Psalm 108:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

NIV: Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

NASB: Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

CSB: Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

NLT: Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom?

KJV: Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

NKJV: Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom?

The original use of these words was in Psalm 60 (Psalm 60:9). In that writing, David prayed for divine help after the nation of Edom launched a surprise attack (Psalm 60:1–5) against a distracted Israelite army (2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Chronicles 18:3). David's earlier writing quickly moved to resolve. He did not intend to abandon faith in the Lord. Psalm 108 combines this with other declarations of trust taken from Psalm 57.

The city mentioned here was probably Sela, better known as Petra. Edom made this their capital, since it was easily defensible in a rocky place. This was a source of pride for the Edomites (Obadiah 1:3), which God intended to thwart (Obadiah 1:4). Here, David's words could either be seen as a question or a rhetorical statement. Perhaps he is asking for God's help in the impending battle. Or he may be asking if the Lord will be with them at all (Psalm 108:11).

Psalm 108:6–13 is identical to Psalm 60:6–12. In these closing verses, David expresses confidence that God will triumph over Israel's foes. The people of Israel will be given the lands which God claimed to control. The psalm closes with David's prayer for God's help and assurance of His power.

The psalmist—repeating words of David's prior psalms—first declares loyalty to the Lord. He declares that God should be worshipped by His people. Next, God's sovereign rule is celebrated. Even so, the song speaks of fears and doubts, calling on the Lord to provide aid in a dire battle. The overall sense is one of confidence and assurance in God.

This psalm combines portions of two other songs (Psalm 57:7–11; Psalm 60:5–12). Psalm 57 relates to David's attempts to evade the jealous King Saul. Psalm 60 reacts to a surprise attack from Edom. Psalm 108 borrows the conclusions of these prior messages; these emphasize a commitment to praise and honor God and to recognize His absolute rule. The psalm is "of David" because it uses his words, but this arrangement may not have been his personal doing.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/23/2024 5:04:24 AM