My Heart Is Steadfast, God
Psalm 108 summary: what it means
Psalm 108 opens with a settled heart. The writer says his heart is steadfast and he will sing, calling on harp and lyre to wake up so he can wake up the dawn. He will give thanks among the nations, because God's loving kindness is great above the heavens and his faithfulness reaches the skies. Then he asks God to be exalted and to save with his right hand.
The middle of the psalm quotes God speaking from his sanctuary, claiming the land and its neighbors: Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah are his, and Moab, Edom and Philistia are under him. The psalm then admits that God has not gone out with the armies, asks for help because the help of man is vain, and ends confident that through God they will do valiantly.
Psalm 108: My Heart Is Steadfast, God
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-108
Psalm 108 commentary: explained verse by verse
My heart is steadfast, God.I will sing and I will make music with my soul.
O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
The psalm begins with a heart that is steadfast, settled and fixed. From there the writer says he will sing and make music with his soul. The steadiness comes before any trouble is mentioned.
Also read Psalm 68:1, Psalm 30:12, Psalm 16:9, Psalm 57:7-11
Wake up, harp and lyre!I will wake up the dawn.
Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
He tells the harp and lyre to wake up, and says he will wake up the dawn. Instead of the morning waking him, he means to be up singing before it. It is a picture of eager praise.
Also read Psalm 69:30, Psalm 33:2, Psalm 57:8, Psalm 92:1-4
I will give thanks to you, LORD, among the nations.I will sing praises to you among the peoples.
I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
The writer promises to give thanks to the LORD among the nations and sing praises among the peoples. His praise is meant to be heard beyond his own people.
Also read Psalm 22:27, Psalm 138:4-5, Psalm 117:1, Psalm 22:22
For your loving kindness is great above the heavens.Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
The reason is given: God's loving kindness is great above the heavens and his faithfulness reaches to the skies. Both are measured against the largest things the writer can see.
Also read Ephesians 2:4-7, Psalm 85:10, Isaiah 55:9, Psalm 36:5
Be exalted, God, above the heavens!Let your glory be over all the earth.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
He asks God to be exalted above the heavens and for his glory to be over all the earth. Having said God's love reaches above the heavens, he asks that God's glory be seen that high too.
Also read Psalm 72:19, Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 6:13, Psalm 57:11
That your beloved may be delivered,save with your right hand, and answer us.
That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.
The praise turns into a request: save with your right hand and answer us, so that your beloved may be delivered. The first half of the psalm leads into this prayer.
Also read 2 Chronicles 32:20-22, 1 Kings 18:36-37, Isaiah 65:24, Psalm 54:1
God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph,I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
God speaks from his sanctuary. In triumph he will divide Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth. These are places in the land, and dividing and measuring them is what an owner does.
Also read 2 Samuel 7:20-29, 1 Peter 1:3, Amos 4:2, 1 Peter 1:8
Gilead is mine. Manasseh is mine.Ephraim also is my helmet.Judah is my scepter.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
God goes on: Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter. The regions and tribes are named as God's own. Judah as scepter points to the place of rule.
Also read 2 Samuel 5:5, Joshua 13:8-11, Genesis 49:10, Deuteronomy 33:17
Moab is my wash pot.I will toss my sandal on Edom.I will shout over Philistia.”
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.
God names Israel's neighbors in lowly terms. Moab is a wash pot, a sandal is tossed on Edom, and there is a shout over Philistia. The images show these nations under God's control.
Also read 2 Samuel 21:15-22, Ruth 4:7-8, Psalm 60:8-10, John 13:14
Who will bring me into the fortified city?Who will lead me to Edom?
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
Also read Psalm 60:1, Obadiah 1:3-4, Isaiah 63:1-6, Psalm 20:6-8
Haven’t you rejected us, God?You don’t go out, God, with our armies.
Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
Then comes an honest question: has God not rejected us, since he does not go out with our armies. The promise of verses 7 to 9 stands beside a present setback.
Also read Deuteronomy 20:3-4, 1 Samuel 17:26, 2 Chronicles 20:15, 2 Chronicles 13:12
Give us help against the enemy,for the help of man is vain.
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
The writer asks for help against the enemy, because the help of man is vain. Human support is judged not to be enough. The request is made to God alone.
Also read Jeremiah 17:5-8, Isaiah 31:3, Psalm 20:1-9, Isaiah 30:3-5
Through God, we will do valiantly,for it is he who will tread down our enemies.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
The psalm ends in confidence: through God we will do valiantly, for he will tread down our enemies. Even the army's courage is credited to God.
Also read Isaiah 25:10, Ephesians 6:10-18, Psalm 60:12, Isaiah 63:3
A prayer from Psalm 108
God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music with my soul, and I will wake up the dawn with praise. I will give thanks to you among the nations, for your loving kindness is great above the heavens and your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. When I feel that you have gone quiet, and you do not seem to go out with me, give help, for the help of people alone is not enough. Save with your right hand and answer. Through you I can act with courage. Amen.
Psalm 108 Bible study questions
- In verses 1 and 2, the speaker says he will wake up the dawn. What picture does that give of his praise?
- In verses 7 to 9, God speaks and names many places. What does this list suggest about who the land belongs to?
- Verse 11 asks whether God has rejected his people, right after confident praise. How do you respond to a psalm that holds both?
- Verse 12 says the help of man is vain. Where do you look for help first when things go wrong?
- Psalm 108 shares wording with Psalm 57:7 to 11 and Psalm 60:5 to 12. What do you notice when you read those passages next to this one?
Questions about Psalm 108
What does Psalm 108 mean?
