My wife and I have sometimes been sitting watching a movie on TV when we both concluded that somehow this was all very familiar, i.e., we had actually seen it before on some other occasion, maybe even on one of our long flights during pre-pandemic days!
Well, it’s possible that when you read Psalm 108 you may have that same feeling that you have read this before in an earlier psalm. If that’s the case, then your feeling is correct.
In fact, Psalm 108 is a combination of Psalm 57:7-11 (vv. 1-5) and Psalm 60:5-12 (vv. 6-13).
But this doesn’t mean it isn’t still relevant and worth checking out, just as that movie mentioned above wasn’t worth watching a second time. It’s amazing what you discover the second time around. (For previous thoughts on Psalm 57 see my posts # 199 and 200; and on Psalm 60 see post # 204)
Verses 1-5 are a remarkable poem inspiring heartfelt worship to our great and glorious God. Why not read it out loud right now as an act of quiet worship.
1 My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
2 Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
Wilcock calls this “a thoroughly positive psalm, which as a whole celebrates God’s covenant love and faithfulness… a changeless truth is that his faithfulness reaches to the skies, and his covenant love even higher.” (# 5)
And so, no wonder the psalmist prays for our God to be exalted… above the heavens and for his glory [to] be over all the earth.
The psalm continues with a prayer for God to 6 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
The confidence in God answering being in what 7 God has spoken from his sanctuary.
Wilcock writes, “The prayer for help centres upon what God has said (vv. 6-9) … All prayer, not least when God’s people are under pressure, must be an appeal to his word. Times may change, but what God has spoken in his holiness (v. 7 RV) remains inviolable [unalterable) and true.” (# 5)
And so, the psalmist concludes confidently:
12 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
13 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
God still speaks today. As the author of the NT book of Hebrews writes:
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:1-3)
The Apostle John, speaking of Jesus, also says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)
John later writes:
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:13-15)
Father, you are worthy of our worship – I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Thank you that you sent Jesus and that because of Him we can have complete confidence in approaching you. Amen.
Tehilim (Psalms) - "songs of praise". 