David’s Thanksgiving and Prayer.

In this psalm David has used the material of former hymns of praise, the Holy Spirit making use of this new combination to bring out very strongly the features of praise and prayer. A song or psalm of David, v

v. 1. -5 being the same as Psa 57:7-11; Psa 108:6-13 the same as Psa 60:5-12, only a few slight changes in the words having been made.

v. 1. O God, my heart is fixed, in trustful reliance; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory, his entire soul with all its powers being engaged in this service.

v. 2. Awake, psaltery and harp, for the purpose of early and energetic praise; I myself will awake early.

v. 3. I will praise Thee, O Lord, among the people, and I will sing praises unto Thee among the nations, the missionary idea being expressed very clearly in this verse.

v. 4. For Thy mercy is great above the heavens, extending beyond the limit of human understanding, and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds, filling the entire universe.

v. 5. Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens and Thy glory above all the earth,

v. 6. that Thy beloved may be delivered, that is, the believer trusting in Jehovah; save with Thy right hand, emblem of almighty power, and answer me.

v. 7. God hath spoken in His holiness, that being the guarantee in which the believer may trust. I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem and mete out the Valley of Succoth.

v. 8. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

v. 9. Moab is my wash-pot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia, now lying in a state of complete over throw and subjection, will I triumph.

v. 10. Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me into Edom?

v. 11. Wilt not Thou, O God, who hast cast us off? And wilt not Thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

v. 12. Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of man.

v. 13. Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies. It is a hymn setting forth the fulfillment of God’s promises and as such is a fitting song for all believers, a hymn of triumph over all spiritual enemies, all of whom must finally submit to the Lord.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

THIS is a composite psalm, made up of portions of two Davidical psalms, viz. Psa 57:7-11, and Psa 60:5-12, but not (probably) put into its present shape by David. It is difficult to imagine what was the occasion which was thought to call for the union of two such distinct and unconnected passages. The text, moreover, has suffered in the transfer.

Psa 108:1

My heart is fixed. In the original form (Psa 57:7) this emphatic phrase was reiterated, which much increased the force of the declaration. I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. It is difficult to assign any distinct meaning to the last clause, which has nothing parallel to it in Psa 57:7.

Psa 108:2

Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Psa 57:1-11. has, “Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp,” which is intelligible and forcible.

Psa 108:3

I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. Identical with Psa 57:9, except that “O Lord” is expressed by “Jehovah” instead of “Adonai.”

Psa 108:4

For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Identical with Psa 57:10, with the exception of one preposition, which occurs only in some manuscripts.

Psa 108:5

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth. Absolutely identical with Psa 57:11.

Psa 108:6

That thy beloved (or, thy beloved ones) may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. Absolutely identical with Psa 60:5; but with a change in the connection which give the words a somewhat different bearing.

Psa 108:7, Psa 108:8

God hath spoken, etc. Completely identical with Psa 60:6, Psa 60:7.

Psa 108:9

Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I east out my shoe. Identical with the first two clauses of Psa 60:8. Over Philistia will I triumph. In Psa 60:8 the expression used is different. There we have, “Philistia, triumph thou over me,” or, “because of me.” Apparently the compiler has not understood David’s irony, and has therefore changed the form of the verb.

Psa 108:10

Who will bring me into the strong city? A slight change occurs here, taking the place of , but there is no difference in the sense. Who will lead me into Edom? Identical with the last clause of Psa 60:9.

Psa 108:11

Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Identical with Psa 60:10, with the exception that there, in the first clause, “thou” is expressed by The meaning is probably that assigned in the Revised Version, “Hast not thou cast us off, O God? and thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts” (see the comment on Psa 60:10).

Psa 108:12

Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Completely identical with Psa 60:11.

Psa 108:13

Through God we shall do valiantly, etc. Also completely identical with Psa 60:12.

HOMILETICS

Psa 108:1-13

Triumph in trouble.

The words of which this psalm is composed were written after a reverse, or in the midst of strife, but also after a Divine promise (Psa 108:7) which was the assurance of success; they breathe a spirit not merely of serenity, but even of triumph; and they bear with them the lesson, that in the time of trouble we may be so sustained by the Word of God that we may even exult in the prospect before us.

I. THE PRESENCE OF ADVERSITY. Behind us is defeat (Psa 108:11); before us is difficulty, apparent impossibility (Psa 108:10); the ordinary, visible resources have failed us (Psa 108:12): “vain is the help of man.” This adversity may be either outward or inward, in circumstance or in the soul.

1. We may be beaten in the battle of life, or at any rate temporarily overcome. We may sustain a serious reverse; we may be reduced in our holding and our position; we may suffer in our reputation i we may be sadly disappointed in some venture; we may fail to secure some coveted post or honor.

2. We may fall far short of our endeavor and our expectation in the spiritual struggle. This may be either on the arena of our own spiritual nature, or on the broad field of conflict with error and evil. We may find ourselves much further from the goal than we expected by this time to be, or we may be surprised and grieved at the comparative fruitlessness of our Christian labor. It is the hour of defeat.

II. THE REFUGE OF THE HUMAN HEART. There always remains one thing that can he done when all others fail: we can go in prayer to God, we can “pour out our heart” unto him (Psa 108:6). If we are God’s children, we can urge this plea as the psalmist does here; we can call on our heavenly Father to hear and to save his own. We are warranted to look for Divine attention, sympathy, succor. And, apart from the desired intervention, the very act of filial approach and appeal to God brings with it refreshment and relief. But there is

III. THE DIVINE PROMISE. “God hath spoken,” etc. (Psa 108:7). However God spoke to the psalmist, we know how he has spoken to us. He has spoken “in his holiness,” in his faithfulness, the word upon which we can build. By holy men of old whom he inspired, and by that Holy One himself who was “the Truth,” whose words cannot pass away without being fulfilled, God has given us strong assurances both for our present earthly life, and also for our own spiritual course, as well as for the coming of his kingdom. We know that to the upright there will arise light in the darkness; that all needful things will be added to those who seek and serve Christ; that the Spirit of God will be granted to those that ask earnestly for his presence; that our labor will not prove to be in vain in the Lord; that we shall dwell with our Lord in his glory. Our hope, our confident expectation, rests on the immovable rock of the faithfulness, the holiness, of the eternal and immutable One.

IV. OUR HOLY CONFIDENCE IS GOD. “I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem,” etc. (Psa 108:7-9); “Through God we shall do valiantly,” etc. (Psa 108:13). David, when he wrote these words, felt as strong an assurance that he would carry out his purpose and subdue his enemies, as if he had seen them flying from before his army; he realized the unseen. It is for us, by a strong and living faith, to foresee the issue of our efforts; to be thoroughly convinced that provision will be made for us; that our name will be cleared; that we shall gain the victory over our spiritual adversaries, and be conquerors through Christ; that our work shall be rewarded, and result in real spiritual success; that we shall reach home and heaven at last; that we shall one day understand that which sorely perplexes us now.

V. OUR SPIRIT OF THANKFULNESS. It is not only that the psalmist is calm and peaceful; he is more than that. His lips are full of praise, though the “strong city ‘ is not yet entered, and Edom is still unsubdued. His heart is fixed; he is unwaveringly confident of victory; his mouth shall be full of praise. He does not wait for the moment of success; he pours out his joy in God; he ascribes to him, at once, the attributes of truth and mercy; he exults in him, and “extols him with his tongue” (Psa 108:1-5). It is the triumph of faith. Thus it may be true that God’s “praise is continually in our mouth;” not only when the sun is shining, and the corn is ripening, but when the rain is falling, and the corn is rotting in the field; not only when the church is crowded, and the converts are passing into the fold, but when the message of truth is rejected, and there are but few results to chronicle. Let us praise God “with our glory;” with the glorious agentthis thinking, trusting, loving, rejoicing human soul; with the glorious instrumentthis tongue, which sings the grace and speaks the truth of Jesus Christ.

HOMILIES BY R. TUCK

Psa 108:1-13

“This psalm is a compilation formed by combining the last five verses of Psa 57:1-11 with the last eight verses of Psa 60:1-12; the latter being itself a compilation.” It is ascribed to David because the original passages both occur in psalms ascribed to him. But Bishop Perowne thinks that some later poet probably adapted them to circumstances of his own time; possibly wishing thus to commemorate some victory over Edom or Philistia. For homiletic treatment, see the above-named psalms.S.C.

Psa 108:1

God honored by fixed resolves.

“My heart is fixed; My heart is ready” (Prayer-book Version); “My heart is steadfast” (Perowne). This psalm is clearly a compilation from two earlier psalms, and was probably arranged for liturgical worship. It represents the kind of experience which we properly associate with David. The references are such as suit his endeavor to extend and consolidate his kingdom; but the expression in Psa 108:11 suggests that the psalm was rewritten by a returned exile, to whom the Captivity was a “casting off” of the nation by God. What we now see is, that the mood of mind in which David first composed it is one eminently characteristic of him; and it is a mood eminently suitable for a restored exile, who was under the persuasion of the restoring mercies of God. What is the most striking thing in David’s career is his fixity for God, the steadfastness of his purpose to live for God. He may have stumbled, made mistakes, acted unworthily, and openly sinned. And who, of woman born, has yet lived such a perfect life that he can venture to throw a stone at David? But from the beginning to the ending of his life David never heart swerved from God. “His heart was fixed.” Fixed to trust; fixed to serve; fixed to praise.

I. FIXITY IN PRINCIPLE IS THE SECRET OF FREEDOM. Illustrate by the tree, which is only free to spread and wave its branches, and put itself forth in flower and fruit, when the roots go well into the ground and hold firm. A man is not free who has no established principles, no fixed laws of conduct. He seems free, but really is a slave to his senses, and to all who have skill to offer sense-gratifications. True freedom is liberty to do right, and to do wrong, when a man is fixed that he will not do wrong. Sin enslaves those who are not fixed for God.

II. FIXITY IN PURPOSE IS THE SECRET OF STRENGTH. Illust.: Joshua. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” That resolve inspired a strong, unflagging life of service. Or take St. Paul. His resolve is, “To me to live is Christ;” so he exclaims, in conscious strength, “I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me.” The man who knows what he means can gather up and unify his forces; hold them in restraint, and use them wisely.

III. FIXITY IN HABIT IS THE SECRET OF DEFENCE. Here reference is to the habit of praise. This is the Christian’s guard against depression and against temptation. What can the tempter do with a man whom he finds rejoicing in God?R.T.

Psa 108:1

The best work of a man’s best.

“I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have” (Prayer-book Version). A man’s “glory” is his soul-the powers and faculties which belong to him as a rational and spiritual being. A man may join in singing praise, and only do it mechanically. A man may give praise him self as the mere performance of a duty. A man only praises God aright, or acceptably, when he praises with his glory; as a real and sincere expression of his feeling. True praise is the utterance of a man’s individuality.

I. THE GLORY OF A MAN IS THAT WHICH DISTINGUISHES HIM FROM THE ANIMALS. The beasts of the field have no uplooking eyes or yearning hearts. No mere animal can sing. It is only in a figurative sense that birds are said to sing. They express nothing intelligent to men in the sounds they make. Man can think; can receive impressions; can discern qualities in things done for him and to him; can feel emotions of love and admiration and gratitude. So with his glory as a man, he can sing and give praise. Man can lead the choir of creation; but man’s song differs from all other songs. The tone and meaning in it is put by man’s glory.

