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Psalm One
Hundred and Eight
Psalm 108
We may usefully select passages from
different psalms
as here
Psalm
57
to help our devotions
and enliven our gratitude. When the heart
is firm in faith and love
the tongue
being employed in grateful praises
is
our glory. Every gift of the Lord honours and profits the possessor
as it is
employed in God's service and to his glory. Believers may pray with assured
faith and hope
for all the blessings of salvation; which are secured to them
by the faithful promise and covenant of God. Then let them expect from him help
in every trouble
and victory in every conflict. Whatever we do
whatever we
gain
God must have all the glory. Lord
visit all our souls with this
salvation
with this favour which thou bearest to thy chosen people.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 108
Verse 1
[1] O God
my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise
even with my glory.
Glory — With my tongue.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and
Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village
Preacher
TITLE AND
SUBJECT. A Song or Psalm of David. To be sung jubilantly as a national
hymn
or solemnly as a sacred psalm. We cannot find it in our heart to dismiss
this psalm by merely referring the reader first to Ps 57:7-11 and then to Ps
60:5-12
though it will be at once seen that those two portions of Scripture
are almost identical with the verses before us. It is true that most of the
commentators have done so
and we are not so presumptuous as to dispute their
wisdom; but we hold for ourselves that the words would not have been repeated
if there had not been an object for so doing
and that this object could not
have been answered if every hearer of it had said
"Ah
we had that
before
and therefore we need not meditate upon it again." The Holy Spirit
is not so short of expressions that he needs to repeat himself
and the
repetition cannot be meant merely to fill the book: there must be some
intention in the arrangement of two former divine utterances in a new
connection; whether we can discover that intent is another matter. It is at
least ours to endeavour to do so
and we may expect divine assistance therein.
We
have before us The Warrior's Morning Song
with which he adores his God
and strengthens his heart before entering upon the conflicts of the day. As an
old Prussian officer was wont in prayer to invoke the aid of "his
Majesty's August Ally"
so does David appeal to his God and set up his
banner in Jehovah's name.
DIVISION. First we have
an utterance dictated by the spirit of praise
Ps 108:1-5; then a second
deliverance evoked by the spirit of believing prayer
Ps 108:6-12; and then a
final word of resolve (Ps 108:13)
as the warrior hears the war trumpet
summoning him to join battle immediately
and therefore marches with his fellow
soldiers at once to the fray.
EXPOSITION
These
five verses are found in Ps 57:7-11 almost verbatim: the only important
alteration being the use of the great name of JEHOVAH in Ps 108:3 instead of
Adonai in Ps 57:9. This the English reader will only be able to perceive by the
use of capitals in the present Psalm and not in Ps 57:7-11. There are other
inconsiderable alterations
but the chief point of difference probably lies in the
position of the verses. In Ps 57:7-11 these notes of praise follow prayer
and grow out of it; but in this case the psalmist begins at once to sing and
give praise
and afterwards prays to God in a remarkably confident manner
so
that he seems rather to seize the blessing than to entreat for it. Sometimes we
must climb to praise by the ladder of prayer
and at other times we must bless
God for the past in order to be able in faith to plead for the present and the
future. By the aid of God's Spirit we can both pray ourselves up to praise
or
praise the Lord till we get into a fit frame for prayer. In Ps 57:7-11 these
words are a song in the cave of Adullam
and are the result of faith which is
beginning its battles amid domestic enemies of the most malicious kind; but
here they express the continued resolve and praise of a man who has already weathered
many a campaign
has overcome all home conflicts
and is looking forward to
conquests far and wide. The passage served as a fine close for one psalm
and
it makes an equally noteworthy opening for another. We cannot too often with
fixed heart resolve to magnify the Lord; nor need we ever hesitate to use the
same words in drawing near to God
for the Lord who cannot endure vain
repetitions is equally weary of vain variations. Some expressions are so
admirable that they ought to be used again; who would throw away a cup because
he drank from it before? God should be served with the best words
and when we
have them they are surely good enough to be used twice. To use the same words
continually and never utter a new song would show great slothfulness
and would
lead to dead formalism
but we need not regard novelty of language as at all
essential to devotion
nor strain after it as an urgent necessity. It may be
that our heavenly Father would here teach us that if we are unable to find a
great variety of suitable expressions in devotion
we need not in the slightest
degree distress ourselves
but may either pray or praise
"using the same
words."