It begins with steady praise for God's loving kindness and faithfulness, then recalls God's claim over the land and its neighbors, and ends with a prayer for help in battle and confidence that through God they will do valiantly.
Who wrote Psalm 108?
The heading attributes it to David and calls it a song and a psalm.
What does Psalm 108:1 mean?
The writer says his heart is steadfast and that he will sing and make music with his soul. It opens the psalm with settled confidence in God.
What does Psalm 108:9 mean?
God calls Moab his wash pot, tosses his sandal on Edom and shouts over Philistia. The images put these hostile neighbors firmly under God's control.
What does Psalm 108:4 say?
Your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
What does Psalm 108:12 mean?
It asks God for help against the enemy because the help of man is vain. Human help is not enough, so the writer turns to God.
Psalm 108 KJV: the King James Version
O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.1
Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.2
I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.3
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.4
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;5
That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.6
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.7
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;8
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.9
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?10
Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?11
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.12
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.13
Psalm 108 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 שִׁ֖יר מִזְמ֣וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
2 נָכ֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה אַף־כְּבוֹדִֽי׃
3 ע֭וּרָֽה הַנֵּ֥בֶל וְכִנּ֗וֹר אָעִ֥ירָה שָּֽׁחַר׃
4 אוֹדְךָ֖ בָעַמִּ֥ים ׀ יְהוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ בַּל־אֻמִּֽים׃
5 כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל מֵֽעַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְֽעַד־שְׁחָקִ֥ים אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃
6 ר֣וּמָה עַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֣רֶץ כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃
7 לְ֭מַעַן יֵחָלְצ֣וּן יְדִידֶ֑יךָ הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
8 אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ דִּבֶּ֥ר בְּקָדְשׁ֗וֹ אֶעְלֹ֥זָה אֲחַלְּקָ֥ה שְׁכֶ֑ם וְעֵ֖מֶק סֻכּ֣וֹת אֲמַדֵּֽד׃
9 לִ֤י גִלְעָ֨ד ׀ לִ֤י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה וְ֭אֶפְרַיִם מָע֣וֹז רֹאשִׁ֑י יְ֝הוּדָ֗ה מְחֹקְקִֽי׃
10 מוֹאָ֤ב ׀ סִ֬יר רַחְצִ֗י עַל־אֱ֭דוֹם אַשְׁלִ֣יךְ נַעֲלִ֑י עֲלֵֽי־פְ֝לֶ֗שֶׁת אֶתְרוֹעָֽע׃
11 מִ֣י יֹ֭בִלֵנִי עִ֣יר מִבְצָ֑ר מִ֖י נָחַ֣נִי עַד־אֱדֽוֹם׃
12 הֲלֹֽא־אֱלֹהִ֥ים זְנַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְֽלֹא־תֵצֵ֥א אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים בְּצִבְאֹתֵֽינוּ׃
13 הָֽבָה־לָּ֣נוּ עֶזְרָ֣ת מִצָּ֑ר וְ֝שָׁ֗וְא תְּשׁוּעַ֥ת אָדָֽם׃
14 בֵּֽאלֹהִ֥ים נַעֲשֶׂה־חָ֑יִל וְ֝ה֗וּא יָב֥וּס צָרֵֽינוּ׃
Psalm 108 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 107 there.
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1 A canticle of a psalm for David himself.
2 My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will sing, and will give praise, with my glory.
3 Arise, my glory; arise, psaltery and harp: I will arise in the morning early.
4 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing unto thee among the populations.
5 For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth even unto the clouds.
6 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory over all the earth:
7 That thy beloved may be delivered. Save with thy right hand and hear me.
8 God hath spoken in his holiness. I will rejoice, and I will divide Sichem and I will mete out the vale of tabernacles.
9 Galaad is mine, and Manasses is mine and Ephraim the protection of my head. Juda is my king:
10 Moab the pot of my hope. Over Edom I will stretch out my shoe: the aliens are become my friends.
11 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
12 Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our armies?
13 O grant us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
14 Through God we shall do mightily: and he will bring our enemies to nothing.
Psalm 108 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 107.
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1 Canticum Psalmi, ipsi David.
2 Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum; cantabo, et psallam in gloria mea.
3 Exsurge, gloria mea; exsurge, psalterium et cithara; exsurgam diluculo.
4 Confitebor tibi in populis, Domine, et psallam tibi in nationibus:
5 quia magna est super cælos misericordia tua, et usque ad nubes veritas tua.
6 Exaltare super cælos, Deus, et super omnem terram gloria tua:
7 ut liberentur dilecti tui. Salvum fac dextera tua, et exaudi me.
8 Deus locutus est in sancto suo: Exsultabo, et dividam Sichimam; et convallem tabernaculorum dimetiar.
9 Meus est Galaad, et meus est Manasses, et Ephraim susceptio capitis mei. Juda rex meus;
10 Moab lebes spei meæ: in Idumæam extendam calceamentum meum; mihi alienigenæ amici facti sunt.
11 Quis deducet me in civitatem munitam? quis deducet me usque in Idumæam?
12 nonne tu, Deus, qui repulisti nos? et non exibis, Deus, in virtutibus nostris?
13 Da nobis auxilium de tribulatione, quia vana salus hominis.
14 In Deo faciemus virtutem; et ipse ad nihilum deducet inimicos nostros.
Printable Psalm 108: free, large print and PDF
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Psalm 108 at a glance
| Verses | 13 |
| Heading in the text | A Song. A Psalm by David. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David and calls it a song and a psalm. |
| Type | Praise and Prayer |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 107 |
Read Psalm 108 when you are facing
morningcourageenemiestrusting god
Psalm 108 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 108 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 108 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 5 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source