Psalms 108 COMMENTARY (Pulpit)

◄ Psalm 108 ►

Pulpit Commentary

<or Psalm of David.>> O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

Verse 1. - My heart is fixed. In the original form () 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 .

Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

Verse 2. - Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Psalm 57. has, "Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp," which is intelligible and forcible.

I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.

Verse 3. - I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. Identical with , except that "O Lord" is expressed by "Jehovah" instead of "Adonai."

For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.

Verse 4. - For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Identical with , with the exception of one preposition, which occurs only in some manuscripts.

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;

Verse 5. - Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth. Absolutely identical with .

That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.

Verse 6. - That thy beloved (or, thy beloved ones) may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. Absolutely identical with ; but with a change in the connection which give the words a somewhat different bearing.

God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

Verses 7, 8. - God hath spoken, etc. Completely identical with .

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

Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.

Verse 9. - Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I east out my shoe. Identical with the first two clauses of . Over Philistia will I triumph. In 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.

Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

Verse 10. - Who will bring me into the strong city? A slight change occurs here, מבצר taking the place of מצור, but there is no difference in the sense. Who will lead me into Edom? Identical with the last clause of .

Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

Verse 11. - Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Identical with , with the exception that there, in the first clause, "thou" is expressed by אתּה 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 Psalm 60:10).

Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

Verse 12. - Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Completely identical with .

Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Verse 13. - Through God we shall do valiantly, etc. Also completely identical with .

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Psalms 108 COMMENTARY (Pulpit)