Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 108:4

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 107-108 Specific thanksgivings

Psalms 107:0 seems to be particularly appropriate to the time of the Jews’ return to their homeland after their exile in Babylon. It is a song of thanksgiving to be sung by those who have been saved from some great affliction or danger (107:1-3). Four different cases are introduced by verses 4, 10, 17 and 23. Each of the cases describes the danger, notes the prayer, outlines the answer and concludes with a word of instruction and warning.

The first thanksgiving is that of homeless wanderers. Lonely, hungry and thirsty, they cried to God and were led to a place of safety and security. They should now bear in mind that complete satis faction is found only in God (4-9). The second thanksgiving is that of people who were in prison or slavery because of their sins, but when they cried to God he set them free. They should remember that no bondage is too strong for God (10-16). The third thanksgiving is that of the sick who once suffered for their wrongdoings but have now been healed. They should respond to God’s grace by telling others of what he has done for them (17-22). The fourth thanksgiving is that of people who have been saved from terrible storms at sea. They should bear in mind that God is the one who brings all peace and calm (23-32).
When people are wicked, God may turn nature against them, punishing them with thirst and hunger. But when thirsty and hungry people are in need, God sends his generous blessings of nature upon them (33-38). When rulers are wicked, God may turn them into homeless wanderers. But when the poor are oppressed, God lifts their families into places of honour (39-43).

Psalms 108:0 was composed for some special occasion by combining portions of two other psalms. It is a song of assurance that God will give victory on the basis of his promises. For 108:1-5 see notes on Psalms 57:7-11; for 108:6-13 see notes on Psalms 60:5-12.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

A COMPOSITE OF Psalms 57:7-11
UNITED WITH Psalms 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 (Psalms 108:1-6).

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

C.    Looking to the conquest of Edom (Psalms 108:1-13).H. C. Leupold, p. 762.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

For thy mercy ... - This is taken from Psalms 57:10. The only change is in the expression “above the heavens,” instead of “unto the heavens.” The sense is essentially the same. The particular idea here, if it differs at all from the expression in Psalms 57:1-11, is, that the mercy of God seems to “descend” from heaven upon man, or “comes down” from on high.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 108:1-13 the psalmist declares:

O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory ( Psalms 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 ( Psalms 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" ( Psalms 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 ( Psalms 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 ( Psalms 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" ( Psalms 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 ( Psalms 108:13 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

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.

Dr. Constable's Expository 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. Psalms 108:1-5 are very similar to Psalms 57:7-11, and Psalms 108:6-13 are identical with Psalms 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.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For thy mercy is great above the heavens,..... It is in

Psalms 57:10, "thy mercy is great unto the heavens".

Psalms 57:10- :.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

A song or psalm of David.

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

      We may here learn how to praise God from the example of one who was master of the art. 1. We must praise God with fixedness of heart. Our heart must be employed in the duty (else we make nothing of it) and engaged to the duty (Psalms 108:1; Psalms 108:1): O God! my heart is fixed, and then I will sing and give praise. Wandering straggling thoughts must be gathered in, and kept close to the business; for they must be told that here is work enough for them all. 2. We must praise God with freeness of expression: I will praise him with my glory, that is, with my tongue. Our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when it is employed in praising God. When the heart is inditing this good matter our tongue must be as the pen of a ready writer,Psalms 45:1. David's skill in music was his glory, it made him famous, and this should be consecrated to the praise of God; and therefore it follows, Awake my psaltery and harp. Whatever gift we excel in we must praise God with. 3. We must praise God with fervency of affection, and must stir up ourselves to do it, that it may be done in a lively manner and not carelessly (Psalms 108:2; Psalms 108:2): Awake, psaltery and harp; let it not be done with a dull and sleepy tune, but let the airs be all lively. I myself will awake early to do it, with all that is within me, and all little enough. Warm devotions honour God. 4. We must praise God publicly, as those that are not ashamed to own our obligations to him and our thankful sense of his favours, but desire that others also may be in like manner affected with the divine goodness (Psalms 108:3; Psalms 108:3): I will praise thee among the people of the Jews; nay, I will sing to thee among the nations of the earth. Whatever company we are in we must take all occasions to speak well of God; and we must not be shy of singing psalms, though our neighbours hear us, for it looks like being ashamed of our Master. 5. We must, in our praises, magnify the mercy and truth of God in a special manner (Psalms 108:4; Psalms 108:4), mercy in promising, truth in performing. The heavens are vast, but the mercy of God is more capacious; the skies are high and bright, but the truth of God is more eminent, more illustrious. We cannot see further than the heavens and clouds; whatever we see of God's mercy and truth there is still more to be seen, more reserved to be seen, in the other world. 6. Since we find ourselves so, defective in glorifying God, we must beg of him to glorify himself, to do all, to dispose all, to his own glory, to get himself honour and make himself a name (Psalms 108:5; Psalms 108:5): Be thou exalted, O God! above the heavens, higher than the angels themselves can exalt thee with their praises, and let thy glory be spread over all the earth. Father, glorify thy own name. Thou hast glorified it; glorify it again. It is to be our first petition, Hallowed be thy name.