II. THE GLORY OF A MAN IS THAT WHICH DISTINGUISHES HIM FROM OTHER MEN. It may be true that all men are alike. The bodily limbs, organs, faculties, etc; are the same. But it is even more true that men differ from one another. Each one is strictly an individual. A man may have much in common with his fellows; he has some thing which is peculiar to himselfsome faculty, or taste, or preference, or influence, or experience, which is strictly personal. And that, whatever it may be, is his glory. And it is the placing of that on the altar of service to God which is the real “presenting of a man’s self as a living sacrifice.” The Prayer-book Version seals this in its rendering, “with the best member that I have.”R.T.

Psa 108:2

Morning religion.

“I myself will awake right early” (Revised Version). The idea seems to be, that the anxiety to be praising God is so strong in the psalmist that it actually wakes. A man wakes early when he has a mind burdened with business or family cares; the psalmist wakes early because his mind is burdened with its sense of indebtedness to God. Perhaps but few of us can say that we shorten our self-indulgent sleep for the sake of praise and prayer. Our Lord lived a crowded, bustled life; but as he must have, for sold-refreshing, daily communion with his Father, he was wont to “rise a great while before day.” According to the Eastern use of the figure, waking early to do a thing was the sign of being thoroughly in earnest in the doing. A man has his heart in the thing which he gets up early to accomplish.

I. MORNING RELIGION IS REFRESHING TO THE SOUL. Because then thought is free and emotion lively, and there is a bright and cheerful tone on all that is said and done. When wearied with the day and its toils and care, religious meditation easily becomes gloomy, the fatigued body flinging its shadows over all the expressions of the spirit. Give the freshness of morning thoughts to God, and that service will surely come back on you as refreshing.

II. MORNING RELIGION IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD. Because it shows him that we are in earnest in his service, and hold our very best as the fitting gift to offer to him. “The flower that’s offered in the bud is the best sacrifice.” That is as true of the day as of the life. And God may be expected to estimate our gifts in the light of what they cost us to present to him. That is our way of appraising the gifts which we receive, and we may be sure that it is God’s way. What, then, is God’s estimate of our daily praise and thanksgiving? Does it really cost us much? It does if, for it, we awake early; preventing the day lest we should lose our holy opportunity, or be beneath our best and freshest in our communions.

III. MORNING RELIGION IS INFLUENTIAL ON OTHERS. It is one of the most effective and impressive examples; and it has a special influence on the young, helping them to form good life-habits. Many of us can gratefully remember the influence of the early morning devotions of our parents. Let us gain the power on others which they have gained on us.R.T.

Psa 108:6

Hope and prayer inspired by praise.

In this verse we trace the influence which the spirit and utterance of praise has upon the psalmist. It leads to prayer, and gives him confidence in prayer.

I. PRAISING GOD BRINGS HOME TO US GOD‘S RELATIONS TO US, AND OUR RELATIONS TO GOD. Praising God for what he has done convinces us of his kindly feeling toward us and interest in us, so that we may even think and speak of ourselves as God’s beloved. This may be regarded as David’s way of thinking of himself; but a similar appropriation of the Divine love we may make. It is the realization of our Father’s personal love to us that fills us with hope, and gives us confidence to pray. We never think of putting God under any constraint of prayer. We pray as children make their requests of parents who love them.

II. PRAISING GOD BECOMES AN INSPIRATION TO PRAYER FOR FURTHER BLESSINGS.

1. It gives us argument. For we only praise because we know that God has answered our prayers. It is really for those answers that we offer prayer. Once let it be established in our hearts that God is the prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God, and we have the all-sufficing ground on which to seek him in every form of new distress and need. Praise is only possible when we fully recognize reasons for praise.

2. It gives us the feeling that makes us long to pray, and so gain yet more reason to praise. Praise and prayer are indissolubly linked together. No man will pray long who gives up praising, and no man will keep up his praise who neglects his praying. If we find ourselves hesitating about praying for what we newly need, the best thing to do is to set about praising for the blessings we have received. Just as it was with the psalmist, so it will be with us. Let praise do its work, and it will be sure to lead in prayer.R.T.

Psa 108:7

Conscious strength through God’s pledge.

The construction of this and the three following verses is somewhat difficult to trace. It may be that the verses are the things that God “spoke in his holiness.” But it is simpler to treat the verses as expressions of what the psalmist feels he can do, and means to endeavor to do, basing his confidence on the fact that “God has spoken in his holiness” has made promise and pledge to him; and God’s pledges, he is sure, are holy, inviolate, certain of fulfillment. In relation to David, the promise to secure for him the full sovereignty of the nation is probably referred to (2Sa 7:1-29.) “In his holiness” means, “in the immutable integrity of his heart,” which was an infallible guarantee for the fulfillment of his promise. The key-note of this portion of the psalm is the fact that the promises of God sent by Nathan to David ensured the establishment of the Davidic dynasty over the kingdom of Israel. But when the original of the psalm was composed, David had all the work before him. The northern portion of Canaan had to be won; neighboring nations had to be subdued, or put under tribute. But the promise gave him conscious strength, made him feel superior to his responsibilities; able even to speak lightly, almost scornfully, of those whose conquest would involve hard toil and fighting (see figures of Psa 108:9).

I. FROM HOLD OF GOD‘S PROMISE GIVES US CONSCIOUS SUPERIORITY TO LIFE‘S DIFFICULTIES. This is true, whether our difficulties come from our circumstances or our sins. We have Divine promises that we shall finally master both our surroundings and ourselves, winning the whole kingdom of our being for righteousness. What keeps us full of good cheer? Not our evident successes, but our grip of the Divine promises. In God’s word and pledge, we rise above our circumstances and above our sins. We feel no sort of fear; we shall “come off more than conquerors.”

II. FIRM HOLD OF GOD‘S PROMISE GIVES US CONSCIOUS STRENGTH TO CARRY OUT OUR RESOLVES. David meant to win Moab, Edom, Philistia, etc.; and he knew he could because God had spoken. There is no sense of strength to accomplish life-purposes ever comes to a man like that he knows when he feels God is at his back.R.T.

Psa 108:11

God with us assures confidence and victory.

What “casting off” is here referred to by the psalmist no one seems to have satisfactorily explained. The best suggestion, perhaps, is that the sentiments of a returned exile are here interwoven with the sentiments of David. The idea of God, as one who had cast off his people for awhile, is quite suitable to a returned exile, but quite unsuitable to David. The thought is, however, found in the original of this psalm (Psa 60:1); and if we must connect it with David, it is necessary to assume that he suffered some temporary repulse in the beginning of his national wars, and that, in a gloomy, poetic way, he regarded this as “God casting off his people.” A good writer on Psa 9:1-20. says, “From the first five verses we should gather that the country had been crushed by some great national disaster.” One is forcibly reminded of two scenes in the national history.

I. THE ANXIETY OF MOSES ABOUT GOD GOING WITH ISRAEL. Recall the expressions of Divine indignation in the matter of the golden calf. The purpose was, as it were half formed, to cast off a people who were showing themselves so unfaithful to the trust reposed in them. Moses interceded. The evident burden on his heart was the possibility that God might not himself go with them; and he passionately pleaded, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” Well he knew that “God with us assures confidence and victory.”

II. THE ANXIETY OF JOSHUA ABOUT GOD GOING WITH ISRAEL. When the covenant was broken, through the covetousness of Achan, God for a time withdrew his defense and help, cast off his people, with the result that the army was defeated, and the whole expedition placed in jeopardy. Joshua was terribly distressed. It seemed to him (not knowing the real cause of the disaster) that the very Name of God was being dishonored, and he passionately pleaded for that restoration of God’s presence and power which alone could give confidence and victory. The history of God’s people furnishes abundant illustrations of the same truth; and it was sealed for ever, as the truth of truths for helpless man, when the ascending Jesus gave his assurance, “Lo, I am with you all the days.”R.T.

HOMILIES BY C. SHORT

Psa 108:1-13

This psalm consists of portions of two others, the first half of it being taken from the fifty-seventh psalm (Psa 108:7-11), and the latter half from the sixtieth (Psa 108:5-12). The notes on these two other psalms may be consulted.S.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Psalms 108.

David encourageth himself to praise God: he prayeth for God’s assistance, according to his promise: his confidence in God’s help.

A Song or Psalm of David.

Title. Shiir mizmor ledavid. The former part of this psalm is very little different from the last five verses of the 57th psalm, which David is supposed to have placed here, instead of those wherewith the 60th psalm begins, because he had now made some progress in those wars which he was but entering upon when he wrote the 60th psalm; and therefore here he begins to thank God for his mercy, as there he laments the ill condition of his affairs. We refer to the notes on the 57th and 60th psalms. Dr. Delaney observes, that the introduction to this psalm plainly shews David’s situation to have been now very different from what it was when he wrote the 60th psalm: How finely, says he, is the noblest spirit of piety and of poetry united in this hymn! How delicate this address to his lyre! to be ready at his call, to be early awake, and prepared for it; for he was resolved to be stirring betimes! The greatness of the occasion required it; which was no less than to sing the praises of the Almighty, and to celebrate his glory to the whole world around. Filled with this glorious design, which had taken entire possession of his heart, he immediately declares that he will execute it, Psa 108:3. I will confess, &c.; and, forgetting his address to his lyre, instantly breaks out into raptures upon the truth and mercy of his God: Great above the heavens is thy mercy, and to the aether thy truth; alluding, doubtless, to the purity and transparency of that heavenly substance, to render it the aptest and finest emblem of truth. Life of David, b. 3: Psa 100:3.

REFLECTIONS.1st, The Psalmist discovers in these verses 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; and only, with every warm expression of grateful affection, proclaiming in the midst of the people his mercy and faithfulness, his greatness and glory: mercy more extensive than the heavens, truth which reacheth to the clouds, and glory infinitely beyond all blessing and praise which men or angels can offer.

2nd, We have,
1. The Psalmist’s prayer in behalf of himself and people. Note; Every believer is a David, a beloved, and may confidently expect to see the salvation of God.

2. He already triumphs, since he has the truth of God engaged to bring him to Israel’s throne, and put the neighbouring nations, their enemies, under his footstool. Note; (1.) What God promises, faith can rejoice in, as already done. (2.) The beloved Son of David hath an everlasting kingdom, and before him all his enemies must lick the dust.

3. Whatever difficulties were in the way, by human power insurmountable, whatever discouragements he had met with, and however numerous the hosts of his enemies, he looks to God; if he be Israel’s leader, not Edom’s walls can withstand; but, strong in his might, his people 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 who shall here below tread down all our enemies, and bring all his faithful people at last to share his triumphs over sin, death, and hell, in the eternal world of glory.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psalms 108

A Song or Psalm of David

2O God my heart is fixed;

I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

3Awake, psaltery and harp:

I myself will awake early.

4I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people:

And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.

5For thy mercy is great above the heavens:

And thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.

6Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens:

And thy glory above all the earth!

7That thy beloved may be delivered:

Save with thy right hand, and answer me.

