Psalm 108 Part 1

This psalm is actually a compilation of sections from two other psalms. vs1-5 is very similar to Psalm 57:7-11, and vs6-13 is almost identical to Psalm 60:5-12. Two old songs in a new arrangement. These are David’s words, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, taken and applied to a present challenge. It was probably compiled for liturgical use. The enemies specified in vs9-13 are Moab, Edom, and Philistia (with the emphasis on Edom). It may be that the old foe, subdued earlier in David’s day rose again and Israel must defeat her again. Psalm 108 shows us that we can and should use the words of Scripture as our present prayers and praises, and are suitable for our present situation. The Holy Spirit is not short of expression and therefore there must be some intention in the repetition and arrangement of two former utterances.

From the beginning, David declared that his ‘steadfast’ confidence in God gave him a fixed point from which he could and would sing and give praise. David let the sound of his praise greet the dawn as it rose in the early morning hours. This is the choicest part of the day that needs to be surrendered to the covenant God. Sometimes we must climb by praise 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.

David’s praise transformed into a prayer, asking that he would be rescued from his present distress. The opening of Psalm 108 is so filled with praise that we didn’t even know David was in trouble. He only mentioned his distress after setting his heart and mind right with praise from his entire being.  David understood that he was God’s ‘beloved’, and he appealed to God on that basis. David’s mind understood that there were many others that God loved, but his heart came to God as if he were the only one, not one of many. Beloved (Hebrew, Yadid) was the meaning of David’s own name. The word belongs to the language of love poetry.