What does Psalm 60:9 reveal about God's relationship with Edom? Superscription and Historical Setting Psalm 60 is “for instruction,” written “after David fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt” (v. 1, superscription). The battle sequence is important: Israel initially suffered loss, cried out to the LORD, then—through divine intervention—gained decisive victory. Verse 9 rises from that battlefield context. Text “Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?” (Psalm 60:9) Immediate Literary Structure 1. Verse 8 establishes God’s sovereign contempt for Edom: “on Edom I toss My sandal.” 2. Verse 9 poses two questions. David recognizes (a) Edom’s humanly impenetrable stronghold and (b) his utter dependence on God to penetrate it. 3. Verse 10 provides the answer: “Have You not rejected us, O God? … give us aid against the foe, for the help of man is worthless” (vv. 10–11). The whole stanza teaches that victory comes only through Yahweh. God’s Relationship with Edom in Scripture 1. Family Ties and Foundational Rivalry • Genesis 25:23—Even before birth God declared, “the older will serve the younger.” • Deuteronomy 2:4–5—Israel was forbidden to seize Edomite land during the wilderness trek, proving God’s initial benevolence toward Esau’s line. • Numbers 20:14–21—Edom’s refusal of passage escalated tension. 2. Divine Ownership and Humiliation • “On Edom I toss My sandal” (Psalm 60:8). In ancient Near-Eastern custom, tossing or removing a sandal marked the legal transfer of property (cf. Ruth 4:7–8). God declares title over Edom; they are His to dispose of (cf. Amos 9:12). 3. Instrument of Discipline, Object of Judgment • 2 Samuel 8:13–14 records Joab’s campaign, fulfilling Psalm 60’s plea. Archaeological layers at Khirbet en-Naḥas reveal a sudden occupational break consistent with an Israelite incursion c. 10 th century BC—a datum aligning with the biblical timeline. • Obadiah details Edom’s downfall for gloating over Jerusalem’s fall. Malachi 1:2-4 further affirms, “Esau I hated,” yet even Edom’s attempts at rebuilding are thwarted. 4. Edom in the Prophetic Arc • Isaiah 34; 63:1-6 and Jeremiah 49 depict a final eschatological judgment on Edom, foreshadowing universal judgment on proud nations. • In the New Testament era, Herod the Great, an Idumean (Edomite), illustrates the line’s continued hostility to Messianic purposes (Matthew 2:13-16); yet Christ triumphs. Theological Trajectory • Sovereign Election – Romans 9:10-13 cites the Jacob-Esau paradigm to underscore God’s right to choose. Psalm 60:9 reflects that choice on the battlefield. • Human Weakness vs. Divine Might – “The help of man is worthless” (v. 11). Behavioral studies note that crises drive people toward transcendent dependence; David voices that spiritual psychology 3,000 years ago. • Covenant Faithfulness – Edom’s temporary discipline of Israel (e.g., during Saul’s reign) never nullified God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Psalm 60 celebrates covenant continuity. Practical and Devotional Application 1. Impossible strongholds—whether personal sin, cultural opposition, or geopolitical threats—are breached only by God’s lead. 2. Nations resisting God eventually experience the “sandal toss” of divine dispossession. 3. Edom’s downfall admonishes believers to avoid pride and schadenfreude; judgment is Yahweh’s prerogative. Cross-References for Study • Historical Narrative: 2 Samuel 8:13-14; 1 Kings 11:15-16; 2 Kings 14:7. • Prophetic Oracles: Obadiah 1; Isaiah 34; Jeremiah 49:7-22; Ezekiel 35. • Apostolic Reflection: Romans 9:10-13; Hebrews 12:16-17. Conclusion Psalm 60:9 reveals a relationship in which God is absolute Owner, disciplinary Judge, and sovereign Guide regarding Edom. He alone carries His people through seemingly impregnable barriers, displaying both covenant loyalty to Israel and righteous judgment against persistent opposition. |
    |