8God hath spoken in his holiness;

I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem,
And mete out the valley of Succoth.

9Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim also is the strength of mine head;
Judah is my lawgiver;

10Moab is my washpot;

Over Edom will I cast out my shoe;
Over Philistia will I triumph.

11Who will bring me into the strong city?

Who will lead me into Edom?

12Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off?

And wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

13Give us help from trouble:

For vain is the help of man.

14Through God we shall do valiantly:

For he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Contents and Composition.Two fragments of Davidic Psalms, namely, Psa 57:8-11, and Psa 60:7-12, are here brought together without any connection whatever; and the changes occurring in only a few words, are so unimportant, that neither occasion nor purpose can be discovered in this combination and conformation. Least of all is a poet like David to be held guilty of combining in such a manner (Hengstenberg) two pieces taken out of their connection. For the two most important changes are these:The two parts are taken from Elohim Psalms, but here, Psa 108:4, Jehovah is substituted for Adonai. Again, the original lamentation of conquered Philistia is here in Psa 108:10 changed into the form of an exulting cry of victory. It is not however to be inferred from this, with any degree of certainty, that the occasion lay in the later (Clauss), perhaps Maccaban victories (Rudinger, Rosenm., Hitzig); for the complaint and entreaty of the conclusion is entirely unsuitable to these occasions. Still less, assuredly, do the remaining, merely formal, alterations of the Text favor such a conjecture.

The following variations are also observable, but they do not affect the sense. The repeated words at the beginning of Psa 108:2 are omitted. Instead of the exclamation: wake my honor! that is, my soul! the words appear as defining more closely the subject, singing and playing. In Psa 108:4 b and 6b a vav copulative is inserted, while in Psa 108:9 a it is omitted. In Psa 108:7 b the plural: us is Changed into the singular: me. In Psa 108:12 a, the emphatic: thou is wanting; and in Psa 108:11 the idea of the strong city is conveyed by a more common word instead of a rare expression. These variations are throughout only proofs of a deterioration in style.

[The renderings of Psa 60:12 (10) and 108:12 should be identical. There is no ground for the variation of E. V. The true translation is: Hast Thou not, O God, cast us off? and Thou dost not go forth in our armies.The view of Delitzsch as to the origin of the Psalm agrees with that of Dr. Moll. He says in addition: The of Psa 108:4 and the whole tenor of the Psalm are like an echo to the of the preceding. It is entitled a Psalm-song of David, but only because composed of portions of the old Davidic Psalms. The absence of the shows already a later origin. So also Perowne. Alexander concludes with Hengstenberg that, the best solution is, that David himself combined these passages so as to form the basis of a trilogy (Psalms 108-110) adapted to the use of the Church at a period posterior to the date of Psalms 57, 60 The former view seems to be that most favored at present. For the exposition see that of the original passages.J. F. M.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

This is a Psalm of praise. The sacred writer declares himself fixed and prepared, by the Holy Ghost to sing it. Happy the believing soul that finds itself in the same mood.

A Song or psalm of David.

Psa 108

If the Reader will look back to Psa 57 . he will find the concluding verses of that Psalm to be the same as the opening verses of this. And if he will turn to Psa 60 , and read the last eight verses, he will perceive that they are similar to the last eight verses of this. There will be the less occasion, therefore, to comment upon it now, as the Reader, by having recourse to the exposition given under the two above cited Psalms, will render any further observations unnecessary; and I shall here only make one general observation: that as the hearts of the Old Testament saints were so fixed, and always in time, to rise early, to celebrate the divine glory, though they only saw the day of Christ afar off; surely the souls of New Testament believers ought much more to be in constant waiting, both by day and by night, to sing of Him, and to Him, who hath long since come and finished redemption. Oh! Lamb of God! cause our hearts to be fixed! and may we sing with the spirit, and with the understanding also, the high praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light! Thy Person, blessed Jesus, thy love, thy grace, and favor, in all thy great undertakings, in thy incarnation, obedience, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, power, glory; in all these our songs should constantly exalt thee. And as in all these, like Gilead, and Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Judah, the Old Testament saints enjoyed the whole by faith, long before they entered upon the possession; so now by faith may we enjoy thee, thou blessed Jesus, in all thou hast, and in all thou art, as the glorious head and mediator of thy people; then shall we be sure that thou wilt bring us home, to the strong city of the new Jerusalem of our God, where we shall see thee clearly, and enjoy the everlasting felicities of redemption in thy kingdom forever. Amen.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

The Life of Praise

Psa 108:1

I. Unselfishness of Praise. To praise is more unselfish than even to pray and thank. You will not expect me to underrate or minimize the need of prayer. But yet though to pray is according to the will of God, there is an element or selfishness in prayer. We are asking something for ourselves, or for others, for those we love; we are in the attitude of receivers when we pray rather than that of givers. You will not expect me to minimize the need and glory of thanksgiving, and yet even when we thank, even thanks contain an element of self; it is for something that you have received that you render thanks. I have no doubt that you or many of you do praise God, but do you realize at all the greatness, patience, and generosity of God? In order to praise aright we must take in more and more the greatness and the generosity and the patience of the God whom we praise.

II. The Greatness of God. Think of His greatness, even from the point of view of nature. To engineer twenty million blazing suns through space from day to day with perfect order and perfect quiet, to have nature not only working like machinery, but sleeping like a picture the whole time, and while He does it, to paint, at the same time, the beauty of the smallest shell upon the seashore. Or think of God’s wonderful generosity. Why are we alive at all? Why are we enjoying the glories of this summer morning? Just because of the generosity of God.

III. The Highest Act of Worship. Praise is the highest act of worship because it demands the exercise of every faculty that we have. There in praise must be the reverent attitude of the body, the devotion and loyalty of the mind, the emotion of the heart, and the bowing down of the heroic, yet subject spirit. When we come to church and give our praise it is the will, the royal and yet subject will that brings us, the will that is royal because it is the image of God a free, personal spirit as God is a free, personal Spirit, and ye are subject to God. Then once again praise is the highest act of Christian worship because it joins more completely than anything else to the life and the worship of heaven. Many, or most of you, have lost some and, perhaps, many whom you have loved; and we all have naturally a poignant feeling when we have lost some one dear to us, especially some one whom we regarded as cut off in his prime. Now nothing can so bridge over that, nothing can make us so at one with the world to come that when we are summoned to die there is no shock to break as living a life of praise. Meditate upon God’s greatness, His generosity; and then when your call comes, not only will you be able to say of your patient, tired body, ‘I will lay me down in peace and take my rest,’ but looking up, you will say with the Psalmist, ‘O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready; I will sing and give praise with the best member that I have’.

Bishop A. Winnington-Ingram, Christian World Pulpit, vol. LXVII. p. 107.

References. CVIII. 12. G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 242. CVIII. International Critical Commentary, vol. ii. p. 364. CIX. 4. Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 15. CIX. 5. C. G. Finney, Penny Pulpit, No. 1703, p. 663.

Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson

PSALMS

XI

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS

According to my usual custom, when taking up the study of a book of the Bible I give at the beginning a list of books as helps to the study of that book. The following books I heartily commend on the Psalms:

1. Sampey’s Syllabus for Old Testament Study . This is especially good on the grouping and outlining of some selected psalms. There are also some valuable suggestions on other features of the book.

2. Kirkpatrick’g commentary, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” is an excellent aid in the study of the Psalter.

3. Perowne’s Book of Psalms is a good, scholarly treatise on the Psalms. A special feature of this commentary is the author’s “New Translation” and his notes are very helpful.

4. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. This is just what the title implies. It is a voluminous, devotional interpretation of the Psalms and helpful to those who have the time for such extensive study of the Psalter.

5. Hengstenburg on the Psalms. This is a fine, scholarly work by one of the greatest of the conservative German scholars.

6. Maclaren on the Psalms, in “The Expositor’s Bible,” is the work of the world’s safest, sanest, and best of all works that have ever been written on the Psalms.

7. Thirtle on the Titles of the Psalms. This is the best on the subject and well worth a careful study.

At this point some definitions are in order. The Hebrew word for psalm means praise. The word in English comes from psalmos , a song of lyrical character, or a song to be sung and accompanied with a lyre. The Psalter is a collection of sacred and inspired songs, composed at different times and by different authors.

The range of time in composition was more than 1,000 years, or from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra. The collection in its present form was arranged probably by Ezra in the fifth century, B.C.

The Jewish classification of Old Testament books was The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. The Psalms was given the first place in the last group.

They had several names, or titles, of the Psalms. In Hebrew they are called “The Book of Prayers,” or “The Book of Praises.” The Hebrew word thus used means praises. The title of the first two books is found in Psa 72:20 : “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” The title of the whole collection of Psalms in the Septuagint is Biblos Psalman which means the “Book of Psalms.” The title in the Alexandrian Codex is Psalterion which is the name of a stringed instrument, and means “The Psalter.”

The derivation of our English words, “psalms,” “psalter,” and “psaltery,” respectively, is as follows:

1. “Psalms” comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, which is also from psallein , which means to play upon a stringed instrument. Therefore the Psalms are songs played upon stringed instruments, and the word here is used to apply to the whole collection.

2. “Psalter” is of the same origin and means the Book of Psalms and refers also to the whole collection.

3. “Psaltery” is from the word psalterion, which means “a harp,” an instrument, supposed to be in the shape of a triangle or like the delta of the Greek alphabet. See Psa 33:2 ; Psa 71:22 ; Psa 81:2 ; Psa 144:9 .

In our collection there are 150 psalms. In the Septuagint there is one extra. It is regarded as being outside the sacred collection and not inspired. The subject of this extra psalm is “David’s victory over Goliath.” The following is a copy of it: I was small among my brethren, And youngest in my father’s house, I used to feed my father’s sheep. My hands made a harp, My fingers fashioned a Psaltery. And who will declare unto my Lord? He is Lord, he it is who heareth. He it was who sent his angel And took me from my father’s sheep, And anointed me with the oil of his anointing. My brethren were goodly and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. I went forth to meet the Philistine. And he cursed me by his idols But I drew the sword from beside him; I beheaded him and removed reproach from the children of Israel.

It will be noted that this psalm does not have the earmarks of an inspired production. There is not found in it the modesty so characteristic of David, but there is here an evident spirit of boasting and self-praise which is foreign to the Spirit of inspiration.

There is a difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint. Omitting the extra one in the Septuagint, there is no difference as to the total number. Both have 150 and the same subject matter, but they are not divided alike.

The following scheme shows the division according to our version and also the Septuagint: Psalms 1-8 in the Hebrew equal 1-8 in the Septuagint; 9-10 in the Hebrew combine into 9 in the Septuagint; 11-113 in the Hebrew equal 10-112 in the Septuagint; 114-115 in the Hebrew combine into 113 in the Septuagint; 116 in the Hebrew divides into 114-115 in the Septuagint; 117-146 in the Hebrew equal 116-145 in the Septuagint; 147 in the Hebrew divides into 146-147 in the Septuagint; 148-150 in the Hebrew equal 148-150 in the Septuagint.

The arrangement in the Vulgate is the same as the Septuagint. Also some of the older English versions have this arangement. Another difficulty in numbering perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another, viz: In the Hebrew often the title is verse I, and sometimes the title embraces verses 1-2.

