To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune ofa “Lily of The Covenant,” for teaching about his battle with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and attacked 12,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley.b

A Prayer for God’s Help against Adversaries

1God, you have cast us off;

you have breached our defenses

and you have become enraged.

Return to us!

2You made the earth quake;

you broke it open.

Repair its fractures,

because it has shifted.

3You made your people go through hard times;

you had us drink wine that makes us stagger.

4But you have given a banner to those who fear you,

so they may display it in honor of truth.c

Interlude

5So your loved ones may be delivered,

save us by your powerd

and answer us quickly!

6Then God spoke in his holiness,

“I will rejoice—

I will divide Shechem;

I will portion out the Succoth Valley.

7Gilead belongs to me,

and Manasseh is mine.

Ephraim is my helmet,

and Judah my scepter.

8Moab is my wash basin;

over Edom I will throw my shoes;

over Philistia I will celebrate my triumph.”

9Who will lead me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

10Aren’t you the one, God, who has cast us off?

Didn’t you refuse, God, to accompany our armies?

11Help us in our distress,

for human help is worthless.

12Through God we will fighte valiantly;

and it is he who will crush our enemies.f