and healing ultimately rests in God's hands.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 7:14

    If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

  • Isaiah 30:26

    Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.

  • Hosea 6:1

    ¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

  • Jeremiah 4:24

    I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

  • Jeremiah 48:38

    [There shall be] lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure, saith the LORD.

  • Psalms 18:7

    Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

  • Isaiah 5:25

    Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases [were] torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.
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