Psalms 60:9

_WHO WILL BRING ME INTO THE STRONG CITY? WHO WILL LEAD ME INTO EDOM?_ -Anticipation of, and prayer for, success in the expedition against Edom. Verse 9. WHO WILL BRING ME INTO THE STRONG CITY? - `the city of strength' (Psalms 31:21): Petra, or Sela, the rock-built city of Idumea (2 Kings 14:7). Verse 10. WRIT NOT THOU, O GOD - because of thy promise (Psalms 60:6). WHICH HADST CAST US OFF, AND THOU, O GOD, WHICH DIDST NOT GO OUT WITH OUR ARMIES? - quoted from Psalms 44:9. Faith believes the final fulfillment of the promise, in spite of contrary appearances for a time. Verse 11....

9_Who will bring me into the fortified city? _Anticipating an objection which might be alleged, he proceeds to state that he looked to God for the accomplishment of what remained to be done in the capture of the fortified places of his enemies, and the consolidation of his victories. It might be said, that as a considerable number continued to resist his claims, the confident terms which he had used were premature. God, however, had pledged his word that every nation which set itself in opposition to him would be brought under his power, and in the face of remaining difficulties and dangers he advances with certainty of success. By the _fortified city, _(399) some understand Rabbah, the capital of the Moabites. Others, with more probability, consider that the singular is used for the plural number, and that David alludes in general to the different cities under protection of which his en...

6-12 If Christ be ours, all things, one way or another, shall be for our eternal good. The man who is a new creature in Christ, may rejoice in all the precious promises God has spoken in his holiness. His present privileges, and the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, are sure earnests of heavenly glory. David rejoices in conquering the neighbouring nations, which had been enemies to Israel. The Israel of God are through Christ more than conquerors. Though sometimes they think that the Lord has cast them off, yet he will bring them into the strong city at last. Faith in the promise will assure us that it is our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom: But we are not yet made complete conquerors, and no true believer will abuse these truths to indulge sloth, or vain confidence. Hope in God is the best principle of true courage, for what need those fear who have God on their side?...

Verse Psalms 60:9. _WHO WILL BRING ME_ INTO _THE STRONG CITY?_] If this part of the Psalm, from the _sixth_ to the _twelfth_ verse, refer to _the_ _return of the captives from Babylon_, as I think probable; then the _strong city_ may mean either _Petra_, the capital of _Idumea; Bozra_, in Arabia, near the mountains of Gilead; _Rabba_, the capital of the Ammonites; or _Tyre_, according to the _Chaldee_, the capital of Phoenicia; or _Jerusalem_ itself, which, although dismantled, had long been one of the strongest cities of the east. Or it may imply, Who shall give me the dominion over the countries already mentioned? who will lead me into Edom? who will give me the dominion over that people?...

WHO WILL BRING ME INTO THE STRONG CITY? - The strong city - the fenced, the fortified city - referred to here is doubtless the capital of Idumea. This was the celebrated city Petra, situated in the rocks, and so difficult to be taken by an enemy. For a description of it, see the notes at Isaiah 16:1. It was this city, as the capital of the land of Edom, which David was now so anxious to secure; and he asks, therefore, with interest, who among his captains, his mighty men, would undertake the task of conducting his armies there. WHO WILL LEAD ME INTO EDOM? - Into the capital, and thence into the whole land to subdue it. This was done under the combined command of Joab and Abishai his brother. See the notes at the title to the psalm....

EXPOSITION IN the case of this psalm, the "title" is again our best guide, both with respect to the author and to the occasion of the composition. The title is unusually full, and contains such a number of minute particulars, as a later compiler or commentator would scarcely have ventured upon. The history involved in the title—reconcilable on the whole with the accounts in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles—is certainly not contained in those accounts. It implies an author, writing from his own knowledge of facts—an author who, if not David himself, must have been a contemporary. The psalm itself has every characteristic of the Davidic style—liveliness, rapid transitions, terse yet comprehensive language, strong metaphors, intense feeling, hopefulness. It belongs to the time when, after his first Syrian campaign (2 Samuel 8:3), David was engaged in a war with

WHO WILL BRING ME [INTO] THE STRONG CITY?.... Which some understand of Rabbah of the Ammonites, which Joab besieged, and sent to David to come and take it in person, 2 Samuel 12:26. The Targum interprets it of Tyre, which was a strong fortified city, Ezekiel 26:4. It rather seems to be the same with Edom, or the metropolis of the Edomites; since it follows: WHO WILL LEAD ME INTO EDOM? which was situated in the clefts of the rock, and on the height of the hill, Jeremiah 49:16; but is mystically to be understood of the city of Rome, the great and mighty city, as it is often called in the book of the Revelation, R

Psalms 60 The Lord with His People _ 1. Confessions and prayer (Psalms 60:1)_ 2. The inheritance anticipated (Psalms 60:6) 3. Faith's certainty (Psalms 60:9) This Psalm, “Shushan-Eduth” (the lily of testimony), also a Michtam of David, has for its beginning a confession of the godly in Israel. The Lord they acknowledge had scattered them and is angry with them. They pray for restoration. “That thy beloved may be delivered, save with Thy right hand and hear me.” Then He hears and answers in His holiness and His people rejoice as once more they possess their earthly inheritance. The casting of the shoe upon Edom m

LX. This Ps. really consists of two bound together in an abrupt style. In A, _i.e._ in Psalms 60:1; Psalms 60:10_ b_, Psalms 60:11 f. we have a lament over the desperate condition of Israel, though the Psalmist is driven by his despair to renewed trust in God. In B (Psalms 60:6_ a_) the tone is quite different. Appeal is made to a Divine oracle and the poet exults in the confidence that Israel will recover its possessions and utterly subdue Moab and Edom. The whole of B recurs in Psalms 108:7_ a_: so also does the conclusion of Ps.,

THE STRONG CITY. Probably Sela or Petra, corresponding with Edom (compare 2 Kings 14:7). David claims the promise of Numbers 24:18....