The Meaning of Psalms 60:7 Explained

Psalms 60:7

KJV: Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

YLT: Mine is Gilead, and mine is Manasseh, And Ephraim is the strength of my head, Judah is my lawgiver,

Darby: Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the strength of my head; Judah is my law-giver;

ASV: Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the defence of my head; Judah is my sceptre.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Gilead  [is] mine, and Manasseh  [is] mine; Ephraim  also [is] the strength  of mine head;  Judah  [is] my lawgiver; 

What does Psalms 60:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Gilead was Israel"s promised territory east of the Jordan River. The tribal territory of Manasseh straddled the Jordan. Ephraim, west of the Jordan, was one of Israel"s strongest and most secure tribes. It lay in central western Canaan and was similar to a helmet in that it provided defense. God had promised Judah the right to rule the other tribes ( Genesis 49:10), which the scepter symbolized.

Context Summary

Psalms 60:1-12 - Prayer For Help Against Foes
This was a national psalm to be taught the people. See title; also Deuteronomy 31:19. A strong coalition had been formed against David at that time. See 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 10:8; 2 Samuel 10:17; 2 Samuel 10:19; 1 Chronicles 18:12-15. Israel was threatened with disaster. It was as if an earthquake had rent the soil. But the king-psalmist argued that God had given His people a mission in the world, which could not be forfeited. First, Israel carried a banner for the truth, Psalms 60:4. In addition, God had "spoken in His holiness" and had promised that the seed of Abraham should possess Canaan. Standing on a hill-summit, the psalmist sees the Land of Promise outspread before him. Shechem and Succoth, Psalms 60:6, one west, the other east, of the Jordan, indicate the breadth of the land. All had been given over to Israel by covenant, and therefore the surrounding peoples must become subject.
As yet the strong city of Petra, rock-girded, Psalms 60:9, had laughed David to scorn; but he had confidence that God would lead him within its mighty walls, to tread down his adversaries, Numbers 24:18. Man could not, but God could. The question is never, Can God? but always, Can we trust and follow Him? [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 60

1  David, complaining to God of former judgment
4  now upon better hope, prays for deliverance
6  Comforting himself in God's promises, he craves that help whereon he trusts

What do the individual words in Psalms 60:7 mean?

Mine Gilead [is] and Mine Manasseh [is] and Ephraim [is] the helmet for My head Judah [is] My lawgiver
לִ֤י גִלְעָ֨ד ׀ וְלִ֬י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה וְ֭אֶפְרַיִם מָע֣וֹז רֹאשִׁ֑י יְ֝הוּדָ֗ה מְחֹֽקְקִי

לִ֤י  Mine 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֲבַד  
Sense: to perish, vanish.
גִלְעָ֨ד ׀  Gilead  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.
וְלִ֬י  and  Mine 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, first person common singular
מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה  Manasseh  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
וְ֭אֶפְרַיִם  and  Ephraim  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
מָע֣וֹז  the  helmet  for 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָעֹוז 
Sense: place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold.
רֹאשִׁ֑י  My  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
יְ֝הוּדָ֗ה  Judah  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
מְחֹֽקְקִי  My  lawgiver 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חָקַק  
Sense: to cut out, decree, inscribe, set, engrave, portray, govern.