David
Psalm 108
A Song or Psalm of David.
Scripture (KJV)
1O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
2Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
3I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
4For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
5Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
6That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.
7God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
8Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
9Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.
10Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
11Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
12Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
13Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
Summary
Psalm 108 is a composite psalm, drawing its first five verses from Psalm 57:7-11 and its latter half from Psalm 60:5-12. David opens with a fixed heart and a vow to praise God among the nations, exalting the Lord whose mercy is great above the heavens and whose truth reaches to the clouds. The pivot comes in verse 6, where praise turns to petition: “That thy beloved may be delivered.” God has spoken in His holiness, claiming Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, Judah, Moab, Edom, and Philistia, and David asks who will lead him into the strong city.
The psalm acknowledges the pain of apparent rejection—“Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off?”—yet resolves in confident trust: “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” The major themes are praise, God’s sovereignty over the nations, deliverance, the vanity of human help, and valiant faith. Practically, the psalm teaches that fixed-hearted praise can coexist with honest petition, and that ultimate victory comes only through God. The great lesson is that when human help is vain, divine help is valiant.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 108
O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, my soul, to praise You early! I will praise You, O Lord, among the people and sing praises to You among the nations, for Your mercy is great above the heavens and Your truth reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be above all the earth. Deliver Your beloved; save with Your right hand and answer me. You have spoken in Your holiness; You claim the lands and the nations as Yours. Bring me into the strong city and lead me through every Edom. When I feel cast off, remind me that You go forth with Your people. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. Through You I shall do valiantly, for You tread down my enemies. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1What does it mean for my heart to be “fixed” before God in both praise and petition?
- 2Where have I been relying on the “vain help of man” instead of on God?
- 3How can I exalt God above the heavens in the midst of my current battles?
- 4What “strong city” do I need God to lead me into, and will I trust Him to do it?
Related Psalms
Psalm 57
“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: and in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge.”
A prayer for refuge and a resolve to awake the dawn with praise.
Read morePsalm 60
“O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.”
A national lament after defeat, pleading for restoration and help.
Read morePsalm 44
“We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.”
A national lament of defeat despite faithfulness, pleading for God to arise.
Read morePsalm 20
“The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;”
A prayer for the king before battle, trusting in the name of God.
Read morePsalm 118
“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 118 is the climactic Hallel psalm, a personal and communal song of thanksgiving that frames and is framed by the refrain, “His mercy endureth for ever.
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