Verse
1. O God
my heart is fixed. Though I have many wars to
disturb me
and many cares to toss me to and fro
yet I am settled in one mind
and cannot be driven from it. My heart has taken hold and abides in one
resolve. Thy grace has overcome the fickleness of nature
and I am now in a
resolute and determined frame of mind. I will sing and give praise. Both with
voice and music will I extol thee—"I will sing and play"
as some
read it. Even though I have to shout in the battle I will also sing in my soul
and if my fingers must needs be engaged with the bow
yet shall they also touch
the ten stringed instrument and show forth thy praise. Even with my glory—with
my intellect
my tongue
my poetic faculty
my musical skill
or whatever else
causes me to be renowned
and confers honour upon me. It is my glory to be able
to speak and not to be a dumb animal
therefore my voice shall show forth thy
praise; it is my glory to know God and not to be a heathen
and therefore my
instructed intellect shall adore thee; it is my glory to be a saint and no more
a rebel
therefore the grace I have received shall bless thee; it is my glory
to be immortal and not a mere brute which perisheth
therefore my inmost life
shall celebrate thy majesty. When he says I will
he supposes that there
might be some temptation to refrain
but this he puts on one side
and with
fixed heart prepares himself for the joyful engagement. He who sings with a
fixed heart is likely to sing on
and all the while to sing well.
Verse
2. Awake
psaltery and harp. As if he could not be content
with voice alone
but must use the well tuned strings
and communicate to them
something of his own liveliness. Strings are wonderful things when some men
play upon them
they seem to become sympathetic and incorporated with the
minstrel as if his very soul were imparted to them and thrilled through them.
Only when a thoroughly enraptured soul speaks in the instrument can music be
acceptable with God: as mere musical sound the Lord can have no pleasure
therein
he is only pleased with the thought and feeling which are thus
expressed. When a man has musical gift
he should regard it as too lovely a
power to be enlisted in the cause of sin. Well did Charles Wesley say:—
"If
well I know the tuneful art
To captivate a human heart
The glory
Lord
be thine.
A servant of thy blessed will
I here devote my utmost skill
To sound the praise divine."
"Thine
own musician
Lord
inspire
And let my consecrated lyre
Repeat the Psalmist's part.
His Son and Thine reveal in me
And fill with sacred melody
The fibres of my heart."
I
myself will awake early. I will call up the dawn. The best and brightest hours of the day
shall find me heartily aroused to bless my God. Some singers had need to awake
for they sing in drawling tones
as if they were half asleep; the tune drags
wearily along
there is no feeling or sentiment in the singing
but the
listener hears only a dull mechanical sound
as if the choir ground out the
notes from a worn out barrel organ. Oh
choristers
wake up
for this is not a
work for dreamers
but such as requires your best powers in their liveliest
condition. In all worship this should be the personal resolve of each
worshipper: "I myself will awake."
Verse
3. I will praise thee
O LORD
among the people. Whoever may
come to hear me
devout or profane
believer or heathen
civilized or
barbarian
I shall not cease my music. David seemed inspired to foresee that
his Psalms would be sung in every land
from Greenland's icy mountains to
India's coral strand. His heart was large
he would have the whole race of man
listen to his joy in God
and lo
he has his desire
for his psalmody is
cosmopolitan; no poet is so universally known as he. He had but one theme
he
sang Jehovah and none beside
and his work being thus made of gold
silver
and
precious stones
has endured the fiery ordeal of time
and was never more prized
than at this day. Happy man
to have thus made his choice to be the Lord's
musician
he retains his office as the Poet Laureate of the kingdom of heaven
and shall retain it till the crack of doom. And I will sing praises unto thee
among the nations. This is written
not only to complete the parallelism of the
verse
but to reaffirm his fixed resolve. He would march to battle praising
Jehovah
and when he had conquered he would make the captured cities ring with
Jehovah's praises. He would carry his religion with him wherever he pushed his
conquests
and the vanquished should not hear the praises of David
but the
glories of the Lord of Hosts. Would to God that wherever professing Christians
travel they would carry the praises of the Lord with them! It is to be feared
that some leave their religion when they leave their homes. Nations and peoples
would soon know the gospel of Jesus if every Christian traveller were as
intensely devout as the Psalmist. Alas
it is to be feared that the Lord's name
is profaned rather than honoured among the heathen by many who are named by the
name of Christ.
Verse
4. For thy mercy is great above the heavens
and therefore
there must be no limit of time
or place
or people
when that mercy is to be
extolled. As the heavens over arch the whole earth
and from above mercy pours
down upon men
so shalt thou be praised everywhere beneath the sky. Mercy is
greater than the mountains
though they pierce the clouds; earth cannot hold it
all
it is so vast
so boundless
so exceeding high that the heavens themselves
are over topped thereby. And thy truth teacheth unto the clouds. As far as we
can see we behold thy truth and faithfulness
and there is much beyond which
lies shrouded in cloud
but we are sure that it is all mercy
though it be far
above and out of our sight. Therefore shall the song be lifted high and the
psalm shall peal forth without stint of far resounding music. Here is ample
space for the loudest chorus
and a subject which deserves thunders of praise.
Verse
5. Be thou exalted
O God
above the heavens: and thy glory above
all the earth. Let thy praise be according to the greatness of thy mercy.
