Christianity

Psalms 108My Heart Is Fixed, O God

Summary

Psalm 108, attributed to David, is built almost entirely from two earlier psalms: verses 1 to 5 come from Psalm 57:7 to 11 and verses 6 to 13 from Psalm 60:5 to 12. It opens with a steadfast heart waking at dawn to sing praise among the nations, then turns to God's oracle claiming Shechem, Gilead, Ephraim and Judah and subduing Moab, Edom and Philistia. It ends by confessing that the help of man is vain and that through God we shall do valiantly.

Key verse

“O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.”

Psalms 108:1

Themes

Steadfast Praise
Morning Song
God's Promise of Land
Help from God Alone

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;

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 lawgiver;

Moab is my washpot; 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.

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

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Psalm 57: Awake, Psaltery and Harp
Psalm 57:7 to 11 supplies the first half of Psalm 108 almost word for word, where it forms the hopeful close of a prayer from the cave.
Christianity
Psalm 60: God Hath Spoken in His Holiness
Psalm 60:5 to 12 supplies the second half, where the same oracle follows a lament over defeat that Psalm 108 leaves out.

Questions about Psalms 108

Why does Psalm 108 repeat Psalms 57 and 60?

The compilers of the Psalter apparently joined the confident sections of two older psalms into a new song, leaving out their laments. Similar reuse appears elsewhere, as with Psalms 14 and 53.

What does 'Moab is my washpot' mean?

In Psalm 108:9 God calls Moab a washbasin and casts his shoe over Edom, images of a lowly servant's task and of taking possession. Together they express God's sovereignty over Israel's neighbors.