Psalm 108:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!

NIV: A song. A psalm of David. My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

NASB: My heart is steadfast, God; I will sing, I will sing praises also with my soul.

CSB: A song. A psalm of David. My heart is confident, God; I will sing; I will sing praises with the whole of my being.

NLT: My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!

KJV: A Song or Psalm of David. O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

NKJV: {A Song. A Psalm of David.} O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.

This verse is nearly the exact same words as Psalm 57:7. Here, the phrase "with all my being" is added. Originally, this was part of David's resolution to faithfully praise God despite intense personal danger. This includes a declaration that everything David has is aligned in praise towards the Lord.

David claims to be prepared, stable, and firm using the Hebrew word nākon'. He has no intention of letting his faith fail. Danger will not threaten his trust in God, because David's faith is prepared for hardship. Those who trust the Lord experience reassurance (Isaiah 64:4; John 15:11) and gratitude, and they respond with praise. Shame and negative consequences (Isaiah 65:11–15) come for those who ignore His will.

Psalm 108:1–5 is nearly identical to Psalm 57:7–11. Here, David thanks and praises God for His loyal love. David vows to praise the Lord from the moment he wakes up using singing and musical instruments. He wants God to be exalted so that His people will triumph over their enemies.

The psalmist—repeating words of David's prior psalms—first declares loyalty to the Lord. He declares that God should be worshipped by His people. Next, God's sovereign rule is celebrated. Even so, the song speaks of fears and doubts, calling on the Lord to provide aid in a dire battle. The overall sense is one of confidence and assurance in God.

This psalm combines portions of two other songs (Psalm 57:7–11; Psalm 60:5–12). Psalm 57 relates to David's attempts to evade the jealous King Saul. Psalm 60 reacts to a surprise attack from Edom. Psalm 108 borrows the conclusions of these prior messages; these emphasize a commitment to praise and honor God and to recognize His absolute rule. The psalm is "of David" because it uses his words, but this arrangement may not have been his personal doing.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 9:15:06 AM