What does Psalm 108:8 mean?
When Israel was suddenly attacked by Edom, David prayed for rescue; he wrote Psalm 60 to commemorate that experience. The last verses of Psalm 108 are taken from David's resolution in Psalm 60 (Psalm 60:5–12). God's answer to David's fear was a reminder that the Lord has the power to decide who controls what territory. So far, this has mentioned important historical areas such as Succoth (Genesis 33:17) and Shechem (Genesis 33:18–20).Succoth and Shechem were west of the Jordan River. Gilead was east, and Manasseh included land on both sides. Ephraim was a strong tribe; after the nation split (1 Kings 12:19–20), Ephraim was associated with the northern kingdom. Since this tribe is God's "helmet," its role is protecting the nation.
The southern kingdom would be known as "Judah." This was the tribe of David, and therefore of David's most important descendant, Jesus (Genesis 49:10). God established that Israel's kingship would come through the tribe of Judah. So, here, the tribe is described using a symbol of kingly authority: the scepter.