The book divisions of the Psalter are five books, as follows:

Book I, Psalms 1-41 (41 chapters)

Book II, Psalms 42-72 (31 chapters)

Book III, Psalms 73-89 (17 chapters)

Book IV, Psalms 90-106 (17 chapters)

Book V, Psalms 107-150 (44 chapters)

They are marked by an introduction and a doxology. Psalm I forms an introduction to the whole book; Psa 150 is the doxology for the whole book. The introduction and doxology of each book are the first and last psalms of each division, respectively.

There were smaller collections before the final one, as follows:

Books I and II were by David; Book III, by Hezekiah, and Books IV and V, by Ezra.

Certain principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection:

1. David is honored with first place, Book I and II, including Psalms 1-72.

2. They are grouped according to the use of the name of God:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovah psalms;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohim-psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovah psalms.

3. Book IV is introduced by the psalm of Moses, which is the first psalm written.

4. Some are arranged as companion psalms, for instance, sometimes two, sometimes three, and sometimes more. Examples: Psa 2 and 3; 22, 23, and 24; 113-118.

5. They were arranged for liturgical purposes, which furnished the psalms for special occasions, such as feasts, etc. We may be sure this arrangement was not accidental. An intelligent study of each case is convincing that it was determined upon rational grounds.

All the psalms have titles but thirty-three, as follows:

In Book I, Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 33 , (4 are without titles).

In Book II, Psa 43 ; Psa 71 , (2 are without titles).

In Book IV, Psa 91 ; Psa 93 ; Psa 94 ; Psa 95 ; Psa 96 ; Psa 97 ; Psa 104 ; Psa 105 ; Psa 106 , (9 are without titles).

In Book V, Psa 107 ; III; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 135; 136; 137; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150, (18 are without titles).

The Talmud calls these psalms that have no title, “Orphan Psalms.” The later Jews supply these titles by taking the nearest preceding author. The lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; and 10 may be accounted for as follows: Psa 1 is a general introduction to the whole collection and Psa 2 was, perhaps, a part of Psa 1 . Psalms 9-10 were formerly combined into one, therefore Psa 10 has the same title as Psa 9 .

QUESTIONS

1. What books are commended on the Psalms?

2. What is a psalm?

3. What is the Psalter?

4. What is the range of time in composition?

5. When and by whom was the collection in its present form arranged?

6. What the Jewish classification of Old Testament books, and what the position of the Psalter in this classification?

7. What is the Hebrew title of the Psalms?

8. Find the title of the first two books from the books themselves.

9. What is the title of the whole collection of psalms in the Septuagint?

10. What is the title in the Alexandrian Codex?

11. What is the derivation of our English word, “Psalms”, “Psalter”, and “Psaltery,” respectively?

12. How many psalms in our collection?

13. How many psalms in the Septuagint?

14. What about the extra one in the Septuagint?

15. What is the subject of this extra psalm?

16. How does it compare with the Canonical Psalms?

17. What is the difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint?

18. What is the arrangement in the Vulgate?

19. What other difficulty in numbering which perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another?

20. What are the book divisions of the Psalter and how are these divisions marked?

21. Were there smaller collections before the final one? If so, what were they?

22. What principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection?

23. In what conclusion may we rest concerning this arrangement?

24. How many of the psalms have no titles?

25. What does the Talmud call these psalms that have no titles?

26. How do later Jews supply these titles?

27. How do you account for the lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ?

XII

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS (CONTINUED)

The following is a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms:

1. The author: “A Psalm of David” (Psa 37 ).

2. The occasion: “When he fled from Absalom, his son” (Psa 3 ).

3. The nature, or character, of the poem:

(1) Maschil, meaning “instruction,” a didactic poem (Psa 42 ).

(2) Michtam, meaning “gold,” “A Golden Psalm”; this means excellence or mystery (Psa 16 ; 56-60).

4. The occasion of its use: “A Psalm of David for the dedication of the house” (Psa 30 ).

5. Its purpose: “A Psalm of David to bring remembrance” (Psa 38 ; Psa 70 ).

6. Direction for its use: “A Psalm of David for the chief musician” (Psa 4 ).

7. The kind of musical instrument:

(1) Neginoth, meaning to strike a chord, as on stringed instruments (Psa 4 ; Psa 61 ).

(2) Nehiloth, meaning to perforate, as a pipe or flute (Psa 5 ).

(3) Shoshannim, Lilies, which refers probably to cymbals (Psa 45 ; Psa 69 ).

8. A special choir:

(1) Sheminith, the “eighth,” or octave below, as a male choir (Psa 6 ; Psa 12 ).

(2) Alamoth, female choir (Psa 46 ).

(3) Muth-labben, music with virgin voice, to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble (Psa 9 ).

9. The keynote, or tune:

(1) Aijeleth-sharar, “Hind of the morning,” a song to the melody of which this is sung (Psa 22 ).

(2) Al-tashheth, “Destroy thou not,” the beginning of a song the tune of which is sung (Psa 57 ; Psa 58 ; Psa 59 ; Psa 75 ).

(3) Gittith, set to the tune of Gath, perhaps a tune which David brought from Gath (Psa 8 ; Psa 81 ; Psa 84 ).

(4) Jonath-elim-rehokim, “The dove of the distant terebinths,” the commencement of an ode to the air of which this song was to be sung (Psa 56 ).

(5) Leannoth, the name of a tune (Psa 88 ).

(6) Mahalath, an instrument (Psa 53 ); Leonnoth-Mahaloth, to chant to a tune called Mahaloth.

(7) Shiggaion, a song or a hymn.

(8) Shushan-Eduth, “Lily of testimony,” a tune (Psa 60 ). Note some examples: (1) “America,” “Shiloh,” “Auld Lang Syne.” These are the names of songs such as we are familiar with; (2) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” are examples of sacred hymns.

10. The liturgical use, those noted for the feasts, e.g., the Hallels and Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146-150).

11. The destination, as “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134)

12. The direction for the music, such as Selah, which means “Singers, pause”; Higgaion-Selah, to strike a symphony with selah, which means an instrumental interlude (Psa 9:16 ).

The longest and fullest title to any of the psalms is the title to Psa 60 . The items of information from this title are as follows: (1) the author; (2) the chief musician; (3) the historical occasion; (4) the use, or design; (5) the style of poetry; (6) the instrument or style of music.

The parts of these superscriptions which most concern us now are those indicating author, occasion, and date. As to the historic value or trustworthiness of these titles most modern scholars deny that they are a part of the Hebrew text, but the oldest Hebrew text of which we know anything had all of them. This is the text from which the Septuagint was translated. It is much more probable that the author affixed them than later writers. There is no internal evidence in any of the psalms that disproves the correctness of them, but much to confirm. The critics disagree among themselves altogether as to these titles. Hence their testimony cannot consistently be received. Nor can it ever be received until they have at least agreed upon a common ground of opposition.

David is the author of more than half the entire collection, the arrangement of which is as follows:

1. Seventy-three are ascribed to him in the superscriptions.

2. Some of these are but continuations of the preceding ones of a pair, trio, or larger group.

3. Some of the Korahite Psalms are manifestly Davidic.

4. Some not ascribed to him in the titles are attributed to him expressly by New Testament writers.

5. It is not possible to account for some parts of the Psalter without David. The history of his early life as found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1and 2 Chronicles, not only shows his remarkable genius for patriotic and sacred songs and music, but also shows his cultivation of that gift in the schools of the prophets. Some of these psalms of the history appear in the Psalter itself. It is plain to all who read these that they are founded on experience, and the experience of no other Hebrew fits the case. These experiences are found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

As to the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition, I have this to say:

1. This theory has no historical support whatever, and therefore is not to be accepted at all.

2. It has no support in tradition, which weakens the contention of the critics greatly.

3. It has no support from finding any one with the necessary experience for their basis.

4. They can give no reasonable account as to how the titles ever got there.

5. It is psychologically impossible for anyone to have written these 150 psalms in the Maccabean times.

6. Their position is expressly contrary to the testimony of Christ and the apostles. Some of the psalms which they ascribe to the Maccabean Age are attributed to David by Christ himself, who said that David wrote them in the Spirit.

The obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result if it be Just, is a positive denial of the inspiration of both Testaments.

Other authors are named in the titles, as follows: (1) Asaph, to whom twelve psalms have been assigned: (2) Mosee, Psa 90 ; (3) Solomon, Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ; (4) Heman, Psa 80 ; (5) Ethem, Psa 89 ; (6) A number of the psalms are ascribed to the sons of Korah.

Not all the psalms ascribed to Asaph were composed by one person. History indicates that Asaph’s family presided over the song service for several generations. Some of them were composed by his descendants by the game name. The five general outlines of the whole collection are as follows:

I. By books

1. Psalms 1-41 (41)

2. Psalms 42-72 (31)

3. Psalms 73-89 (17)

4. Psalms 90-106 (17)

5. Psalms 107-150 (44)

II. According to date and authorship

1. The psalm of Moses (Psa 90 )

2. Psalms of David:

(1) The shepherd boy (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 ).

(2) David when persecuted by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ).

(3) David the King (Psa 101 ; Psa 18 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 110 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 21 ; Psa 60 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 41 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 3:4 ; Psa 64 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 ).

3. The Asaph Psalms (Psa 50 ; Psa 73 ; Psa 83 ).

4. The Korahite Psalms (Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 84 ).

5. The psalms of Solomon (Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ).

6. The psalms of the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 )

7. The psalms of the Exile (Psa 74 ; Psa 79 ; Psa 137 ; Psa 102 )

8. The psalms of the Restoration (Psa 85 ; Psa 126 ; Psa 118 ; 146-150)

III. By groups

1. The Jehovistic and Elohistic Psalms:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovistic;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohistic Psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovistic.

2. The Penitential Psalms (Psa 6 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 130 ; Psa 143 )

3. The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134)

4. The Alphabetical Psalms (Psa 9 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 25 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 37 ; 111:112; Psa 119 ; Psa 145 )

5. The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 11-113; 115-117; 146-150; to which may be added Psa 135 ) Psalms 113-118 are called “the Egyptian Hallel”

IV. Doctrines of the Psalms

1. The throne of grace and how to approach it by sacrifice, prayer, and praise.

2. The covenant, the basis of worship.

3. The paradoxical assertions of both innocence & guilt.

4. The pardon of sin and justification.

5. The Messiah.

6. The future life, pro and con.

7. The imprecations.

8. Other doctrines.

V. The New Testament use of the Psalms

1. Direct references and quotations in the New Testament.

2. The allusions to the psalms in the New Testament. Certain experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart, such as: (1) his peaceful early life; (2) his persecution by Saul; (3) his being crowned king of the people; (4) the bringing up of the ark; (5) his first great sin; (6) Absalom’s rebellion; (7) his second great sin; (8) the great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 ; (9) the feelings of his old age.

