Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

PSALMS 60:3KJV
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Psalms 60:3 (KJV)

What does Psalms 60:3 mean?

Psalms 60:3 describes how God has allowed His people to experience very difficult and confusing times, using the image of being forced to drink a strong, unsettling wine. The verse expresses a sense of shock and bewilderment at the hardships God has permitted.

In this psalm, King David is speaking to God on behalf of Israel after a military defeat. The “hard things” refer to severe challenges or suffering, and the “wine of astonishment” is a vivid way of saying the people feel overwhelmed and disoriented, as if stunned by what has happened. The verse captures a moment of honest struggle and confusion in the face of trouble.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 60:3

  • “Shewed” (רָאָה, ra’ah) means to show or make visible. Here, it emphasizes that God has actively allowed the people to see or experience these difficulties, not just hear about them.
  • “Things” (קָשֶׁה, qasheh) means hard or harsh. This word highlights the severity of what the people are going through—not just ordinary troubles, but truly tough experiences.
  • “Drink” (שָׁקָה, shaqah) means to cause to drink, often used for being made to drink something unpleasant. It suggests that the people did not choose this hardship; it was given to them.
  • “Wine” (יַיִן, yayin) is the usual word for wine. In this context, it is not about celebration but about being made to feel unsteady or confused.
  • “Astonishment” (תַּרְעֵלָה, tar‘elah) means staggering or bewilderment. It paints the picture of people reeling or stunned, much like someone who has had too much strong wine.

Why Psalms 60:3 matters

  • The verse helps clear up that the “wine” here is not a blessing but a symbol of confusion and hardship, showing how poetic language can express deep emotional distress.
  • Psalms 60:3 emphasizes that even faithful people can feel overwhelmed and shocked by what God allows, making room for honest expressions of struggle in prayer.
  • This verse connects to the wider psalm, where David is seeking God’s help after defeat, showing that faith includes moments of questioning and bewilderment, not just confidence.

Where else these words appear

“astonishment” Hebrew H8653 · used in 3 verses

  • Isaiah 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
  • Isaiah 51:22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

“things” Hebrew H7186 · used in 36 verses

  • Genesis 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
  • Deuteronomy 26:6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
  • 2 Chronicles 10:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

“drink” Hebrew H8248 · used in 72 verses

  • Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
  • Genesis 40:20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
  • Psalms 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

“wine” Hebrew H3196 · used in 134 verses

  • Genesis 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
  • 2 Chronicles 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
  • Isaiah 24:9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.