¹ You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry-now restore us!
² You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
³ You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
⁴ But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah
⁵ Save us and help us with your right hand that those you love may be delivered.
⁶ God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth.
⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter.
⁸ Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?
¹¹ Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
¹² With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

This psalm is similar to Psalm 108.

1 My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.

3 I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.

4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.

6 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

7 God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth.

8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter.

9 Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

11 Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies?

12 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.

13 With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

You should study the places mentioned in this psalm. They will help you grasp a greater understanding of God’s redemption plan for mankind.

• Shechem is used about 60 times in the Bible. It was the place of Joseph’s tomb
• Succoth is used about 17 times in the Bible.
• Gilead is used about 129 times in the Bible. It was the land that the Gadites and Reubenites settle on the east side of the Jordan.
• Manasseh is used about 136 times in the Bible. The name of the first born of Joseph in Egypt and one of the thirteen tribes of Israel.
• Ephraim is used about 147 times in the Bible. The name of the second born of Joseph, but the one that Jacob blessed as the first born. Joshua was from this tribe. Referred to as the tribe of Joseph in Joshua 18:11 and Revelation 7:8.
• Judah is used about 797 times in the Bible. The tribe of David and of Christ.
• Moab is used about 181 times in the Bible. Moab was the son of Lot and his oldest daughter. Ruth, David’s great grandmother was a Moabite.
• Edom is used about 131 times in the Bible. The name of the descendants of Esau the son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob (Israel).
• Philistia is used about 10 times in the Bible. It is the land of the Philistines.

When I was young the events outside of my little world did not matter much to me.  As I started on my career path I started to realize that the decisions of others outside my little world had an impact on my life.  Now in my old age I can see how the decisions of others can impact the whole nation.  In this psalm it starts out with the simple question of “why have you rejected us, O God”.  As someone who has spent his entire life as a Christian and having the belief that this nation was a God fearing nation I would have a hard time seeing God rejecting us.  But now it seems that we as a nation have forgotten God.  The message of salvation is not longer proclaim, instead it is being replaced with a message of my rights.  Yes, we are living in the age of the church of Laodicea (Revelations 3:14-22). 

 The church of Laodicea was the last of the seven churches that was addressed in Revelations chapter two and three.  The message to this church was a message to those individuals who are listening to God voice.  The church is pictured as rich, and wealthy, and having no need of anything.  And yet in God’s eyes it was wretched, miserable, poor, naked, and blind.  The church has let the views of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life become there standard and sees itself as rich and wealthy, no need for God.   It is a church where Christ is on the outside of the church and knocking on the doors of individuals’ hearts.  These individuals must heed the message to buy from Christ gold refined in the fire, and white garments that you may clothe yourself.   So verse four of this psalm represents those who opens the door where Christ knocks “But for those who fear you”.