We may classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time, thus:

1. His peaceful early life (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 )

2. His persecution by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 7 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 120 ; Psa 140 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ; Psa 17 ; Psa 18 )

3. Making David King (Psa 27 ; Psa 133 ; Psa 101 )

4. Bringing up the ark (Psa 68 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 132 ; Psa 15 ; Psa 78 ; Psa 96 )

5. His first great sin (Psa 51 ; Psa 32 )

6. Absalom’s rebellion (Psa 41 ; Psa 6 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 109 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 39 ; Psa 3 ; Psa 4 ; Psa 63 ; Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 5 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 )

7. His second great sin (Psa 69 ; Psa 71 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 103 )

8. The great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 (Psa 2 )

9. Feelings of old age (Psa 37 )

The great doctrines of the psalms may be noted as follows: (1) the being and attributes of God; (3) sin, both original and individual; (3) both covenants; (4) the doctrine of justification; (5) concerning the Messiah.

There is a striking analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms. The Pentateuch contains five books of law; the Psalms contain five books of heart responses to the law.

It is interesting to note the historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms. These were controversies about singing uninspired songs, in the Middle Ages. The church would not allow anything to be used but psalms.

The history in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah is very valuable toward a proper interpretation of the psalms. These books furnish the historical setting for a great many of the psalms which is very indispensable to their proper interpretation.

Professor James Robertson, in the Poetry and Religion of the Psalms constructs a broad and strong argument in favor of the Davidic Psalms, as follows:

1. The age of David furnished promising soil for the growth of poetry.

2. David’s qualifications for composing the psalms make it highly probable that David is the author of the psalms ascribed to him.

3. The arguments against the possibility of ascribing to David any of the hymns in the Hebrew Psalter rests upon assumptions that are thoroughly antibiblical.

The New Testament makes large use of the psalms and we learn much as to their importance in teaching. There are seventy direct quotations in the New Testament from this book, from which we learn that the Scriptures were used extensively in accord with 2Ti 3:16-17 . There are also eleven references to the psalms in the New Testament from which we learn that the New Testament writers were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and teaching of the psalms. Then there are eight allusions ‘to this book in the New Testament from which we gather that the Psalms was one of the divisions of the Old Testament and that they were used in the early church.

QUESTIONS

1. Give a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms.

2. What is the longest title to any of the psalms and what the items of this title?

3. What parts of these superscriptions most concern us now?

4. What is the historic value, or trustworthiness of these titles?

5. State the argument showing David’s relation to the psalms.

6. What have you to say of the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition?

7. What the obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result, if it be just?

8. What other authors are named in the titles?

9. Were all the psalms ascribed to Asaph composed by one person?

10. Give the five general outlines of the whole collection, as follows: I. The outline by books II. The outline according to date and authorship III. The outline by groups IV. The outline of doctrines V. The outline by New Testament quotations or allusions.

11. What experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart?

12. Classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time.

13. What the great doctrines of the psalms?

14. What analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms?

15. What historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms?

16. Of what value is the history in Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah toward a proper interpretation of the psalms?

17. Give Professor James Robertson’s argument in favor of the Davidic authorship of the psalms.

18. What can you say of the New Testament use of the psalms and what do we learn as to their importance in teaching?

19. What can you say of the New Testament references to the psalms, and from the New Testament references what the impression on the New Testament writers?

20. What can you say of the allusions to the psalms in the New Testament?

XVII

THE MESSIAH IN THE PSALMS

A fine text for this chapter is as follows: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Psalms concerning me,” Luk 24:44 . I know of no better way to close my brief treatise on the Psalms than to discuss the subject of the Messiah as revealed in this book.

Attention has been called to the threefold division of the Old Testament cited by our Lord, namely, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luk 24:44 ), in all of which were the prophecies relating to himself that “must be fulfilled.” It has been shown just what Old Testament books belong to each of these several divisions. The division called the Psalms included many books, styled Holy Writings, and because the Psalms proper was the first book of the division it gave the name to the whole division.

The object of this discussion is to sketch the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah, or rather, to show how nearly a complete picture of our Lord is foredrawn in this one book. Let us understand however with Paul, that all prophecy is but in part (1Co 13:9 ), and that when we fill in on one canvas all the prophecies concerning the Messiah of all the Old Testament divisions, we are far from having a perfect portrait of our Lord. The present purpose is limited to three things:

1. What the book of the Psalms teaches concerning the Messiah.

2. That the New Testament shall authoritatively specify and expound this teaching.

3. That the many messianic predictions scattered over the book and the specifications thereof over the New Testament may be grouped into an orderly analysis, so that by the adjustment of the scattered parts we may have before us a picture of our Lord as foreseen by the psalmists.

In allowing the New Testament to authoritatively specify and expound the predictive features of the book, I am not unmindful of what the so-called “higher critics” urge against the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament and the use made of them. In this discussion, however, these objections are not considered, for sufficient reasons. There is not space for it. Even at the risk of being misjudged I must just now summarily pass all these objections, dismissing them with a single statement upon which the reader may place his own estimate of value. That statement is that in the days of my own infidelity, before this old method of criticism had its new name, I was quite familiar with the most and certainly the strongest of the objections now classified as higher criticism, and have since patiently re-examined them in their widely conflicting restatements under their modern name, and find my faith in the New Testament method of dealing with the Old Testament in no way shattered, but in every way confirmed. God is his own interpreter. The Old Testament as we now have it was in the hands of our Lord. I understand his apostle to declare, substantially, that “every one of these sacred scriptures is God-inspired and is profitable for teaching us what is right to believe and to do, for convincing us what is wrong in faith or practice, for rectifying the wrong when done, that we may be ready at every point, furnished completely, to do every good work, at the right time, in the right manner, and from the proper motive” (2Ti 3:16-17 ).

This New Testament declares that David was a prophet (Act 2:30 ), that he spake by the Holy Spirit (Act 1:16 ), that when the book speaks the Holy Spirit speaks (Heb 3:7 ), and that all its predictive utterances, as sacred Scripture, “must be fulfilled” (Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:16 ). It is not claimed that David wrote all the psalms, but that all are inspired, and that as he was the chief author, the book goes by his name.

It would be a fine thing to make out two lists, as follows:

1. All of the 150 psalms in order from which the New Testament quotes with messianic application.

2. The New Testament quotations, book by book, i.e., Matthew so many, and then the other books in their order.

We would find in neither of these any order as to time, that is, Psa 1 which forecasts an incident in the coming Messiah’s life does not forecast the first incident of his life. And even the New Testament citations are not in exact order as to time and incident of his life. To get the messianic picture before us, therefore, we must put the scattered parts together in their due relation and order, and so construct our own analysis. That is the prime object of this discussion. It is not claimed that the analysis now presented is perfect. It is too much the result of hasty, offhand work by an exceedingly busy man. It will serve, however, as a temporary working model, which any one may subsequently improve. We come at once to the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah.

1. The necessity for a Saviour. This foreseen necessity is a background of the psalmists’ portrait of the Messiah. The necessity consists in (1) man’s sinfulness; (2) his sin; (3) his inability of wisdom and power to recover himself; (4) the insufficiency of legal, typical sacrifices in securing atonement.

The predicate of Paul’s great argument on justification by faith is the universal depravity and guilt of man. He is everywhere corrupt in nature; everywhere an actual transgressor; everywhere under condemnation. But the scriptural proofs of this depravity and sin the apostle draws mainly from the book of the Psalms. In one paragraph of the letter to the Romans (Rom 3:4-18 ), he cites and groups six passages from six divisions of the Psalms (Psa 5:9 ; Psa 10:7 ; Psa 14:1-3 ; Psa 36:1 ; Psa 51:4-6 ; Psa 140:3 ). These passages abundantly prove man’s sinfulness, or natural depravity, and his universal practice of sin.

The predicate also of the same apostle’s great argument for revelation and salvation by a Redeemer is man’s inability of wisdom and power to re-establish communion with God. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he thus commences his argument: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach-ing to save them that believe.” He closes this discussion with the broad proposition: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and proves it by a citation from Psa 94:11 : “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

In like manner our Lord himself pours scorn on human wisdom and strength by twice citing Psa 8 : “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Mat 11:25-26 ). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Mat 21:15-16 ).

But the necessity for a Saviour as foreseen by the psalmist did not stop at man’s depravity, sin, and helplessness. The Jews were trusting in the sacrifices of their law offered on the smoking altar. The inherent weakness of these offerings, their lack of intrinsic merit, their ultimate abolition, their complete fulfilment and supercession by a glorious antitype were foreseen and foreshown in this wonderful prophetic book: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all of the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Psa 50:8-13 .

Yet again it speaks in that more striking passage cited in the letter to the Hebrews: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers, once purged should have no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb 10:1-9 ).

This keen foresight of the temporary character and intrinsic worthlessness of animal sacrifices anticipated similar utterances by the later prophets (Isa 1:10-17 ; Jer 6:20 ; Jer 7:21-23 ; Hos 6:6 ; Amo 5:21 ; Mic 6:6-8 ). Indeed, I may as well state in passing that when the apostle declares, “It is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” he lays down a broad principle, just as applicable to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. With reverence I state the principle: Not even God himself by mere appointment can vest in any ordinance, itself lacking intrinsic merit, the power to take away sin. There can be, therefore, in the nature of the case, no sacramental salvation. This would destroy the justice of God in order to exalt his mercy. Clearly the psalmist foresaw that “truth and mercy must meet together” before “righteousness and peace could kiss each other” (Psa 85:10 ). Thus we find as the dark background of the psalmists’ luminous portrait of the Messiah, the necessity for a Saviour.

2. The nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah. In no other prophetic book are the nature, fullness, and blessedness of salvation so clearly seen and so vividly portrayed. Besides others not now enumerated, certainly the psalmists clearly forecast four great elements of salvation:

(1) An atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit offered once for all (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:4-10 ).

(2) Regeneration itself consisting of cleansing, renewal, and justification. We hear his impassioned statement of the necessity of regeneration: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” followed by his earnest prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” and his equally fervent petition: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa 51 ). And we hear him again as Paul describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin Psa 32:1 ; Rom 4:6-8 .

(3) Introduction into the heavenly rest (Psa 95:7-11 ; Heb 3:7-19 ; Heb 4:1-11 ). Here is the antitypical Joshua leading spiritual Israel across the Jordan of death into the heavenly Canaan, the eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God. Here we find creation’s original sabbath eclipsed by redemption’s greater sabbath when the Redeemer “entered his rest, ceasing from his own works as God did from his.”

(4) The recovery of all the universal dominion lost by the first Adam and the securement of all possible dominion which the first Adam never attained (Psa 8:5-6 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 ; 1Co 15:24-28 ).

What vast extent then and what blessedness in the salvation foreseen by the psalmists, and to be wrought by the Messiah. Atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit; regeneration by the Holy Spirit; heavenly rest as an eternal inheritance; and universal dominion shared with Christ!

3. The wondrous person of the Messiah in his dual nature, divine and human.

(1) His divinity,

(a) as God: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa 45:6 and Heb 1:8 ) ;

(b) as creator of the heavens and earth, immutable and eternal: Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end Psa 102:25-27 quoted with slight changes in Heb 1:10-12 .

(c) As owner of the earth: The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein, Psa 24:1 quoted in 1Co 10:26 .

(d) As the Son of God: “Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee” Psa 2:7 ; Heb 1:5 .

