Psalms 108

Psalms 108:1-5

This psalm begins with praise and concludes with prayer, and faith is at worst in both. 1. David here gives thanks to God for mercies in himself, ver. 1—5. 2. He prays to God for mercies for the land, pleading the promises of God, and putting them in faith, ver. 6—13. The former part is taken out of psalm livi. 7, &c. the latter out of psalm ix. 5, &c. and both with little variation.

¶ A song or psalm of David.

¶ 1. O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 3. I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 4. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.

For the fuller enlargement on these verses, see Psal. livi. 7—11. The psalmist discovers in them the blessed frame of his own spirit, and teaches us how our praises should be offered up to God: with hearts fixed on the sacred subject, rising early to the pleasing task, uniting voice and instruments to raise the sound, and openly, with every warm expression of grateful affection, proclaiming in the midst of the people his me, cy and humbleness, his greatness and glory; mercy more extensive than the heaven, truth which reaches to the clouds, and glory infinitely beyond all blessing and praise that men or angels can offer.

¶ 6. That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 7. God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8. Gilead is mine, Manaffeh is mine, Ephraim also is the strength of mine head, Judah is my lawgiver. 9. Moab is my washopor, over Edom will I cast out my shoe: over Philsia will I triumph. 10. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 11. Will not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and will not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12. Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 13. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalms 108:6-13

We had before these verses, Psal. ix. 5—12. They contain,

1. The Psalmist’s prayer in behalf of himself and people, v. 6. Nite, Every believer is a David, a beloved, and may confidently expect to see the salvation of God.

2. He already triumphs, assured of success, since he hath the truth of God engaged to bring him to Israel’s throne, and put the neighbouring nations, their enemies, under his footstool, v. 7—9. Nite, (1.) What God promises, hath can rejoice in, in already done. (2.) The beloved Son of David hath an everlasting kingdom, and before him all his enemies must lick the duft.

3. Whatever difficulties were in the way, by human power insurmountable, whatever discouragements he had met with, v. 11, and however numerous the hosts of the enemies, he looks to God; if he be Israel’s leader, not Edom’s walls can withstand, but strong in his might, they shall be more than conquerors. Thus may the believer, in the view of the spiritual foes of his soul, and the strong fortresses of corruption, be ready to stagger in the consciousness of his own weakness; but there is help laid on one mighty to save: through Christ strengthening us, we can do all things; and it is he that shall tread down all our enemies, and bring us to share his triumphs over sin, death, and hell, in the eternal world of glory.