Psalm 108:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

NIV: I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.

NASB: I will give thanks to You, Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

CSB: I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

NLT: I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.

KJV: I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.

NKJV: I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.

This is taken from Psalm 57:9, which David wrote while evading the murderous jealousy of King Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2). The end of that psalm expressed David's intent to maintain his faith, despite danger. Psalm 108 combines the resolutions of Psalms 57 and 60, both expressing confidence in God and His supremacy.

God's primary relationship in the Old Testament was with the nation of Israel (Genesis 12:1–3; Exodus 19—24:8). However, this was meant to establish a "new covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31–40) which would eventually cover the entire world (Isaiah 49:1–6; Galatians 3:23–29). When David mentions "nations" and "peoples," he uses terms which Scripture typically applies to Gentiles. These are the non-Jewish persons of the entire world. After the resurrection of Jesus, Jews and Gentiles are united when they share faith in Christ (Romans 15:8–13; Ephesians 2:11–22). In the end times, the whole world will be joined in peace when Jesus rules the world in person (Revelation 20:4). Eternity will include people of all conceivable races and backgrounds (Revelation 7:9–10).

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.