(e) As David’s Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:41-46 .

(f) As the object of angelic worship: “And let all the angels of God worship him” Psa 97:7 ; Heb 1:6 .

(g) As the Bread of life: And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven Psa 78:24 ; interpreted in Joh 6:31-58 . These are but samples which ascribe deity to the Messiah of the psalmists.

(2) His humanity, (a) As the Son of man, or Son of Adam: Psa 8:4-6 , cited in 1Co 15:24-28 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Compare Luke’s genealogy, Luk 3:23-38 . This is the ideal man, or Second Adam, who regains Paradise Lost, who recovers race dominion, in whose image all his spiritual lineage is begotten. 1Co 15:45-49 . (b) As the Son of David: Psa 18:50 ; Psa 89:4 ; Psa 89:29 ; Psa 89:36 ; Psa 132:11 , cited in Luk 1:32 ; Act 13:22-23 ; Rom 1:3 ; 2Ti 2:8 . Perhaps a better statement of the psalmists’ vision of the wonderful person of the Messiah would be: He saw the uncreated Son, the second person of the trinity, in counsel and compact with the Father, arranging in eternity for the salvation of men: Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 . Then he saw this Holy One stoop to be the Son of man: Psa 8:4-6 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Then he was the son of David, and then he saw him rise again to be the Son of God: Psa 2:7 ; Rom 1:3-4 .

4. His offices.

(1) As the one atoning sacrifice (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 ).

(2) As the great Prophet, or Preacher (Psa 40:9-10 ; Psa 22:22 ; Heb 2:12 ). Even the method of his teaching by parable was foreseen (Psa 78:2 ; Mat 13:35 ). Equally also the grace, wisdom, and power of his teaching. When the psalmist declares that “Grace is poured into thy lips” (Psa 45:2 ), we need not be startled when we read that all the doctors in the Temple who heard him when only a boy “were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luk 2:47 ); nor that his home people at Nazareth “all bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luk 4:22 ); nor that those of his own country were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Mat 13:54 ); nor that the Jews in the Temple marveled, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Joh 7:15 ) ; nor that the stern officers of the law found their justification in failure to arrest him in the declaration, “Never man spake like this man” (Joh 7:46 ).

(3) As the king (Psa 2:6 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 45:1-17 ; Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:42-46 ; Act 2:33-36 ; 1Co 15:25 ; Eph 1:20 ; Heb 1:13 ).

(4) As the priest (Psa 110:4 ; Heb 5:5-10 ; Heb 7:1-21 ; Heb 10:12-14 ).

(5) As the final judge. The very sentence of expulsion pronounced upon the finally impenitent by the great judge (Mat 25:41 ) is borrowed from the psalmist’s prophetic words (Psa 6:8 ).

5. Incidents of life. The psalmists not only foresaw the necessity for a Saviour; the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation; the wonderful human-divine person of the Saviour; the offices to be filled by him in the work of salvation, but also many thrilling details of his work in life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. It is not assumed to cite all these details, but some of the most important are enumerated in order, thus:

(1) The visit, adoration, and gifts of the Magi recorded in Mat 2 are but partial fulfilment of Psa 72:9-10 .

(2) The scripture employed by Satan in the temptation of our Lord (Luk 4:10-11 ) was cited from Psa 91:11-12 and its pertinency not denied.

(3) In accounting for his intense earnestness and the apparently extreme measures adopted by our Lord in his first purification of the Temple (Joh 2:17 ), he cites the messianic zeal predicted in Psa 69:9 .

(4) Alienation from his own family was one of the saddest trials of our Lord’s earthly life. They are slow to understand his mission and to enter into sympathy with him. His self-abnegation and exhaustive toil were regarded by them as evidences of mental aberration, and it seems at one time they were ready to resort to forcible restraint of his freedom) virtually what in our time would be called arrest under a writ of lunacy. While at the last his half-brothers became distinguished preachers of his gospel, for a long while they do not believe on him. And the evidence forces us to the conclusion that his own mother shared with her other sons, in kind though not in degree, the misunderstanding of the supremacy of his mission over family relations. The New Testament record speaks for itself:

Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them Luk 2:48-51 (R.V.).

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Joh 2:3-5 (R.V.).

And there come his mother and his brethren; and standing without; they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother Mar 3:31-35 (R.V.).

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him. Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not fulfilled. Joh 7:2-9 (R.V.).

These citations from the Revised Version tell their own story. But all that sad story is foreshown in the prophetic psalms. For example: I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children. Psa 69:8 .

(5) The triumphal entry into Jerusalem was welcomed by a joyous people shouting a benediction from Psa 118:26 : “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mat 21:9 ); and the Lord’s lamentation over Jerusalem predicts continued desolation and banishment from his sight until the Jews are ready to repeat that benediction (Mat 23:39 ).

(6) The children’s hosanna in the Temple after its second purgation is declared by our Lord to be a fulfilment of that perfect praise forecast in Psa 8:2 .

(7) The final rejection of our Lord by his own people was also clear in the psalmist’s vision (Psa 118:22 ; Mat 21:42-44 ).

(8) Gethsemane’s baptism of suffering, with its strong crying and tears and prayers was as clear to the psalmist’s prophetic vision as to the evangelist and apostle after it became history (Psa 69:1-4 ; Psa 69:13-20 ; and Mat 26:36-44 ; Heb 5:7 ).

(9) In life-size also before the psalmist was the betrayer of Christ and his doom (Psa 41:9 ; Psa 69:25 ; Psa 109:6-8 ; Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:20 ).

(10) The rage of the people, Jew and Gentile, and the conspiracy of Pilate and Herod are clearly outlined (Psa 2:1-3 ; Act 4:25-27 ).

(11) All the farce of his trial the false accusation, his own marvelous silence; and the inhuman maltreatment to which he was subjected, is foreshown in the prophecy as dramatically as in the history (Mat 26:57-68 ; Mat 27:26-31 ; Psa 27:12 ; Psa 35:15-16 ; Psa 38:3 ; Psa 69:19 ).

The circumstances of his death, many and clear, are distinctly foreseen. He died in the prime of life (Psa 89:45 ; Psa 102:23-24 ). He died by crucifixion (Psa 22:14-17 ; Luk 23 ; 33; Joh 19:23-37 ; Joh 20:27 ). But yet not a bone of his body was broken (Psa 34:20 ; Joh 19:36 ).

The persecution, hatred without a cause, the mockery and insults, are all vividly and dramatically foretold (Psa 22:6-13 ; Psa 35:7 ; Psa 35:12 ; Psa 35:15 ; Psa 35:21 ; Psa 109:25 ).

The parting of his garments and the gambling for his vesture (Psa 22:18 ; Mat 27:35 ).

His intense thirst and the gall and vinegar offered for his drink (Psa 69:21 ; Mat 27:34 ).

In the psalms, too, we hear his prayers for his enemies so remarkably fulfilled in fact (Psa 109:4 ; Luk 23:34 ).

His spiritual death was also before the eye of the psalmist, and the very words which expressed it the psalmist heard. Separation from the Father is spiritual death. The sinner’s substitute must die the sinner’s death, death physical, i.e., separation of soul from body; death spiritual, i.e., separation of the soul from God. The latter is the real death and must precede the former. This death the substitute died when he cried out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” (Psa 22:1 ; Mat 27:46 ).

Emerging from the darkness of that death, which was the hour of the prince of darkness, the psalmist heard him commend his spirit to the Father (Psa_31:35; Luk 23:46 ) showing that while he died the spiritual death, his soul was not permanently abandoned unto hell (Psa 16:8-10 ; Act 2:25 ) so that while he “tasted death” for every man it was not permanent death (Heb 2:9 ).

With equal clearness the psalmist foresaw his resurrection, his triumph over death and hell, his glorious ascension into heaven, and his exaltation at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, as a high Driest forever, as invested with universal sovereignty (Psa 16:8-11 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 68:18 ; Psa 2:6 ; Psa 111:1-4 ; Psa 8:4-6 ; Act 2:25-36 ; Eph 1:19-23 ; Eph 4:8-10 ).

We see, therefore, brethren, when the scattered parts are put together and adjusted, how nearly complete a portrait of our Lord is put upon the prophetic canvas by this inspired limner, the sweet singer of Israel.

QUESTIONS

1. What is a good text for this chapter?

2. What is the threefold division of the Old Testament as cited by our Lord?

3. What is the last division called and why?

4. What is the object of the discussion in this chapter?

5. To what three things is the purpose limited?

6. What especially qualifies the author to meet the objections of the higher critics to allowing the New Testament usage of the Old Testament to determine its meaning and application?

7. What is the author’s conviction relative to the Scriptures?

8. What is the New Testament testimony on the question of inspiration?

9. What is the author’s suggested plan of approach to the study of the Messiah in the Psalms?

10. What the background of the Psalmist’s portrait of the Messiah and of what does it consist?

11. Give the substance of Paul’s discussion of man’s sinfulness.

12. What is the teaching of Jesus on this point?

13. What is the teaching relative to sacrifices?

14. What the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah and what the four great elements of it as forecast by the psalmist?

15. What is the teaching of the psalms relative to the wondrous person of the Messiah? Discuss.

16. What are the offices of the Messiah according to psalms? Discuss each.

17. Cite the more important events of the Messiah’s life according to the vision of the psalmist.

18. What the circumstances of the Messiah’s death and resurrection as foreseen by the psalmist?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Psa 108:1 A Song [or] Psalm of David. O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

Ver. 1. O God, my heart is fixed ] For Psa 108:1-5 of this psalm, see the notes on Psa 57:7-11 . And for Psa 108:6-13 , see the notes on Psa 60:5-12 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

“A song, a psalm of David.” This Psalm consists of the latter halves of Psa 57 and Psa 60 with variations. The deliverance, though really of God, is not yet complete; but this is looked for with assurance.

Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 108:1-6

1My heart is steadfast, O God;

I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.

2Awake, harp and lyre;

I will awaken the dawn!

3I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples,

And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

4For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens,

And Your truth reaches to the skies.

5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

And Your glory above all the earth.

6That Your beloved may be delivered,

Save with Your right hand, and answer me!

Psa 108:1 a steadfast This verb (BDB 465, KB 464, Niphal participle) denotes a life of faith and faithfulness (cf. Psa 57:8 [twice]; Psa 112:7) to God’s right path (cf. Psa 16:11; Psa 139:24). An example of someone who is not steadfast is given in Psa 78:37.

The LXX, Peshitta, and Vulgate repeat the phrase, which shows that some assimilation between this Psalm and Psa 57:7-11 has occurred.

For heart see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART .

Psa 108:1-3 The characteristics of a steadfast heart are

1. I will sing – BDB 1010, KB 1479, Qal cohortative

2. I will sing praises – BDB 274, KB 273, Piel cohortative

3. I will awaken the dawn – BDB 734, KB 802, Hiphil cohortative

4. I will give thanks – BDB 392, KB 389, Hiphil imperfect used in a cohortative sense

5. I will sing praises – same as #2

Psa 108:1 b

NASBeven with my soul

NKJVeven with my glory

NRSVawake my soul

TEVwake up my soul

NJBcome my glory

The NKJV is literal but NRSV, TEV, and NJB use the parallel in Psa 57:8 to add the third use of the verb awake (BDB 734, KB 802), which appears twice in the MT.

See SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA) . Here the word (BDB 458) is used of the psalmist’s being (i.e., nephesh). This use of the term glory occurs in Psa 7:5; Psa 16:9; Psa 30:12; Psa 57:8.

The NET Bible (p. 979) suggests an emendation from (BDB 458) to my life, (lit. liver, BDB 458). It makes reference to AB, p. 94, but AB uses the quote by Anath to explain the verb exalt used by YHWH and not as a support for the suggested emendation.

Psa 108:3 Notice the praise of YHWH extends to

1. the peoples

2. the nations

3. all the earth (cf. Psa 108:5 b

The universal element so characteristic of the previous Psalms continues! YHWH is the one true God, the only Creator, the only Savior. See Special Topic: Monotheism.

Psa 108:4

NASBlovingkindness

NKJV, LXXMercy

NRSVsteadfast love

TEVcovenant love

NJBfaithful love

JPSOAfaithfulness

REBunfailing love

This is the special covenant noun (hesed) that described YHWH’s faithfulness to His promises. Mankind’s ultimate hope is in the merciful and faithful character of God! See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED) .

above the heavens Notice the parallel with the next two lines. YHWH’s lovingkindness and truth (see Special Topic: Believe, Trust, Faith and Faithfulness in the OT ) reach above the heavens. Yea, YHWH Himself reaches above the physical creation (Psa 108:5). The heavens are the atmosphere above the earth, not YHWH’s dwelling place. See SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN and Special Topic: The Third Heaven.

Psa 108:5 glory See note at Psa 108:1.

Psa 108:6 Your beloved Here, this refers to the covenant people (cf. Psa 60:5; Psa 127:2; Jer 11:15). It came to be a title for the Messiah (especially from the Servant Songs of Isaiah, i.e., Isa 42:1). YHWH refers to Jesus by this title

1. at His baptism – Mat 3:17

2. in a quote from Isaiah – Mat 12:18

3. at His transfiguration – Mat 17:5

It later becomes a title of family endearment for those who follow Jesus (i.e., Rom 1:7; Col 3:12; 1Th 1:4; 2Th 2:13).

The first strophe has several imperatives.

1. awake, harp and lyre, Psa 108:2 – BDB 734, KB 802, Qal

2. be exalted, O God, Psa 108:5 – BDB 926, KB 1202, Qal

3. save, Psa 108:6 – BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil

4. answer, Psa 108:6 – BDB 772, KB 851, Qal

Number 3 and 4 are prayer requests. Numbers 1, 2 are related to praise.

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Title. A Song. Hebrew shir. App-65.

Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. App-65.

of David. Psalms 108-110 relate to the true David, and His humiliation, deliverance, and triumph. The first of fifteen Davidic Psalms in this fifth book. This subject appears in each book as the root and source of all blessing. Instead of a new Psalm being written for this subject here, a composite Psalm is formed by a combination of parts of Psa 57:7-11 and Psa 60:6-12. See the notes there.

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.

fixed = steadfast.

my glory. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6, for the heart or tongue which gives the glory. Compare Psa 7:5; Psa 16:9; Psa 30:12; Psa 57:8. Literally “Aye, fain would I glory”, &c.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Psa 108:1-13 the psalmist declares:

O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory ( Psa 108:1 ).

And then he calls for praise unto the Lord with the psaltery and the harp, a couple of instruments praising the Lord in music.

I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens ( Psa 108:2-4 ):

Again, why do I praise God? Well, here I praise the Lord, again, for His mercy. “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high is His mercy over those that fear Him” ( Psa 103:11 ). Also praise,

that thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. [Further praise.] Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth ( Psa 108:4-7 ).

Now here is David talking and he’s talking about how God is going to give him victory and possessions. Dividing Shechem, meting out the valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; Moab is my washpot; and over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man ( Psa 108:8-12 ).

All of you that are spending so much time with counselors, you might read that again. Seeking the Lord for help. And a wise counselor will always just point you to the Lord, because He is the only One that can truly help you. “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth” ( Psa 121:1-2 ). Vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do valiantly: for it is he that shall tread down our enemies ( Psa 108:13 ). “

Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

Psa 108:1-5. O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;

Here, we begin with praise, the very praise with which we finished the other Psalm, praise in a very joyous, confident spirit, for the praise which precedes prayer has more of the Jubilate note in it than ordinary praise has. The prayer in Psa 57:1, which preceded the praise, was earnest, and fervent, and confident, yet it did not reach so high a note as this:

Psa 108:6-9. That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my law-giver; Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.

David is claiming the kingdom which God promised to him by the mouth of Samuel the prophet; looking first upon the kingdom itself, and then upon the surrounding territories, and laying hold upon them all as his own because God had given them to him.

Psa 108:10. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

In the spirit of a truly courageous leader, he means to fight with that ancient foe of Israel; and wisely appeals to God to lead his army:

Psa 108:11-13. Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 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.

This exposition consisted of readings from Psa 57:7-11; Psalms 108,

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Psa 108:1-13

Psa 108:1-13

A COMPOSITE OF Psa 57:7-11 UNITED WITH Psa 60:5-12

“My heart is fixed, O God;

I will sing, yea, I will sing praises, even with my glory.

Awake, psaltery and harp:

I myself will awake right early.

I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the peoples;

And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.

For thy lovingkindness is great above the heavens;

And thy truth reacheth unto the skies.

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens,

And thy glory above all the earth.

That thy beloved may be delivered,

Save with thy right hand, and answer us.

God hath spoken in his holiness:

I will exult;

I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

Gilead is mine;

Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim also is the defense of my head;

Judah is my sceptre.

Moab is my washpot;

Upon Edom will I cast my shoe;

Over Philistia will I shout.

Who will bring me into the fortified city?

Who hath led me unto Edom?

Hast not thou cast us off, O God?

And thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts.

Give us help against the adversary;

For vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do valiantly:

For he it is that will tread down our adversaries.”

As Dummelow suggested in the quotation at the beginning of the previous chapter, this psalm was evidently put together for some type of liturgical use in one of the various Temple services of the Jews. Nothing whatever is known about who arranged this psalm or actually for what purpose.

The variations here are of such a slight nature that we consider them absolutely insignificant.

As we have already commented fully upon the passages united to form this psalm, we are content to refer the reader to those passages without further elaboration here.

Leupold proposed the following as an outline of what is written here.

A. Resolution to praise God for deliverance (Psa 108:1-6).

B. The recalling of God’s ancient promises (Psa 108:7-9).

C. Looking to the conquest of Edom (Psa 108:10-13).

E.M. Zerr:

Psa 108:1. Fixed is from a Hebrew word that means to be prepared or ready. David meant he was prepared to praise the Lord and give him all of the glory due Him.

Psa 108:2. Awake as an intransitive verb means to be aroused to some action of importance. The Psalmist was calling on people to be interested in the praises of God. There is nothing unusual in suggesting the psaltery and harp, for he was known to be a specialist in using such instruments in connection with religious worship.

Psa 108:3. Private praise was not all that David proposed to offer to the Lord. The people of the nations were to be witnesses of his praise. (See comments at 107:32.)

Psa 108:4. The heavens or the clouds are inanimate things and are not subjects for the mercy of God. The exalted status that they represent in the universe was used to compare the greatness of divine mercy towards living beings.

Psa 108:5. The preceding verse affirmed the fact of the exaltation of God’s mercy. In this verse the Psalmist endorses such exaltation by bidding the Author of the quality to be himself exalted.

Psa 108:6. Thy beloved means the people of God. Since the divine mercy is so high and great, David felt free to ask its Author to extend some of it to the people who had ever been the objects of divine love.

Psa 108:7. The first person pronoun I refers to God, and he was declaring his claims to certain territories and groups of people, and what he intended to do with them. He would divide or reduce Shechem and Succoth.

Psa 108:8. Gilead was a district east of the Jordan and was a very noted territory. It was logical for God to claim it, not only on the ground that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,” but his people had taken it over in the march from Egypt to Canaan. Manasseh and Ephraim are mentioned in this way because they were the sons of Joseph and each formed a complete tribe. (Gen 48:5.) Judah is my lawgiver was said in prospect, for the Old Testament law came through Moses who was of the tribe of Levi. But Judah was the tribe through whom Christ was to come, who was to give the final law of Heaven to the world. (Gen 49:10; Heb 7:12-14.)

Psa 108:9. This verse is the same as Psa 60:8, and the reader is requested to see my comments at that place.

Psa 108:10. David was thinking about the mighty support that would be needed to help him encounter his many obstacles. To invade a strong territory (Edom was a powerful enemy) would be an instance of great deeds. The Psalmist was enquiring as to who could enable him to accomplish such an exploit.

Psa 108:11. David turned in hope toward God, although he was the one who had cast us off in the sense of the bitter chastisements. But God has been merciful and the Psalmist expects to be led into victory at last.

Psa 108:12. The main thought in this verse is the contrast between the help from God and that from man. The former is great while the other is vain.

Psa 108:13. This is practically the same in thought as the preceding verse. Valiantly means forcefully, and David meant that the people could manifest force if they relied on the Lord. This is the same thought Paul expressed in Eph 6:10.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

This psalm is composed of two quotations from former song. The first part (vv. Psa 108:1-5) is taken from Psa 57:1-11, of which the theme is God the Refuge in calamity (vv. Psa 108:7-11). The second part is found in Psa 40:1-17, of which the theme is God the Hope of His people (vv. Psa 108:5-12). That with which this psalm opens was the culmination of the earlier psalm, in which, out of calamity, the singer finds refuge in fixity of heart in God. Here in this book of perfected praise it is the opening declaration in a song of triumph over circumstances of difficulty and danger.

The latter part of this psalm was also the close of Psa 40:1-17, and there, was preceded by a detailed description of affliction. The point of interest then in this song is that of the attitude of mind indicated by this selection. The circumstances of the writer would seem to be very similar to those obtaining in the earlier psalms. They are only hinted at in passing. The souls fixity of heart enables the singer to rejoice from beginning to end. Relation to God affects all the relationships. To be homed in His will, and submissive to His throne, is to be triumphant under all circumstances. Triumph in the very hour of defeat is the finest, but it is only possible when the heart is fixed in God.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

Victorious through God

Psa 108:1-13

Two fragments of Davidic psalms are here joined together with very slight alterations. In Psa 108:1-5 are from Psa 57:7-11, and Psa 108:6-13 from Psa 60:5-12. We need the fixed heart, ever constant to God, as is the needle to the pole. When we are right with God we go through the world, awakening song and hope in forlorn hearts. Note the themes for constant adoration, Psa 108:3-5.

Apparently David stood in imagination at the beginning of those conquests which made Israel great and extended her frontiers to the great river Euphrates. He felt that God had spoken in His holiness, and had already given him the territories here enumerated. All that remained for him to do was to occupy and possess what the Almighty had allotted. There is a close analogy here to our appropriation of those heavenly blessings which are ours in the risen Lord. It is not we who can tread down our adversaries. They are too strong and insidious. But when our heart is fixed, God goes before us, vanquishing our foes, and we have but to follow after, gathering in the spoils. In our inner conflicts, vain is human help, even the best. Go before us, Great Shepherd, with thy rod and staff!