Ah
if we were to measure our devotion thus
with what ardour should we sing!
The whole earth with its overhanging dome would seem too scant an orchestra
and all the faculties of all mankind too little for the hallelujah. Angels
would be called in to aid us
and surely they would come. They will come in
that day when the whole earth shall be filled with the praises of Jehovah. We
long for the time when God shall be universally worshipped
and his glory in
the gospel shall be everywhere made known. This is a truly missionary prayer.
David had none of the exclusiveness of the modern Jew
or the narrow
heartedness of some nominal Christians. For God's sake
that his glory might be
everywhere revealed
he longed to see heaven and earth full of the divine
praise. Amen
so let it be. Now prayer follows upon praise
and derives
strength of faith and holy boldness therefrom. It is frequently best to begin
worship with a hymn
and then to bring forth our vials full of odours after the
harps have commenced their sweeter sounds.
Verse
6. That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand
and answer me. Let my prayer avail for all the beloved ones. Sometimes a
nation seems to hang upon the petitions of one man. With what ardour should
such an one pour out his soul! David does so here. It is easy praying for the
Lord's beloved
for we feel sure of a favourable answer
since the Lord's heart
is already set upon doing them good: yet it is solemn work to plead when we
feel that the condition of a whole beloved nation depends upon what the Lord
means to do with us whom he has placed in a representative position.
"Answer me
that thy many beloved ones may be delivered": it
is an urgent prayer. David felt that the case demanded the right hand of
God
—his wisest
speediest
and most efficient interposition
and he feels sure
of obtaining it for himself
since his cause involved the safety of the chosen
people. Will the Lord fail to use his right hand of power on behalf of those
whom he has set at his right hand of favour? Shall not the beloved be delivered
by him who loves them? When our suit is not a selfish one
but is bound up with
the cause of God
we may be very bold about it.
Verse
7. God hath spoken in his holiness. Aforetime the Lord had
made large promises to David
and these his holiness had guaranteed. The divine
attributes were pledged to give the son of Jesse great blessings; there was no
fear that the covenant God would run back from his plighted word. I will
rejoice. If God has spoken we may well be glad: the very fact of a divine
revelation is a joy. If the Lord had meant to destroy us he would not have
spoken to us as he has done. But what God has spoken is a still further reason
for gladness
for he has declared "the sure mercies of David"
and
promised to establish his seed upon his throne
and to subdue all his enemies.
David greatly rejoiced after the Lord had spoken to him by the mouth of Nathan.
He sat before the Lord in a wonder of joy. See 1Ch 17:1-27
and note that in
the next chapter David began to act vigorously against his enemies
even as in
this Psalm he vows to do. I will divide Shechem. Home conquests come first.
Foes must be dislodged from Israel's territory
and lands properly settled and
managed. And mete out the valley of Succoth. On the other side Jordan as well
as on this the land must be put in order
and secured against all wandering
marauders. Some rejoicing leads to inaction
but not that which is grounded
upon a lively faith in the promise of God. See how David prays
as if he had
the blessing already
and could share it among his men: this comes of having
sung so heartily unto the Lord his helper. See how he resolves on action
like
a man whose prayers are only a part of his life
and vital portions of his
action.
Verse
8. Gilead is mine. Thankful hearts dwell upon the gifts which
the Lord has given them
and think it no task to mention them one by one.
Manasseh is mine. I have it already
and it is to me the token and assurance
that the rest of the promised heritage will also come into my possession in due
time. If we gratefully acknowledge what we have we shall be in better heart for
obtaining that which as yet we have not received. He who gives us Gilead and
Manasseh will not fail to put the rest of the promised territory into our
hands. Ephraim also is the strength of mine head. This tribe furnished David
with more than twenty thousand "mighty men of valour
famous throughout
the house of their fathers": the faithful loyalty of this band was
no
doubt
a proof that the rest of the tribe were with him
and so he regarded
them as the helmet of the state
the guard of his royal crown. Judah is my
lawgiver. There had he seated the government and chief courts of justice. No
other tribe could lawfully govern but Judah: till Shiloh came the divine decree
fixed the legal power in that state. To us also there is no lawgiver but our
Lord who sprang out of Judah; and whenever Rome
or Canterbury
or any other
power shall attempt to set up laws and ordinances for the church
we have but
one reply—"Judah is my lawgiver." Thus the royal psalmist rejoiced
because his own land had been cleansed of intruders
and a regular government
had been set up
and guarded by an ample force
and in all this he found
encouragement to plead for victory over his foreign foes. Even thus do we plead
with the Lord that as in one land and another Christ's holy gospel has been set
up and maintained
so also in other lands the power of his sceptre of grace may
be owned till the whole earth shall bow before him
and the Edom of Antichrist
shall be crushed beneath his feet.
