Psalms108
New Living Translation
1 My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
2 Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.
3 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.
4 For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.
6 Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power.
7 God has promised this by his holiness: “I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh, too. Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors, and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings.
9 But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant, and I will wipe my feet on Edom and shout in triumph over Philistia.”
10 Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who will bring me victory over Edom?
11 Have you rejected us, O God? Will you no longer march with our armies?
12 Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless.
13 With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.
Study
Psalms 108Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 108. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
vv1-13
We may usefully select passages from different psalms, as here, Ps 57; 60, to help our devotions, and enliven our gratitude. When the heart is firm in faith and love, the tongue, being employed in grateful praises, is our glory. Every gift of the Lord honours and profits the possessor, as it is employed in God's service and to his glory. Believers may pray with assured faith and hope, for all the blessings of salvation; which are secured to them by the faithful promise and covenant of God. Then let them expect from him help in every trouble, and victory in every conflict. Whatever we do, whatever we gain, God must have all the glory. Lord, visit all our souls with this salvation, with this favour which thou bearest to thy chosen people.
Key Words
שִׁיר: a song; abstractly, singing
מִזְמוֹר: properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notes
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
כּוּן: properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
שִׁיר: to sing
זָמַר: play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music
אַף: meaning accession (used as an adverb or conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though
כָּבוֹד: properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness
Cross References
Psalms 108Verses 1-5 are taken almost verbatim from this section of Psalm 57.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Verses 6-13 are taken almost verbatim from this section of Psalm 60.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Equates "glory" with the tongue or heart employed in joyful praise of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Judah as the lawgiver, echoing Jacob's ancient messianic scepter blessing.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms triumph over Philistia, slightly modifying the parallel reading in Psalm 60:8.
Supported by JFB
Historical fulfillment of David putting garrisons in Edom and subduing the territory.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the lament of being cast off by God, contrasted with active hope of restoration.
Supported by Matthew Poole