Psalms 60:3

KJV

Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

KJV (with Strong's)

Thou hast shewed {H7200}{H8689)} thy people {H5971} hard things {H7186}: thou hast made us to drink {H8248}{H8689)} the wine {H3196} of astonishment {H8653}.

Complete Jewish Bible

You made your people suffer hard times, had us drink a wine that made us stagger.

Berean Standard Bible

You have shown Your people hardship; we are staggered from the wine You made us drink.

American Standard Version

Thou hast showed thy people hard things: Thou hast made us to drink the wine of staggering.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 60:3 is a poignant lament from the people of Israel, expressing a profound sense of national defeat and divine disfavor. The psalmist attributes the severe hardships and overwhelming disorientation experienced by the nation directly to God's action, portraying their suffering as a bitter, intoxicating drink that leaves them reeling in confusion and despair. This verse vividly captures the raw anguish of a people who perceive themselves as having been abandoned or disciplined by their God, setting the stage for a plea for restoration and renewed divine intervention.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 60 is a communal lament, traditionally attributed to David, marked by a dramatic shift from expressions of deep distress to a renewed declaration of trust in God's power and promises. The preceding verses (60:1-2) establish the nation's broken state, describing how God has "broken" and "rent" the land, causing it to "tremble." Verse 3 intensifies this imagery by depicting the people's internal experience of this calamity. The "hard things" and "wine of astonishment" are direct consequences of God's perceived rejection, leading into a plea for God to "give a banner to them that fear thee" (60:4) and a subsequent shift towards confidence in God's future deliverance (60:6-12). This structure is characteristic of many Psalms of lament, moving from complaint to petition and ultimately to a renewed posture of faith, as seen in [Psalms 13](/psalms/13 "Psalm 13 - A Lament Turning to Trust").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The superscription of Psalms 60 provides crucial historical context, linking its composition to a specific period of military conflict: "when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand." This refers to David's campaigns against the Arameans and Edomites (cf. [2 Samuel 8:3-14](/2_samuel/8-3 "2 Samuel 8:3-14 - David's Victories") and [1 Chronicles 18:3-13](/1_chronicles/18-3 "1 Chronicles 18:3-13 - David's Conquests")). While the superscription mentions a victory over Edom, the psalm itself reflects an initial setback or a period of severe struggle that preceded the ultimate triumph. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, military defeat was often interpreted as a sign of divine disfavor or abandonment. The "wine of astonishment" imagery resonates with the concept of a "cup of wrath" or "cup of staggering" found in prophetic literature, where nations are made to drink from God's judgment, leading to their utter disorientation and ruin (e.g., [Isaiah 51:17](/isaiah/51-17 "Isaiah 51:17 - The Cup of Staggering")).

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Psalms 60 and the broader Psalter. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Sovereignty in Suffering**. The psalmist explicitly states, "Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment," directly attributing their distress to God's action. This reflects a deep theological conviction that nothing, not even national calamity, falls outside God's ultimate control, a theme echoed in [Job 1:21](/job/1-21 "Job 1:21 - The Lord Gives and Takes Away"). Secondly, it highlights the theme of **Overwhelming Calamity and Despair**. The imagery of "wine of astonishment" vividly conveys a state of utter bewilderment, disorientation, and reeling from the severity of trials, a profound sense of being overwhelmed by adversity. Finally, it exemplifies the **Legitimacy of Lament and Honest Expression of Pain**. The psalmist does not shy away from expressing the raw pain, confusion, and perceived abandonment, demonstrating that it is permissible and even necessary for God's people to voice their deepest struggles to Him, even when struggling to understand His ways, as also seen in [Psalms 44:9-16](/psalms/44-9 "Psalms 44:9-16 - A Lament of Perceived Abandonment").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Hard things (Hebrew, _qāšâ'_):** This verb, stemming from the root `qashah` (קָשָׁה), means to be hard, difficult, severe, or grievous. In the Hiphil stem, as used here, it signifies "to make hard," "to show hard things," or "to deal harshly with." It denotes experiences that are not merely challenging but intensely burdensome, oppressive, and painful, implying a deliberate, though perhaps disciplinary, action on God's part that brings about extreme adversity.
* **Astonishment (Hebrew, _tarʿēlâ'_):** This noun (תַּרְעֵלָה) is derived from a root meaning "to reel," "to stagger," or "to tremble." It describes a state of profound bewilderment, stupefaction, or giddiness, often induced by a powerful, disorienting force. When paired with "wine," as it is here and in other prophetic texts, it evokes the image of someone intoxicated to the point of losing their balance, judgment, and comprehension. It signifies a complete loss of composure and understanding in the face of overwhelming, shocking circumstances.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Thou hast shewed thy people hard things:"** This clause immediately establishes God as the active agent behind the nation's suffering. The verb "shewed" (from `rāʾâ` - to see, to show) implies that God has caused or allowed His people to experience these "hard things" directly. It is not an accidental misfortune but a divinely ordained or permitted trial. The "hard things" refer to the severe military defeat and national distress, which are perceived as harsh treatment from God, potentially as a form of discipline or judgment for their sins.
* **"thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment."** This is a powerful metaphorical statement. God is again the active subject, "making" His people drink. The "wine" here is not a symbol of joy or celebration but of a bitter, intoxicating draught of sorrow, confusion, and disorientation. The "wine of astonishment" means they are so overwhelmed by the calamity and its implications that they are left reeling, dazed, and utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend or respond effectively to their situation, much like someone drunk and staggering. This imagery emphasizes the depth of their despair and the shattering impact of their trials.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent **Literary Devices** to convey its message of profound suffering. The most prominent is **Metaphor**, particularly in the phrase "the wine of astonishment." Here, the abstract concept of overwhelming disorientation and despair is concretely represented as a bitter, intoxicating drink, allowing the reader to viscerally grasp the depth of the nation's dazed and reeling state. This is a specific type of **Cup Imagery**, prevalent in biblical literature, where a cup often symbolizes a portion or destiny, frequently of divine judgment or wrath. Furthermore, the psalmist uses **Anthropomorphism** by attributing human actions to God – "Thou hast shewed" and "thou hast made us to drink." While God does not literally "show" or "make one drink" in a human sense, these phrases convey His direct and sovereign involvement in the nation's experience of hardship. The intense language also hints at **Hyperbole** or **Intensification**, emphasizing the extreme nature of the suffering and the profound impact it has had on the people, leaving them utterly staggered.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 60:3 presents a stark theological reality: God's people can and do experience profound suffering, and sometimes, this suffering is directly attributed to God's sovereign hand. This does not necessarily imply divine malice but rather God's ultimate control over all circumstances, including those that serve His purposes of discipline, purification, or drawing His people closer to Him. The "wine of astonishment" speaks to the bewildering nature of such trials, where human understanding fails, and the very foundations of security seem to crumble. Yet, within the context of lament, this honest expression of pain is a legitimate form of prayer, acknowledging God's power even in His perceived absence or judgment, and ultimately laying the groundwork for a renewed plea for His intervention and restoration.

* [Jeremiah 25:15](/jeremiah/25-15 "Jeremiah 25:15 - The Cup of God's Fury")
* [Isaiah 51:17](/isaiah/51-17 "Isaiah 51:17 - The Cup of Staggering")
* [Lamentations 3:19-20](/lamentations/3-19 "Lamentations 3:19-20 - Remembering Affliction")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 60:3 offers a profound space for reflection on the nature of suffering in the life of faith. It reminds us that even for God's chosen people, life is not immune to "hard things" and moments where we feel utterly overwhelmed, as if drinking a bitter, disorienting draught. This verse validates the human experience of confusion and despair in the face of adversity, assuring us that it is not unspiritual to acknowledge our pain and even our bewilderment to God. Rather, it invites us into a deeper trust that even when God seems to be the one "showing" us hard things or "making us drink" bitter wine, His ultimate purposes are always redemptive. It encourages us to bring our raw, honest lament before Him, confident that He hears and cares, and that even from the depths of astonishment, hope for His restoration can emerge, as it does later in Psalm 60.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do you reconcile the idea of a loving, sovereign God with the experience of "hard things" and "wine of astonishment" in your own life or in the world?**
* **What does it mean to "drink the wine of astonishment" in a contemporary context, and how might we respond when we feel overwhelmed and disoriented by life's challenges?**
* **In what ways can honest lament, like that expressed in this verse, be a pathway to deeper faith and trust in God, rather than a sign of weakness?**

### FAQ

**Does God cause suffering, as implied by "Thou hast shewed thy people hard things"?**

Answer: The biblical perspective on God's relationship to suffering is complex. While God is sovereign over all things, including the permission of suffering, the Bible distinguishes between direct causation, allowing, and using suffering for His purposes. In Psalms 60:3, the language "Thou hast shewed" and "thou hast made us to drink" emphasizes God's ultimate control and agency, reflecting the ancient Israelite understanding that nothing happened outside of God's purview. This doesn't necessarily mean God directly inflicts every pain, but that He is ultimately in control and can use even difficult circumstances for His redemptive purposes, such as discipline, refinement, or to draw His people back to Himself (cf. [Hebrews 12:5-11](/hebrews/12-5 "Hebrews 12:5-11 - God's Discipline")). It highlights His sovereignty rather than His malevolence.

**What is the significance of the "wine of astonishment" imagery?**

Answer: The "wine of astonishment" is a powerful metaphor for a state of profound disorientation, confusion, and despair. It signifies being so overwhelmed by calamity or divine judgment that one is left reeling, staggering, and unable to comprehend or effectively respond to their circumstances, much like someone intoxicated to the point of losing their balance and senses. This imagery is found elsewhere in scripture, often in prophetic contexts, to describe a "cup of wrath" or "cup of staggering" that nations are made to drink as a consequence of their sin or God's judgment (e.g., [Jeremiah 25:15-16](/jeremiah/25-15 "Jeremiah 25:15-16 - The Cup of Fury for the Nations") and [Revelation 14:10](/revelation/14-10 "Revelation 14:10 - The Wine of God's Wrath")). It vividly conveys the shattering impact of severe adversity.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The "wine of astonishment" and the "hard things" described in Psalms 60:3 find their ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist laments a cup of national calamity and bewilderment, the New Testament reveals that Jesus Himself drank the ultimate "cup" – the cup of God's righteous wrath against sin. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" ([Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus Prays in Gethsemane")). This "cup" was not merely physical suffering, but the agonizing experience of bearing the full weight of humanity's sin and enduring the divine judgment that we deserved. He was "made... to drink the wine of astonishment" as He became sin for us ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")), experiencing the ultimate spiritual abandonment on the cross when He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - The Cry of Dereliction")). By drinking this bitter cup, Jesus transformed its meaning for His people. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, He offers us a new cup – the cup of salvation and the new covenant in His blood ([Luke 22:20](/luke/22-20 "Luke 22:20 - The New Covenant in His Blood")), ensuring that those who trust in Him will never have to drink the "wine of astonishment" that is God's wrath, but instead receive the "Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" ([Romans 8:15](/romans/8-15 "Romans 8:15 - Spirit of Adoption")).

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

Psalms 71:20

[Thou], which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Isaiah 51:22

Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God [that] pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, [even] the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

Isaiah 51:17

¶ Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, [and] wrung [them] out.

Jeremiah 25:15

¶ For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

Ezekiel 23:31

Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.

Ezekiel 23:32

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.

Psalms 75:8

For in the hand of the LORD [there is] a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring [them] out, [and] drink [them].