Verse
9. Moab is my washpot. This nation had shown no friendly
spirit to the Israelites
but had continually viewed them as a detested rival
therefore they were to be subdued and made subject to David's throne. He claims
by faith the victory
and regards his powerful enemy with contempt. Nor was he
disappointed
for "the Moabites became David's servants and brought him
gifts" (2Sa 8:2). As men wash their feet after a long journey
and so are
revived
so vanquished difficulties serve to refresh us: we use Moab for a
washpot. Over Edom will I cast out my shoe. It shall be as the floor upon which
the bather throws his sandals
it shall lie beneath his foot
subject to his
will and altogether his own. Edom was proud
but David throws his slipper at
it; its capital was high
but he casts his sandal over it; it was strong
but he
hurls his shoe at it as the gage of battle. He had not entered yet into its
rock built fortresses
but since the Lord was with him he felt sure that he
would do so. Under the leadership of the Almighty
he felt so secure of
conquering even fierce Edom itself that he looks upon it as a mere slave
over
which he could exult with impunity. We ought never to fear those who are
defending the wrong side
for since God is not with them their wisdom is folly
their strength is weakness
and their glory is their shame. We think too much
of God's foes and talk of them with too much respect. Who is this pope of Rome?
His Holiness? Call him not so
but call him His Blasphemy! His Profanity! His
Impudence! What are he and his cardinals
and his legates
but the image and
incarnation of Antichrist
to be in due time cast with the beast and the false
prophet into the lake of fire? Over Philistia will I triumph. David had done so
in his youth
and he is all the more sure of doing it again. We read that
"David smote the Philistines and subdued them" (2Sa 8:1)
even as he
hath smitten Edom and filled it with his garrisons. The enemies with whom we
battled in our youth are yet alive
and we shall have more brushes with them
before we die
but
blessed be God
we are by no means dismayed at the
prospect
for we expect to triumph over them even more easily than aforetime.
Thy
right hand shall thy people aid;
Thy faithful promise makes us strong;
We will Philistia's land invade.
And over Edom chant the song.
Through thee we shall most valiant prove
And tread the foe beneath our feet;
Through thee our faith shall hills remove
And small as chaff the mountains beat.
Verse
10. Faith leads on to strong desire for the realization of the
promise
and hence the practical question
Who will bring me into the strong
city? who will lead me into Edom? The difficulty is plainly perceived.
Petra is strong and hard to enter: the Psalmist warrior knows that he cannot
enter the city by his own power
and he therefore asks who is to help him. He asks
of the right person
even of his Lord
who has all men at his beck
and can say
to this man
"show my servant the road"
and he will show it
or to
this band
"cut your way into the rock city"
and they will assuredly
do it. Of Edom it is written by Obadiah"
The pride of thine heart hath
deceived thee
thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock
whose habitation
is high; that saith in his heart
who shall bring me down to the ground? Though
thou exalt thyself as the eagle
and though thou set thy nest among the stars
thence will I bring thee down
saith the Lord." David looked for his
conquest to Jehovah's infinite power and he looked not in vain.
Verse
11. Wilt not thou
O God
who hast cast us off? This is grand
faith which can trust the Lord even when he seems to have cast us off. Some can
barely trust him when he pampers them
and yet David relied upon him when
Israel seemed under a cloud and the Lord had hidden his face. O for more of
this real and living faith. The casting off will not last long when faith so
gloriously keeps her hold. None but the elect of God who have obtained
"like precious faith" can sing—
"Now
thou arrayest thine awful face
In angry frowns
without a smile;
We
through the cloud
believe thy grace
Secure of thy compassion still."
And
wilt not thou
O God
go forth with our hosts? Canst thou for ever
forsake thine own and leave thy people to be overthrown by thine enemies? The
sweet singer is sure that Edom shall be captured
because he cannot and will
not believe that God will refrain from going forth with the armies of his
chosen people. When we ask ourselves
"Who will be the means of our
obtaining a promised blessing?" we need not be discouraged if we perceive
no secondary agent
for we may then fall back upon the great Promiser himself
and believe that he himself will perform his word unto us. If no one else will
lead us into Edom
the Lord himself will do it
if he has promised it. Or if
there must be visible instruments he will use our hosts
feeble as they
are. We need not that any new agency should be created
God can strengthen our
present hosts and enable them to do all that is needed; all that is wanted even
for the conquest of a world is that the Lord go forth with such forces as we
already have. He can bring us into the strong city even by such weak weapons as
we wield today.
Verse
12. Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
This prayer has often fallen from the lips of men who have been bitterly
disappointed by their fellows
and it has also been poured out unto the Lord in
the presence of some gigantic labour in which mortal power is evidently of no
avail. Edom cannot be entered by any human power
yet from its fastnesses the
robber bands come rushing down; therefore
O Lord
do thou interpose and give
thy people deliverance. Help divine is expected because help human is of no
avail. We ought to pray with all the more confidence in God when our confidence
in man is altogether gone. When the help of man is vain
we shall not find it
vain to seek the help of God.
