Psalm 60 2

Psalm 60:2 kjv

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

Psalm 60:2 nkjv

You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.

Psalm 60:2 niv

You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking.

Psalm 60:2 esv

You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open; repair its breaches, for it totters.

Psalm 60:2 nlt

You have shaken our land and split it open.
Seal the cracks, for the land trembles.

Psalm 60 verses

Psalm 60 2 Meaning

Psalm 60:2 expresses the lament of the nation of Israel, personifying the land as severely wounded and unstable due to God's judgment. It attributes the catastrophic national distress, characterized by profound upheaval and deep fragmentation, directly to God's sovereign hand. The verse then immediately pivots to an earnest plea for divine healing and restoration for the tottering nation, acknowledging God as the only source of its recovery.

Psalm 60 2 Context

Psalm 60 is a Miktam ("golden poem" or "engraved piece") of David, presented "for instruction" to the choirmaster. Its superscription grounds it in a specific historical crisis during David's reign (likely around 2 Sam 8:3-14 and 1 Chr 18:3-13). This period involved David's wars with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, followed by a significant victory against Edom in the Valley of Salt by Joab (or Abishai). The Psalm itself, particularly the opening verses, reflects a time of initial national setback, military defeat, and severe distress, before the eventual victory mentioned. It portrays the nation as feeling rejected and broken by God, hence the direct lament in verse 1 ("O God, You have rejected us, You have broken us; You have been angry; O restore us!"). Verse 2 then vividly describes the consequences of this perceived divine anger: the very land, symbolizing the national entity and its stability, is quaking, torn apart, and on the verge of collapse. The context highlights a people grappling with God's sovereignty over their national fortunes, seeking divine intervention amid grave political and military turmoil, which they understood as divine judgment for their sins. This Psalm served to instruct future generations on trusting God through national crises and seeking Him for restoration.

Psalm 60 2 Word analysis

• You have made the land quake (אֶ֣רֶץ רָ֭עַשְׁתָּה - ’erets ra‘ashtāh):

  • ’erets (אֶ֣רֶץ): "land," "earth." Here, it specifically refers to the land of Israel, serving as a powerful metaphor for the nation, its stability, and the collective well-being of its people. The shaking of the land signifies not merely geological events but profound national disruption, fear, and insecurity.
  • ra‘ashtāh (רָ֭עַשְׁתָּה): "You have made to quake/tremble/shake." This is from the root ra‘ash, denoting violent shaking or upheaval, often associated with a display of divine power, presence, or judgment. It indicates God's direct agency in causing the national crisis, implying it is not accidental or merely a result of enemy strength, but an act of divine discipline.

• You have torn it open (פְצַצְתָּ֑הּ - fəṣatstāhh):

  • fəṣatstāhh (פְצַצְתָּ֑הּ): "You have torn it open/split it/broken it in pieces." From the root patsats, this verb suggests a violent rending or shattering, more severe than mere shaking. It implies a deep structural damage, internal fragmentation, or national disunity, leading to an almost irreversible state of ruin. The direct address "You" attributes this shattering also to God, emphasizing His active role in bringing about this internal breakdown.

• heal its fractures (רְפָ֖א שְׁבָרֶ֣יהָ - rəfā’ shəḇāreyhā):

  • rəfā’ (רְפָ֖א): "heal!" (imperative). From the root rāfā’, meaning "to heal, restore, mend, make whole." This is a fervent cry and direct petition to God, acknowledging His exclusive ability to remedy the dire situation. It shifts from lament to desperate plea, demonstrating absolute dependence on divine intervention for recovery.
  • shəḇāreyhā (שְׁבָרֶ֣יהָ): "its fractures/breaches/broken pieces." From the root shāvar (to break). This plural noun intensifies the imagery of brokenness, suggesting multiple points of weakness, wounds, or internal divisions within the nation. It reflects the comprehensive nature of the disaster.

• for it is tottering (כִּי־מָֽטָה - kī-māṭāh):

  • kī (כִּי): "for," "because." It provides the immediate reason or justification for the desperate plea for healing.
  • māṭāh (מָֽטָה): "it is tottering/leaning/swaying." From the root māṭ, implying extreme instability, a condition on the verge of complete collapse. The nation is precarious, hanging by a thread, and its very existence is threatened without God's swift restorative action.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "You have made the land quake; You have torn it open": This powerful couplet attributes the national catastrophe unequivocally to God's deliberate action. It's a statement of theological profoundness: Israel's suffering is not random or merely a consequence of external foes, but an expression of divine sovereignty, likely judgment. This stands in stark contrast to ancient Near Eastern beliefs where national defeat often signified the defeat of their god; here, God actively engineers their brokenness.
  • "heal its fractures, for it is tottering": This part represents the fervent petition. It moves from diagnosis (God's hand in their brokenness) to desperate prognosis (imminent collapse) to a profound cry for rescue. The juxtaposition highlights the paradox of trusting the one who wounds to be the one who heals, a common biblical theme of divine discipline leading to restoration.

Psalm 60 2 Bonus section

The Psalm's declaration that God caused the shaking and tearing is significant because it preempts any thought that another deity or sheer bad luck was responsible for their predicament. Instead, it asserts YHWH's comprehensive control, even over the adversity facing His covenant people. This aligns with a polemic against the polytheistic views of the surrounding nations where the defeat of a people meant their god was weaker. For Israel, God remained sovereign even in His disciplinary acts. The imagery of the "land" as a surrogate for the "people" (or nation-state) is common in Hebrew poetry, emphasizing the tangible, existential crisis being experienced. The healing requested is thus not just for geographical terrain, but for the restoration of national unity, health, and favor in God's sight.

Psalm 60 2 Commentary

Psalm 60:2 presents a vivid depiction of national calamity through the imagery of a traumatized land. It opens by attributing the "shaking" and "tearing" of the land directly to God's hand, establishing His absolute sovereignty over Israel's fortunes, even in distress. This is a theological assertion that Israel's suffering is a divine act, likely disciplinary, rather than an outcome of mere chance or the superiority of other gods. The language of "quake" suggests deep-seated political or military upheaval, while "torn open" implies internal fragmentation, social disruption, or profound wounds sustained from conflict.

The abrupt shift to the imperative "heal!" underscores the nation's profound dependence on God for any remedy. The "fractures" represent the deep, widespread injuries and divisions within the nation, signifying comprehensive brokenness. The concluding phrase "for it is tottering" paints a picture of extreme instability, where the nation stands on the precipice of utter collapse. This verse encapsulates Israel's honest cry of perceived abandonment and the urgent need for divine intervention. It highlights a core biblical truth: only the One who wounds has the power to heal and restore, turning judgment into a path towards repentance and renewal. It instructs believers that even in the most profound brokenness, the answer lies in seeking God who controls both the breaking and the mending.