Psalm 108

Psalm 108  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 10
Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
In the beginning of this Psalm, Messiah, identifying Himself with the Remnant in the last days of their trouble, calls for the manifestation of Jehovah’s power in their behalf. But He does this with full and joyous anticipations, and therefore makes His usual vow of praise (Psa. 108:1-61<<A Song or Psalm of David.>> O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 3I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 4For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 5Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; 6That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. (Psalm 108:1‑6)). An answer to this comes immediately from the sanctuary, from the presence of God, or, it may be, according to the “holiness” of His counsels, to assure the suppliant that the Lord would, in due season, assert His kingdom (Psa. 108:7-97God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 9Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. (Psalm 108:7‑9)). This as immediately awakens Messiah’s zeal for the day of vengeance or the year of the redeemed (Isa. 63:1-51Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. (Isaiah 63:1‑5)); for we know He is now expecting thus to tread down His enemies (Heb. 10:1313From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:13)). And then the whole closes with His again looking to Jehovah as the help in Jacob’s trouble, and with His confident anticipation of victory.
This Psalm is made up of the joyous portions of two previous Psalms (See Psa. 57; Psa. 60) which had both begun in sorrow and ended in joy. For there the soul of the believer had sowed in tears and reaped in joy; but here the double harvest is gathered, and the bosom of the worshipper is filled with sheaves. And, truly, joy is the thing that will remain. The sorrows shall be left behind, or remembered only to raise the gladness and give length and breadth to the praise.
This Psalm may happily follow the previous little volume on Resurrection (Psa. 103-107). For resurrection leads to joy and praise. As another once observed, Jesus Himself at the tomb of Lazarus wept, indulging the tears of all around Him; but at His own vacant tomb His way was changed, and in the liberty of resurrection Himself, He could say to His loved and loving disciple, “Woman, why weepest thou?”