Psalms 108
Psalm 108 is a psalm that blends thanksgiving and praise with content about seeking God’s salvation and help. It can be broadly divided into a hymn that declares the psalmist’s unwavering faith (verses 1-5) and a prayer that asks for help while seeking God’s presence in times of trouble (verses 6-13). Interestingly, this psalm appears in a form that has been partially reconstructed by quoting the contents of Psalm 57 (verses 7-11) and Psalm 60 (verses 5-12). As such, it carries an important message that is meant to be pondered repeatedly and applied anew.
1verseA Song. A Psalm by David. My heart is steadfast, God. I will sing and I will make music with my soul.
2verseWake up, harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn.
3verseI will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations. I will sing praises to you among the peoples.
4verseFor your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
5verseBe exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth.
6verseThat your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.
7verseGod has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph, I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.
8verseGilead is mine. Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is my helmet. Judah is my scepter.
9verseMoab is my wash pot. I will toss my sandal on Edom. I will shout over Philistia.”
10verseWho will bring me into the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
11verseHaven’t you rejected us, God? You don’t go out, God, with our armies.
12verseGive us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain.
13verseThrough God, we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our enemies.
Verses 1-5: Praise Filled with Confidence
The psalmist confesses that his heart is certain (verse 1) and resolves to sing and praise God with all his heart. The point is emphasized that prayer and praise begin within a person’s inner life and that their sound reaches God’s entire people and all nations (verse 3). The psalmist confesses his trust in the Most High God and declares that God’s steadfast love and truth endure forever, expressing his hope that the LORD of glory will be exalted (verses 4-5).
Verses 6-13: Seeking God’s Help
Here, the psalmist earnestly asks for God’s deliverance even in the midst of crisis and difficulty (verse 6). Recalling God’s promise to personally help Israel, he entrusts the present problems to God based on past experiences of faith (verses 7-9). The psalmist confesses that though victory cannot be achieved by human strength alone (verse 12), it is possible to win with God (verse 13), revealing his confession of faith and determination as a community.
The Overall Meaning of Psalm 108
This psalm is meaningful in that confident faith and earnest prayer coexist at the same time. Praise and supplication are not separate from one another; in the midst of real-life hardships, they become a deeper basis for trusting God. It presents the posture of the person of faith who, even amid recurring crises, holds on to God’s past grace and promises and moves forward in praise and prayer.
Meditation Points
- Is my heart truly certain? Like the psalmist, let’s strengthen our hearts of trust and praise that do not change.
- How do I pray in suffering? I check my attitude of seeking God by remembering His grace in the past.
- The balance between praise and supplication and how I can achieve it—let’s think about that.
Apply It to Yourself
- On my faith journey as well, I reflect on how praise and prayer form a balance.
- When I ask for God’s help, I apply an attitude of trusting God with my current problems, remembering the grace I received in the past.
