Psalms 108:11

12. (Psa 108:11) (Is it) not God who has cast us off, and wilt not go forth with our hosts? See above, on Psa 60:10. The only variation consists in the omission of the emphatic pronoun thou, which is expressed in the parallel passage, and only implied in the one before us. Some interpreters suppose a sudden change of construction from the third to the second person. Is it not God--(even thou who) didst cast us off etc.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

These verses are the same as those in Psalms 60:10-12, but notice that Psa 108:11 does not have the phrase "But you," like the beginning of Psa 60:10.

God, have you not rejected us?

The psalmist uses this question to express his sadness that it seems that God has rejected them. AT: "It seems like you have rejected us!" or "God, you seem to have abandoned us!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

You do not go into battle with our army

The psalmist speaks of God helping their army as if God were to go and fight with them. AT: "you do not help our army when we go into battle" (See: Metaphor)

is futile

"is worthless"

will triumph

"will defeat our enemies"

he will trample down our enemies

The psalmist speaks of God helping their army defeat their enemies as if God were to trample down the enemies. AT: "he will enable us to trample down our enemies" or "he will make us able to defeat our enemies. (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

God

reject

adversary

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

From the sixth verse of this Psalm unto the last, read the exposition of Ps. 60:5.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

11. The emphatic Thou of Psa_60:10 is omitted here. Two renderings are possible, that of the A.V., which is that of the LXX and Jer., and that of the R.V., which is substantially that of the Syr. and Targ.;

Hast not thou cast us off, O God?

And thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts.

The first suits the context better as the answer to Psa_108:10 in a tone of confidence which corresponds to that of Psa_108:13. Though God has for the moment deserted us, He will now give us help, for we trust in Him alone. The second rendering introduces a note of despair, which does not seem to harmonise with the confidence of Psa_108:13. With it the connexion of thought would be, Who can lead us into the enemy’s stronghold? None but God, and God has deserted us. Yet even now perhaps He will hear our prayer. With the second line cp. Psa_44:9.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wilt not thou, O God ... - This is taken from Psa 60:10, with no change in the Hebrew, except that the word “thou” (in the first member of the verse) is omitted.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 11. Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? This is grand faith which can trust the Lord even when he seems to have cast us off. Some can barely trust him when he pampers them, and yet David relied upon him when Israel seemed under a cloud and the Lord had hidden his face. O for more of this real and living faith. The casting off will not last long when faith so gloriously keeps her hold. None but the elect of God who have obtained "like precious faith" can sing

"Now thou arrayest thine awful face

In angry frowns, without a smile;

We, through the cloud, believe thy grace,

Secure of thy compassion still."

And wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Canst thou for ever forsake thine own and leave thy people to be overthrown by thine enemies? The sweet singer is sure that Edom shall be captured, because he cannot and will not believe that God will refrain from going forth with the armies of his chosen people. When we ask ourselves, "Who will be the means of our obtaining a promised blessing?" we need not be discouraged if we perceive no secondary agent, for we may then fall back upon the great Promiser himself, and believe that he himself will perform his word unto us. If no one else will lead us into Edom, the Lord himself will do it, if he has promised it. Or if there must be visible instruments he will use our hosts, feeble as they are. We need not that any new agency should be created, God can strengthen our present hosts and enable them to do all that is needed; all that is wanted even for the conquest of a world is that the Lord go forth with such forces as we already have. He can bring us into the strong city even by such weak weapons as we wield today.

Ver. 11. Wilt not thou, O God? His hand shall lead him even to Petra, which seems unapproachable by human strength. That marvellous rock city of the Edomites is surrounded by rocks some of which are three hundred feet high, and a single path twelve in width leads to it. The city itself is partly hewn out of the cloven rocks, and its ruins, which however belong to a later period, fill travellers with amazement. Augustus F. Tholuck.

Ver. 11. He who came victorious from Edom, and with garments dyed in the blood of his passion from Bozrah, will henceforth now go forth with the armies of the true Israel, for what are hosts without the Lord of hosts? to subdue their enemy. Plain Commentary.

Ver. 11. (first clause). Confidence in a frowning God.

Ver. 11. (second clause). Whether God will go forth with our hosts depends uponWho they are? What is their object? What is their motive and spirit? What weapons do they use? etc.

Psalms 108:12*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Identical with Psa_60:10, with the exception that there, in the first clause, "thou" is expressed by hTa. The meaning is probably that assigned in the Revised Version, "Hast not thou cast us off, O God? and thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts". (see the comment on Psa_60:10)

God with us assures confidence and victory.

What "casting off" is here referred to by the psalmist no one seems to have satisfactorily explained. The best suggestion, perhaps, is that the sentiments of a returned exile are here interwoven with the sentiments of David. The idea of God, as one who had cast off his people for awhile, is quite suitable to a returned exile, but quite unsuitable to David. The thought is, however, found in the original of this psalm; (Psa_60:1) and if we must connect it with David, it is necessary to assume that he suffered some temporary repulse in the beginning of his national wars, and that, in a gloomy, poetic way, he regarded this as "God casting off his people." A good writer on Ps 9 says, "From the first five verses we should gather that the country had been crushed by some great national disaster." One is forcibly reminded of two scenes in the national history.

I THE ANXIETY OF MOSES ABOUT GOD GOING WITH ISRAEL. Recall the expressions of Divine indignation in the matter of the golden calf. The purpose was, as it were half formed, to cast off a people who were showing themselves so unfaithful to the trust reposed in them. Moses interceded. The evident burden on his heart was the possibility that God might not himself go with them; and he passionately pleaded, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." Well he knew that "God with us assures confidence and victory.

II THE ANXIETY OF JOSHUA ABOUT GOD GOING WITH ISRAEL. When the covenant was broken, through the covetousness of Achan, God for a time withdrew his defense and help, cast off his people, with the result that the army was defeated, and the whole expedition placed in jeopardy. Joshua was terribly distressed. It seemed to him (not knowing the real cause of the disaster) that the very Name of God was being dishonored, and he passionately pleaded for that restoration of God"s presence and power which alone could give confidence and victory. The history of God"s people furnishes abundant illustrations of the same truth; and it was sealed for ever, as the truth of truths for helpless man, when the ascending Jesus gave his assurance, "Lo, I am with you all the days. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who will bring me in the time of the Messiah, to stretch forth my hand upon Esau in his fortified cities? He Who Who led us already upon Edom, that I smote them in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.