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Psalm 108

Israels Praise for Salvation

1. Israels praise (Psalm 108:1-4)

2. The inheritance (Psalm 108:5-9)

3. Through God alone (Psalm 108:10-13)

This Psalm is not a patchwork of two other Psalms as the critics declare (Psalm 72:8-12 and Psalm 60:7-14), but it comes in as a Psalm of David to give another hint on Israels praise in the day of deliverance. Their heart is fixed to sing His praise. It is a praise not only amongst themselves, but a praise among the nations. Where they were once a byword they are now a blessing. And their deliverance and possession they will enjoy is not of themselves; it is through God and His power. The second part of the Psalm looks back to the time when deliverance had not yet come.

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

am 2964, bc 1040 – Title This Psalm is composed of two Psalms; Psa 105:1-5, being the same as Psa 57:7-11, and Psa 105:6-13, the same as Psa 60:5-12, and it is probably to be referred to the same period as the latter. Psa 68:1, *title

my heart: Psa 57:7-11

I will: Psa 30:12, Psa 34:1, Psa 104:33, Psa 138:1, Psa 145:1, Psa 145:2, Psa 146:1, Psa 146:2, Exo 15:1

my glory: Psa 16:9, Psa 71:8, Psa 71:15, Psa 71:23, Psa 71:24, Psa 145:21

Reciprocal: 2Ch 11:16 – set Psa 57:8 – my glory Psa 109:30 – greatly Jam 3:9 – Therewith

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

The incoming Salvation.

A song, a psalm of David.

The second psalm of the fifth book is very lightly treated by many commentators: as an example, Moll declares:

“Two fragments of Davidic psalms, namely Psa 57:7-11; Psa 60:6-12, are here brought together without any connection whatever; and the changes occurring, in only a few words, are so unimportant that

neither occasion nor purpose can be discovered in this combination and conformation. Least of all is a poet like David to be held guilty of combining in such a manner two pieces taken out of their connection.” -Lange’s Commentary.

Delitzsch agrees with Moll, and so does Perowne. Alexander and Hengstenberg unite, however, in believing the origin of these psalms to be Davidic; but “the former view,” says the American editor of Moll, “seems to be the most favored at present.”

A truer reverence for Scripture would surely restrain the rashness of such criticisms. Granted that a psalm made by bringing together two ends of previous ones -or with scissors and paste, as it might be urged -may seem strange enough for inspiration; yet to say that “neither occasion nor purpose can be discovered in this combination” is a challenge of the perfection of Scripture which can only speak the audacious incompetence of the one who utters it. It is easy, on the other hand, to show that there is purpose: for it is just the character of a Deuteronomic book, such as this is, to give us, as Deuteronomy itself does, the way and the end, -the governmental way of God by which His end is reached; the end, therefore, which reveals the way. Now the previous psalm has given us, without any possible question, the ways of God with men; and that as shown especially in the case of Israel: what more simple than that, in the present one, we should have the end of His way with them? And for this -and to make it definitely plain to us what is intended -the ends of two previous psalms, cut off from the exercise and trials with which these are connected, should be joined together? The purpose which the commentator denies is, in fact, here transparent; and the unbelieving attack upon the perfection of the Word is an arrow turned back into the face of him that has discharged it.

Now for the “connection” between these two ends. Certainly the psalm makes, as we find it here, a very complete whole; and the two portions join together in the second division of it without a seam. The first division gives us Israel’s praise as leading the incoming praise of the whole earth. The second appeals, therefore, that God may manifest His supremacy over the earth, for Israel’s deliverance. The after-divisions show the nation; as in answer to this prayer, upon the threshold of full blessing. There is no lack of unity or completeness here.

The minor changes in the psalm here, as compared with the two psalms from which it is divided, we may not have skill to interpret or appreciate: for the true “higher criticism” is as feeble with us as that which is falsely called so is vigorous and strong; and these things naturally go together. For the interpretation of the psalm in detail it is sufficient to refer to the notes elsewhere (pp. 223, 224; 230-234.)

Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary

A.M. 2962. B.C. 1042.

This Psalm is, almost word for word, taken out of two of the foregoing Psalms; the first five verses out of the fifty-seventh, from Psa 108:7-11, and the rest out of Psalm sixtieth, from 5-12. The reader, therefore, is referred to the exposition already given of those Psalms. David thanks God for personal mercies, Psa 108:1-5. Prays for national mercies, Psa 108:6-13.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The five first verses of this psalm are taken from Psalms 57., and the remaining eight verses from Psalms 60., with scarcely any variation. By some it is thought to have been thus compounded by David himself, on occasion of Abishais victory over Edom. By others, prone to seek the origin of the psalms in Babylon, it is alleged to have been put together by the Jews, to celebrate their return from captivity. The reader is referred to the two psalms of which this is compounded for the notes and reflections, which it is not necessary here to repeat.

Kimchi and Aben Ezra expound the maledictions of this psalm to be against Dog the Edomite, as noted in 1 Samuel 22. Yet many of the christian fathers associate Ahithophel with Dog. This however is quite improper: we have no proof that Ahithophel ever cursed David, and his wife was already a widow, 1Sa 22:9, before the psalm could have been composed. It is still worse to say that David, from 1Sa 22:6-13, does but record the curses and imprecations of his enemies against himself; for even the enemies of David could not reproach him with the iniquity of his fathers, and the sin of his mother: 1Sa 22:14. Nor with persecuting the poor, 1Sa 22:16; nor affirm that he loved cursing, and clothed himself with it as with a garment: 1Sa 22:17-18. The cursing of David was prophetic, dictated by the Spirit of God, and executed by his providence. Peter applies it to Judas, Act 1:15; who is called the son of perdition. Joh 17:12. To the Jews, in their hatred of Christ, and consequent calamities, it fully, applies; and in them, all these execrations receive a striking consummation.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

CVIII. A composition from parts of Psalms 57, 60. Thus Psa 108:1-5 = Psa 57:7-11; Psa 57:6-11 = Psa 60:5-12.

That Psalms 108 is a composition from two Pss. originally distinct appears further from the fact that Psalms 57, 60 are Elohistic (p. 366) and stand naturally among the other Elohistic Pss., while Psalms 108 is also Elohistic, but stands among other Pss., all Yahwistic. The compiler has combined two portions of neighbouring Elohistic Pss., leaving the mark of Elohistic revision. Owing to the union of fragments, thanks and prayer come in the reverse order.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

PSALM 108

The godly remnant of the nation of Israel assured in heart, in view of the purpose of God to deliver His people from all their enemies.

Psalm 107, sets forth the ways of God with men, especially having in view His people Israel. Psalm 108, very blessedly sets forth the purpose of God for His people, or the end to which all His ways are leading. His ways with us ever have in view His purpose for us.

In order to present His purpose, the spirit of God has united in this psalm the closing portions to two other psalms. Verses 1 to 5, form the latter portion of Psalm 57: verses 6 to 13, the end of Psalm 60. The ends of these two psalms, cut off from the exercises and trials with which they are connected in their original setting, combine very blessedly to present the purpose of God for His people.

(vv. 1-3) The godly in Israel, though the nation is not yet delivered from all their enemies, can praise Jehovah, through being assured in heart of God’s purpose to bless them. The soul anticipates the dawn of a new day when all the nations will join with Israel in praise to Jehovah.

(vv. 4-6) The confidence and joy of the godly springs from the knowledge that mercy and truth have prevailed, and that the glory of God is secured. Thus blessing can flow to His beloved people, delivering them from all their enemies. In this confidence the godly man looks to God to put forth His right hand in saving power, and thus answer his prayer.

(vv. 7-9) The verses that follow give the answer to God, setting forth His settled purpose to deliver His people. God says, I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. When God says, I will, who can oppose His will, or thwart His purpose.

Moreover He makes His people’s cause His own. He says Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver. Great had been the failure of Manasseh, and great the sin of Ephraim; but no failure can frustrate God’s purpose to bless His people. In spite of all failure God rejoices in them, claims them as His own, and in holiness has said that He will triumph over all those who have opposed His beloved ones.

(vv. 10-13) The psalm closes with the response of the godly to the avowed purpose of God. The very God who, in times past, had cast them off, because of their failure, is the God to whom they now look to be led to victory. Having learned that the help of man is vain, and looking only to God, they can say, with the utmost confidence, He it is who shall tread down our enemies.

Fuente: Smith’s Writings on 24 Books of the Bible

108:1 [A Song [or] Psalm of David.] O God, my heart is {a} fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

(a) This earnest affection declares that he is free from hypocrisy and that sluggishness does not stop him.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Psalms 108

This song is evidently the product of someone who pieced together sections of other Davidic psalms for the Israelites to use in public worship. Psa 108:1-5 are very similar to Psa 57:7-11, and Psa 108:6-13 are identical with Psa 60:5-12. [Note: See my comments on these verses elsewhere in these notes.] The theme of this psalm is trust in God because of His promises, i.e., because of their past and future fulfillment.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

1. A triumphant praise declaration 108:1-6

David praised God exultantly for His great love and His amazing faithfulness. He wanted God to exalt Himself over all the earth and to deliver him from his affliction.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Psa 108:1-13

Two fragments of Davidic psalms are here tacked together with slight variations. Psa 108:1-5 are from Psa 57:7-11; Psa 108:6-13 from Psa 60:5-12. The return from Babylon would be an appropriate occasion for thus revivifying ancient words. We have seen in preceding psalms that Israels past drew the thoughts of the singers of that period, and the conjecture may be hazarded that the recent deliverance suggested to some devout man, whose mind was steeped in the songs of former days, the closeness with which old strains suited new joys. If so, there is pathetic meaning in the summons to the “psaltery and harp,” which had hung silent on the willows of Babylon so long, to wake their ancient minstrelsy once more, as well as exultant Confidence that the God who had led David to victory still leads His people. The hopes of conquest in the second part, the consciousness that while much has been achieved by Gods help, much still remains to be won before Israel can sit secure, the bar or two in the minor key in Psa 108:11, which heighten the exultation of the rest of the song, and the cry for help against adversaries too strong for Israels unassisted might, are all appropriate to the early stages of the return.

The variations from the original psalms are of slight moment. In Psa 108:1 the reduplication of the clause “Steadfast is my heart” is omitted, and “my glory” is detached from Psa 108:2, where it stands in Psa 57:1-11, and is made a second subject, equivalent to “I”. In Psa 108:3 a Jehovah is substituted for Lord, and the copula “and” prefixed to b. Psa 108:4 is not improved by the change of “unto the heavens” to “above the heavens,” for an anticlimax is produced by following “above the heavens” with “unto the clouds.”

In the second part, the only change affecting the sense is in Psa 108:9, where the summons to Philistia to “shout aloud because of me,” which is probably meant in sarcasm, is transformed into the plain expression of triumph, “Over Philistia will I shout aloud.” The other changes are “me” for “us” in Psa 108:6, the omission of “and” before “mine Manasseh” in Psa 108:8, the substitution of a more usual synonym for “fenced” in Psa 108:10, and the omission of the pronoun “Thou” in Psa 108:11.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary