Psalms 60:12

Through God we shall do valiantly,.... Or, "through the Word of the Lord", as the Targum; Christ, whose name is the Word of God, appearing at the head of his armies, in a vesture dipped in blood, and

Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? -Anticipation of, and prayer for, success in the expedition against Edom. Verse 9. Who will bring me into the strong city?

Psalms 60:12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he [it is that] shall tread down our enemies.Ver. 12. Through God we shall do valiantly] Faciemus militiam, some render it, and it is true of the spiritual warfare also; we shall be more than conquerors, even triumphers, 2 Corinthians 2:14. Meminisse oportet ista nunc esse ad spirituales Ecclesiae hastes potius quam adversus armatas terra capias referenda, saith Beza, in his argument and use of this psalm. He it is that shall tread down our enemies] Corporal and spiritual; this is a part of Christ’ s kingly office, to the which he will not be wanting. Psalmus hic est de Messia imperante, sicut David, saith Kimchi, out of Derash Rabboth. This psalm is concerning Messiah reigning, as David did.

Verse 12. Through God we shall do valiantly] Through thee alone shall we do valiantly; thou alone canst tread down our enemies; and to thee alone we look for conquest. THE author to whom Harmer refers in the note on the fourth verse, is one of the writers in a work entitled Gesta dei per Francos, fol. Hanoviae, 1611, 2 vols. And the places quoted by Harmer may be found in vol. i., p. 282; and as the passage is singular, and a good use has been made of it for the illustration of a difficult passage, I shall lay the words of the original before the reader: "Proxima ab hinc die sabbati clarescente, quidam Sarracenorum spe vitae in summitatem tecti domus praecelsae Solomonis ab armis elapsi, circiter trecenti, confugerant. Qui multa prece pro vita flagitantes, in mortis articulo positi, nullius fiducia aut promissione audebant descendere, quousque vexillum Tankradi in signum protectionis vivendi susceperunt. Sed minime misellis profuit. Nam plurimis super hoc indignantibus, et Christianis furore commotis, ne unus quidem illorum evasit." It is very properly added by Albertus, that the noble spirit of Tancred was filled with indignation at this most horrible breach of faith; and he was about to take a summary revenge on the instigators and perpetrators of this unprincipled butchery, when the chiefs interposed, and not only maintained the expediency of the massacre that had already been committed, but the necessity of putting all the inhabitants to the sword. On this the savage fiends, called Christians, flew to arms, and made a universal slaughter of all that remained of the inhabitants. They drew out the prisoners, chopped off their heads, stabbed all they met with in the streets, and-but I can translate no farther; it is too horrible. I shall give my author's words, who was an ecclesiastic, and wrote down the account from eye-witnesses: "Concilio hoc accepto, (the determination of the chiefs to put all to the sword,) tertio die post victoriam egressa est sententia a majoribus: et ecce universi arma rapiunt, et miserabili caede in omne vulgus Gentilium, quod adhuc erat residuum, exsurgunt, alios producentes e vinculis et decollantes: alios per vicos et plateas civitatis inventos trucidantes, quibus antea causa pecuniae, aut humana pietate pepercerunt. Puellas vero, mulieres, matronas nobiles, et faetas cum puellis tenellis detruncabant, aut lapidibus obruebant, in nullis aliquam considerantes aetatem. E contra, puellae, mulieres, matronae, metu momentaneae mortis angustiatae et horrore gravissimae necis concussae Christianos in jugulum utriusque sexus debacchantes ac saevientes, medios pro liberanda vita amplexabantur, quaedam pedibus eorum advolvebantur, de vita et salute sua illos nimium miserando fletu et ejulatu solicitantes. Pueri vero quinquennes aut triennes matrum patrumque crudelem casum intuentes, una miserum clamorem et fletum multiplicabant. Sed frustra haec pietatis et misericordiae signa fiebant: nam Christiani sic neci totum laxaverunt animum, ut non lugens masculus aut faemina, nedum infans unius anni vivens, manum percussoris evaderet.

12. Through God] Cp. Psalms 56:4. we shall do valiantly] Cp. Numbers 24:18; Psalms 118:15-16. shall tread down our enemies] Cp. Psalms 44:5; Psalms 18:42 (note). R.V., adversaries, cp. Psalms 60:11.

Through God - By the help of God. We shall do valiantly - literally, we shall make strength. That is, we shall gain or gather strength; we shall go forth with spirit and with courage to the war.

12. Do valiantly—Be victorious. Notwithstanding the severe rebuff through the divine displeasure, their trust and help are alone in God, and this is the moral lesson of the psalm.