Psalm 108:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

NIV: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

NASB: Be exalted above the heavens, God, And may Your glory be above all the earth.

CSB: God, be exalted above the heavens, and let your glory be over the whole earth.

NLT: Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.

KJV: Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;

NKJV: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth;

When David originally wrote these words (Psalm 57:11), they were about his commitment to faith in God despite great personal danger (Psalm 57:1–4; 1 Samuel 19:1–2). David knew that the Lord was supreme and everything which happened would be under His control (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11). This reflected David's understanding of God's sovereignty: His absolute power and authority over all of creation. Here, David both recognizes and yearns for God's majestic Lordship.

Scripture presents the Lord as consistently loving and caring (Psalm 108:4; Jeremiah 31:3). Yet He is also the Creator (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3). Everything which He created is for His own glory. To the extent human beings experience glory, it is only by reflecting that which comes from God Himself. The glory of the Lord is a dominant theme in the entire Bible (Psalm 29:1–2; Deuteronomy 5:24; Luke 2:9; John 1:14; Colossians 3:4).

The first five verses of this psalm are taken nearly word-for-word from David's Psalm 57:7–11. The last eight repeat his words from Psalm 60:5–12.

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 12/22/2024 12:12:11 AM