Verse
13. God's help shall inspire us to help ourselves. Faith is neither a
coward nor a sluggard: she knows that God is with her
and therefore she does
valiantly; she knows that he will tread down her enemies
and therefore she
arises to tread them down in his name. Where praise and prayer have preceded
the battle
we may expect to see heroic deeds and decisive victories. Through
God is our secret support; from that source we draw all our courage
wisdom
and strength. We shall do valiantly. This is the public outflow from that
secret source: our inward and spiritual faith proves itself by outward and
valorous deeds. He shall tread down our enemies. They shall fall before him
and as they lie prostrate he shall march over them
and all the hosts of his
people with him. This is a prophecy. It was fulfilled to David
but it remains
true to the Son of David and all who are on his side. The Church shall yet
arouse herself to praise her God with all her heart
and then with songs and
hosannas she will advance to the great battle; her foes shall be overthrown and
utterly crushed by the power of her God
and the Lord's glory shall be above
all the earth. Send it in our time
we beseech thee
O Lord.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. Note the different application of the words as they are used in
Ps 57:1-11 and Ps 60:1-12
and as they are employed in Ps 108:1-13. In the
former they were prophetic of prosperity yet to come
and consolatory in the
expectation of approaching troubles. In the latter
they are eucharistic for
mercies already received
and descriptive of the glorious things which God has
prepared for his Son and for Israel his people. The Psalm
thus interpreted
announces that Messiah's travail is ended
when the troubles of Israel are
brought to a close. David's Son and David's Lord has taken to himself his great
power and begun to reign
and sitting upon the throne of his glory
he sings
this hymn
Ps 108:1-6. But with the glory of the Redeemer is associated also
the restoration
to favour and happiness
of Israel
his long cast off
but not
forgotten people. The setting up of King Messiah upon the holy hill of Zion is
graphically described
and all Jehovah's promises are realised in the most
ample measure. Messiah is described as a conqueror when the battle is won
and
kings and nations
prostrate at his feet
await his sentence and judgment upon
them. "I will rejoice. I will divide and portion out Shechem and the
valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine
and I give it to the children of Gad and
Reuben. And Manasseh also is mine. Ephraim is my strength in war: my horn of
defence. Judah is my king." Thus in gracious and flattering words
the
victor addresses his confederates and subjects. In a different strain
a strain
of sarcasm and contempt
he announces his pleasure respecting his vanquished
enemies." Moab I will use as a vessel to wash my feet in. Over proud Edom
I will cast my shoe
as an angry master to a slave ministering to him.
Philistia follow my chariot
and shout forth my triumph." But what is to
be understood of the next passage
Ps 108:10
"Who will bring me into
Edom?" Edom is already treated as a vassal state
Ps 108:9. When all the
nations become the kingdoms of Messiah
what is this Edom that is to be amongst
his latest triumphs? One passage only seems to bear upon it
Isa 63:1
and from
this we learn that it is from Edom as the last scene of his vengeance
the
conquering Messiah will come forth
"clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood." This Edom is therefore named with anxiety
because after its
overthrow
Messiah will shine out "King of kings
and Lord of lords"
Re 19:13-16.—R.H. Ryland.
Whole
Psalm. This psalm hath two parts: in the former is the thanksgiving of
faith and promise of praise
in hope of obtaining all which the church is here
to pray for
(Ps 108:1-5). In the latter part is the prayer for preservation of
the church
Ps 108:6
with confidence to be heard and helped
whatsoever
impediment appear
against all who stand out against Christ's kingdom
whether
within the visible church (Ps 108:7-8)
or whether without
such as are
professed enemies unto it
(Ps 108:9-11)
which prayer is followed forth (Ps
108:12)
and comfortably closed with assurance of the Church's victory by the
assistance of God
Ps 108:13.—David Dickson.
Verse
1. O God
my heart is fixed. The wheels of a chariot revolve
but the axletree turns not; the sails of a mill move with the wind
but the
mill itself moves not; the earth is carried round its orbit
but its centre is
fixed. So should a Christian be able
amidst changing scenes and changing
fortunes
to say
"O God
my heart is fixed
my heart is fixed."—G.S.
Bowes
in "Illustrative Gatherings"
1862.
Verse
1. My heart is fixed. The prophet saith his heart was
ready
so the old translation hath it; the new translation
"My
heart is fixed." The word in the Hebrew signifies
first
ready
or prepared. Then
secondly
it signifies fixed. We first fit
prepare a thing
sharpen it
before we drive it into the ground
and then drive
it in and fix it. So ask seriously and often
that thy heart may be ready
and
may also be fixed
and this by a habit which brings readiness and
fixedness
as in other holy duties
so in that of meditation.—Nathanael
Ranew
in "Solitude improved by Divine Meditation
" 1670.
Verse
1. Meditation is a fixed duty. It is not a cursory work. Man's
thoughts naturally labour with a great inconsistency; but meditation chains
them
and fastens them upon some spiritual object. The soul when it meditates
lays a command on itself
that the thoughts which are otherwise flitting and
feathery should fix upon its object; and so this duty is very advantageous. As
we know a garden which is watered with sudden showers is more uncertain in its
fruit than when it is refreshed with a constant stream; so when our thoughts
are sometimes on good things
and then run off; when they only take a glance of
a holy object
and then flit away
there is not so much fruit brought into the
soul. In meditation
then
there must be a fixing of the heart upon the object
a steeping the thoughts
as holy David: "O God
my heart is
fixed." We must view the holy object presented by meditation
as a
limner who views some curious piece
and carefully heeds every shade
every
line and colour; as the Virgin Mary kept all these things
and pondered them in
her heart. Indeed; meditation is not only the busying the thoughts
but the
centring of them; not only the employing of them
but the staking them down
upon some spiritual affair. When the soul
meditating upon something divine
saith as the disciples in the transfiguration (Mt 17:4)
"It is good to be
here."—John Wells
in the "Practical Sabbatarian
" 1668.
Verse
1. With my glory. The parallel passage in the Prayer book
version is
"with the best member I have." The tongue
being
considered the best member
is here described as the glory of man—as
that which tends to elevate him in the scale of creation; and therefore the
pious man resolves to employ his speech in giving utterance to the goodness of
God. God is glorified by the praise of his redeemed
and the instrument whereby
it is effected is man's glory.—The Quiver.
Verses
1-2. As a man first tunes his instrument
and then playeth on it so
should the holy servant of God first labour to bring his spirit
heart
and
affections into a solid and settled frame for worship
and then go to work; My
heart is fixed
or prepared firmly
I will sing and give praise. As
the glory of man above the brute creatures
is that from a reasonable mind he
can express what is his will by his tongue: so the glory of saints above other
men
is to have a tongue directed by the heart
for expressing of God's praise:
"I will sing and give praise
even with my glory." Under
typical terms we are taught to make use of all sanctified means for stirring of
us up unto God's service: for this the psalmist intends
when he saith
Awake
psaltery and harp. We ourselves must first be stirred up to make right use
of the means
before the means can be fit to stir us up: therefore saith he
I
myself will awake right early.—David Dickson.
Verses
1-5. After David has professed a purpose of praising God (Ps 108:1-3)
he tells you
next
the proportion that is between the attributes which he
praiseth in God
and his praise of him. The greatness of the attributes mercy
and truth we have in Ps 108:4
Thy truth reaches unto the clouds;
and there is an answerable greatness in his praises of God for them
Ps 108:5: Be
thou exalted
O God
above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.
He wishes and endeavours to exalt him as high in his praises as he is in
himself; to exalt him above the earth
above the heaven
and the clouds.—Henry
Jeanes.
Verse
2. With reference to this passage the Talmud says
"A cithern
used to hang above David's bed; and when midnight came the north wind blew
among the strings
so that they sounded of themselves; and forthwith he arose
and busied himself with the Torah until the pillar of the dawn ascended."
Rashi observes
"The dawn awakes the other kings; but I
said David
will
awake the dawn."—Franz Delitzsch
Verse
2. When the Hebrew captives were sitting in sorrow "by the
waters of Babylon"
they wept
and hung their harps on the willows
and
could not be prevailed upon by the conquerors to sing "the songs of Zion
in that land" (Ps 137:1
4). But when "the Lord turned again the
captivity of Zion
then was their mouth filled with laughter and their tongue
with singing" (Ps 126:1-2). Then the psaltery and harp of former
generations awoke (Ps 108:2). The old songs revived on their lips
and
the melodies of David acquired new charms for them.—Christopher Wordsworth.
Verse
2. Awake early.
"Yet
never sleep the sun up; prayer should
Dawn with the day
there are set awful hours
Between heaven and us; the manna was not good
After sun rising
for day sullies flowers."
—Henry Vaughan
1621-1695.
Verse
4. For thy mercy is great
etc. His mercy is great—that mercy
sung of lately (Ps 107:1
43). It is "from above the heavens"
(Mymv-lem); i.e.
coming down to us as do drops of a fertilizing shower;
even as the "Peace on earth"
of Lu 2:14
was first "peace in
heaven" (Lu 19:38).—Andrew A. Bonar.
Verse
4. The mercy of God was then great above the heavens
when
the God man
Christ Jesus
was raised to the highest heavens
and the truth of
our salvation established on the very throne of God.—W. Wilson.
Verses
4-5. There is more stuff and substance of good in the Lord's promises
than the sharpest sighted saint did or can perceive; for when we have followed
the promise
to find out all the truth which is in it
we meet with a cloud of
unsearchable riches
and are forced to leave it there; for so much is included
in this
Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. The height of our praising
of God is to put the work of praising God upon himself
and to point him out
unto others as going about the magnifying of his own name
and to be glad for
it
as here; Be thou exalted
O God
above the heavens; and thy glory above
all the earth.—David Dickson.
Verses
4-6. There is great confidence here
and
as ever
mercy to the soul
which knows itself and comes before truth. But
then
for its own deliverance
and blessing it looks to the exalting of God. This shows it must be a holy
righteous exalting. "Be thou exalted
O God
above the heavens: and
thy glory above all the earth; that thy beloved may be delivered." It is a
blessed thought
and this is what faith has to lay hold of now
even in the
time of trial
that our blessing and God's glory are one
only we must put his
glory first.—J.N. Darby.
Verse
6. That thy beloved may be delivered
etc. The church is the
Lord's "beloved"
or the incorporation
more loved than
anything else in the world
therefore here called
"Thy beloved."
Because the church is God's beloved
the care of it should be most in our mind
and the love of the preservation of it should draw forth our prayer most in
favour of it. "That thy beloved may be delivered: save."—David
Dickson.
Verse
6. God being thus exalted according to the majesty of his truth
the
special plea of the Spirit of Jesus
founded on the mercy which has throned
itself above the heavens
is next urged (Ps 108:6) on behalf of the nation of
his ancient love. That thy beloved (ones) may be delivered
save with thy
right hand and answer me. It is the Spirit of Immanuel that thus makes
intercession for his well remembered people according to God. His land should
be rid in due time of those who had burdened it with wickedness. For God
had spoken in his holiness concerning the portion of his anointed.—Arthur
Pridham.
Verse
7. God hath spoken the word of assurance. This refers to all
the words in which the land of their inheritance was defined
especially Ge
15:18 Ex 23:31 De 11:24
and that remarkable prediction concerning the
perpetuity of David's line
2Sa 7:1-17
which must have made a deep impression
on his mind. From these passages it is evident that Aram as well as Edom was
included in the full compass of the territory designed for Israel
and that
David felt himself to be in the path of destiny when he was endeavouring to
extend his sway from the river of Egypt to the great river
even the Euphrates.
In his holiness
in the immutable integrity of his heart
which was an
infallible guarantee for the fulfilment of his promise. I will exult.
This is the exclamation of the representative head of the people
when he
ponders upon the divine utterance.—James G. Murphy.
Verse
7. Faith closing with a promise
will furnish joy to the believer
before he enjoys the performance of it: God hath spoken
saith he
I
will rejoice.—David Dickson.
Verse
7. He
the second David
had accomplished his warfare
and had
crowned himself with victory. Henceforth he would apportion the kingdoms of the
world and subdue them unto himself at his own holy will. Ephraim and Judah
Moab and Philistia
the Jew first and then the Gentile
were to be brought to
confess him as their Lord.—Plain Commentary.
Verse
8. Ephraim also is the strength of mine head. As Ephraim was
the most populous of all the tribes
he appropriately terms it the strength
of his head
that is
of his dominions.—John Calvin.
Verse
9. Moab
who had enticed Israel to impurity
is made a vessel
for its purifying. Edom
descendant of him who despised his birthright
is deprived of his independence;—for "flinging a shoe" was a sign of
the transference of a prior claim on land. Ru 4:7.—William Kay.
Verse
9. Moab is my washpot. The office of washing the feet was in
the East commonly performed by slaves
and the meanest of the family
as
appears from what Abigail said to David when he took her to wife
"Behold
let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my
lord"
1Sa 25:41; and from the fact of our Saviour washing his disciples'
feet
to give them an example of humility
Joh 8:5. The word nipthr
used in
this last passage
signifies in general a washing pot
and is put for the word
podoniptron
the term which the Greeks
in strict propriety of speech
applied
to a vessel for washing the feet. As this office was servile
so the vessels
employed for this purpose were a mean part of household stuff. Gataker and Le
Clerc illustrate this text from an anecdote related by Herodotus
concerning
Amasis
king of Egypt
who expressed the meanness of his own origin by
comparing himself to a pot for washing the feet in
(Herod. Lib. 2. c. 172).
When
therefore
it is said
"Moab is my washing pot"
the
complete and servile subjection of Moab to David is strongly marked. This is
expressed
not by comparing Moab to a slave who performs the lowest offices
as
presenting to his master the basin for washing his feet
but by comparing him
to the mean utensil itself. See 2Sa 8:2 1Ch 18:1-2
12-13.—James Anderson's
Note to Calvin on Isa 60:1-12.
