David's first act after his anointing amidst the assembled tribes (1 Chronicles 12:38-40) was to place himself at the head of his army, and march against Jebus, the capital of the Jebusites. With this place he was familiar from his boyhood, and often, perhaps, wondered why it was suffered to remain so long unsubdued (Joshua 1:3, 4). He perceived its advantages as a site for the capital of his kingdom, and the necessity of its reduction in order to the establishment and extension thereof. His enterprise, whatever may have been its immediate cause, was completely successful. Henceforth supreme interest centres in Zion, the city of David, Jerusalem ("foundation of peace"), beyond any other city mentioned in sacred history, poetry, or prophecy. "Jerusalem was destined to become the seat of the Hebrew government, and the scene of the most extraordinary events, and more strange and awful vicissitudes, than any other city of the universe, not excepting Rome" (Milman). Note -

I. ITS PECULIAR SITUATION. In the heart of the country, remote from the great roads of communication with the East; on a mountainous table land, and entrenched on a cluster of hills, the highest of which was crowned with the stronghold, rock fortress, or acropolis of Zion (ver. 7); on the borderline between Benjamin and Judah, belonging equally to both parts of the now united kingdom. Its selection was a striking proof of David's military ability and political insight, and was probably determined by a higher wisdom (Deuteronomy 12:5; 2 Chronicles 6:6). "God intended not Jerusalem for a staple of trade, but for a royal exchange of religion, chiefly holding correspondency with heaven itself, daily receiving blessings thence, duly returning praises thither; besides, God would not have his virgin people the Jews wooed with, much less wedded to, outlandish fashions" (Thos. Fuller).

II. ITS PREVIOUS HISTORY. As the city of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 77:2; Josephus, 'Wars,' 6:10), traditions of whose ancient greatness may have lingered around the spot, and fired the poet's imagination (Psalm 110:4); of Adonizedec the Amorite (Joshua 10:1), a man of different character, lille Adonibezek (Judges 1:7); smitten by Judah, occupied by Benjamin conjointly with the Jebusites (not, perhaps, driven out of their citadel), and afterwards entirely by the latter (Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:8, 21; Judges 3:5-7; Judges 19:10-12). "Joshua, and Deborah, and Samuel, and Saul, and David must have passed and repassed the hills, and gazed on the tower of the city, unconscious of the fate reserved for her in all subsequent time" (Stanley, 'Sinai and Palestine').

III. ITS HEROIC CONQUEST. David found little resistance in taking the lower city, in contrast With the upper city or citadel (Josephus), the defenders of which, relying on the strength of their position, said, derisively, that "blind and lame" were sufficient to repel his attack. But:

1. Self-confidence is fraught with danger. (1 Samuel 14:22.) "The enemies of God's people are often very confident of their own strength, and most secure when their day to fall draws nigh" (Matthew Henry).

2. Scorn is a spur to a resolute spirit. "And David said on that day -

Whoso smiteth a Jebusite (first),
Let him hurl down the precipice (watercourse)
Both the lame and blind,
Who are hateful to David's soul.'" And "he shall be chief and captain" (1 Chronicles 11:6).

3. Great inducements procure great achievements.

4. The prize is sometimes won by those for whom it is least intended. "So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief," his power, of which David bitterly complained (2 Samuel 3:39), being thereby confirmed.

5. The language of contempt comes back on those who employ it, to their lasting humiliation. It became a proverb: "The blind and lame [ironically applied to the over confident] shall not come into the house [succeed in anything]."

6. Severity should be joined with mercy. Although a hard fate befell some, yet most of the Jebusite inhabitants were incorporated into Israel (Zechariah 9:7), and one of them (2 Samuel 24:18) dwelt peacefully on an adjacent hill (2 Chronicles 3:1).

7. One victory is often followed by many. The capture of a fortress by national and world-wide consequences.

IV. ITS PERMANENT OCCUPATION, STRENGTHENING, AND EXTENSION. "And David dwelt in the stronghold [of Zion], and called it the city of David" (see Conder, 'Handbook,' p. 337). "And David built round about from Millo ['the citadel,' LXX.] and inward" (ver. 9). "And Joab restored the rest of the city" (1 Chronicles 11:9). "The erection of the new capital at Jerusalem introduces us to a new era, not only in the inward holms of the prophet king, but in the external history of the monarchy" (Stanley, 'Jewish Church;' Ewald).

V. ITS THEOCRATIC RELATION, WHICH WAS ITS CHIEF DISTINCTION. AS the metropolis of the chosen people, the residence of the Lord's Anointed (Messiah), the seat of government, the centre of religion and Divine service, the source of far-reaching influence, it was "the city of the great King" (Matthew 5:35), where he dwelt, reigned, manifested his glory, and "commanded his blessing, even life forevermore." So Jerusalem was described by psalmists and prophets, and won the passionate attachment of her children, in which love of country and home, devotion to God, and hope for the world were inseparably blended. "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God" (Psalm 86:3; Psalm 48; Psalm 122; Psalm 125:1, 2; Psalm 137.).

VI. ITS EXTRAORDINARY VICISSITUDES. "In the fifteen centuries which elapsed between those two points (Judges 1:8; Luke 21:20), the city was besieged no fewer than seventeen times; twice it was razed to the ground; and on two occasions its walls were levelled. In this respect it stands without a parallel in any city, ancient or modern" (Smith's 'Dictionary'). What a scene did it present during these ages of military, political, religious strife, of prophetic activity and demoniacal wickedness, of mercy and of judgment (Amos 3:2)! With its rejection of "the Son of David" its lingering theocratic glory departed, and its walls became a desolate heap. "O Jerusalem!" (Luke 13:34; Luke 20:41-44).

VII. ITS SPIRITUAL FORESHADOWING. "In the progress of the city of God through the ages, David first reigned in the earthly Jerusalem as a shadow of that which was to come" (Augustine, 'City of God,' 17:14. 20); "Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Hebrews 12:22); the spiritual kingdom of which Christ is King, the general assembly and Church of which he is the Head; the lofty, free, mother city of us all (Galatians 4:25, 26); "the holy city, new Jerusalem" (Revelation 21:1); glorious, unchanging, everlasting (Hebrews 11:10; Hebrews 13:14). "O holy Zion! where all is abiding, and nothing passes away!"

"O happy harbour of the saints!
O sweet and pleasant soil!
In thee no sorrow may be found,
No grief, no care, no toil." = - D.

We too are called upon to slay, to destroy and to overthrow. Are we anxious to slay a lion?

1. There is a lion to be fought by every man — Satan (1 Peter 5:8). We are called upon to fight against —

2. Self-indulgence.

3. Worldly fashion.

4. Worldly ambition.Truly there is battle enough now to be done. Whosoever will set himself against the customs of his time, the popular policies of the circle in which he moves, the prejudices of the persons whose friendship he values, will find that he must have a sword in his right hand, and that even whilst he sleeps he must have his armour so near that at a moment's notice he can be once more in the fray.

(J. Parker, D. D.)