Verse
9. Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast my shoe. This
somewhat difficult expression may be thus explained. Moab and Edom were to be
reduced to a state of lowest vassalage to the people of God. The one was to be
like a pot or tub fit only for washing the feet in
while the other was to be
like the domestic slave standing by to receive the sandals thrown to him by the
person about to perform his ablutions
that he might first put them by in a
safe place
and then come and wash his master's feet.—"Rays from the
East."
Verse
9. Over Edom will I cast my shoe. David overthrew their army
in the "Valley of Salt"
and his general
Joab
following up the
victory
destroyed nearly the whole male population (1Ki 11:15-16)
and placed
Jewish garrisons in all the strongholds of Edom (2Sa 8:13-14). In honour of
that victory the Psalmist warrior may have penned the words in Ps 60:8
"Over
Edom will I cast my shoe."—J.L. Porter in
"Smith's Dictionary
of the Bible."
Verse
10. The strong city built on the rock
even man's hardened heart
stronger and more stony than the tomb
he had conquered and overcome; and in
him and his might are his people to carry on his warfare
and to cast down all
the strongholds of human pride
and human stubbornness
and human
unrepentance.—Plain Commentary.
Verses
10-11. It is not conclusive evidence that we are not called to undertake
a given work or perform a certain duty
because it is very difficult
or even
impossible for us to succeed without special help from God. If God calls David
to take Petra
he shall take Petra.—William S. Plumer.
Verse
11. Wilt not thou
O God? His hand shall lead him even to
Petra
which seems unapproachable by human strength. That marvellous rock city
of the Edomites is surrounded by rocks some of which are three hundred feet
high
and a single path twelve in width leads to it. The city itself is partly
hewn out of the cloven rocks
and its ruins
which however belong to a later
period
fill travellers with amazement.—Augustus F. Tholuck.
Verse
11. He who came victorious from Edom
and with garments dyed in the
blood of his passion from Bozrah
will henceforth now go forth with the armies
of the true Israel
—for what are hosts without the Lord of hosts?—to subdue
their enemy.—Plain Commentary.
Verse
12. Give us help from trouble
etc. He who would have God's
help in any business
must quit confidence in man's help; and the seeing of the
vanity of man's help must make the believer to trust the more unto
and expect
the more confidently God's help
as here is done. "Give us help from
trouble: for vain is the help of man."—David Dickson.
HINTS TO THE VILLAGE
PREACHER
Whole
Psalm. Parts of two former psalms are here united in one.
1.
Repetition is here sanctioned by inspiration.
(a)
Of what? Of hymns
of prayers
of sermons.
(b)
For what? For impression. "As we said before so say I now again
if any man
preach"
etc. For confirmation: "Rejoice in the Lord
and again I say
rejoice": they went through Syria and Cilicia again confirming the
churches. For preservation: quotations authenticate originals
a writing in two
copies is safer than in one.
2.
Rearrangement is here sanctioned by inspiration.
(a)
Different experiences may require it. Sometimes the heart is most fixed at the
commencement of a spiritual exercise: sometimes at its close. Hence the
commencement of one psalm is the close of another.
(b)
Different occasions may require it. As of sorrow and joy. Two parts of two
different hymns may better harmonise with a particular occasion than either one
separately considered.—G.R.
Verse
1.
1.
The best occupation: praise. Worthy—
(a)
Of the heart in its best condition.
(b) Of the best faculties of the best educated man.
2.
The best resolution.
(a)
Arising from a fixed heart.
(b) Deliberately formed.
(c) Solemnly expressed.
(d) Joyfully executed.
3.
The best results. To praise God makes a man both happier and holier
stronger
and bolder—as the succeeding verses show.
Verse
2. The benefit of early rising. The sweetness of the Sabbath morning
early prayer meeting.
Verse
3. We must not restrain praise because we are overheard by
strangers
nor because the listeners are heathen
or ungodly
or are numerous
or are likely to oppose. There may be all the more reason for our outspoken
praise of God when we are in such circumstances.
Verses
4-5. The greatness of mercy
the height of truth
and the immensity of
the Divine praise.
Verse
6. The prayer of a representative man. There are times when to
answer me is to deliver the church—at such times I have a powerful plea.
Verse
7. God's voice the cause of joy
the reason for action
the
guarantee of success.
Verse
8. Judah is my lawgiver. Jesus the sole and only lawmaker in
the church.
Verse
11. (first clause).—Confidence in a frowning God.
Verse
11. (second clause). Whether God will go forth with our hosts
depends upon—Who they are? What is their object? What is their motive and
spirit? What weapons do they use? etc.
Verse
12. The failure of human help is often
1.
The direct cause of our prayer.
2. The source of urgency in pleading.
3. A powerful argument for the pleader.
4. A distinct reason for hope to light upon.
Verse
13. How
when
and why a believer should do valiantly.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》