Psalm 108

Harley Psalter (1000-1050) - Psalm 108

Psalm 108 is the 108th psalm of the Book of Psalms.

Structure and themes

Psalm 108 contains numerous verses which appear in other psalms. Verses 1–5 are similar to Psalm 57:7–11, with slight variation, while verses 7–13 are similar to Psalm 60:5–11. William Barrick considers this psalm to be the "borrower".[1][2] John Paul II said that the fusion of Psalms 57 and 60 with Psalm 108 shows that "Israel, already in the Old Testament, was re-using and bringing up-to-date the Word of God revealed".[3]

Charles Spurgeon called Psalm 108 "The Warrior's Morning Song, with which he adores his God and strengthens his heart before entering upon the conflicts of the day".[4] Matthew Henry calls it "An assurance of God's answer and salvation".[5]

The Midrash teaches that verse 3 refers to David's habit of arising each night before dawn and praising God with psaltery and harp, thus "awakening the dawn".[6]

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text and an English translation of Psalm 108:[7]

Verse Hebrew English
1 שִׁ֖יר מִזְמ֣וֹר לְדָוִֽד A song, a psalm of David.
2 נָכ֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַֽ֜אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה אַף־כְּבוֹדִֽי My heart is steadfast, O God; I shall sing and play music, even my glory.
3 עוּרָה הַנֵּ֥בֶל וְ֜כִנּ֗וֹר אָעִ֥ירָה שָּֽׁחַר Awaken, you psaltery and harp; I shall awaken the dawn.
4 אוֹדְךָ֖ בָעַמִּ֥ים | יְהֹוָ֑ה וַֽ֜אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ בַּלְאֻמִּֽים I shall thank You among the peoples, O Lord, and I shall play music to You among the kingdoms.
5 כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל מֵעַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְעַד־שְׁחָקִ֥ים אֲמִתֶּֽךָ For Your kindness is great above the heavens, and Your truth is until the skies.
6 ר֣וּמָה עַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֣רֶץ כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ Lift Yourself above the heavens, O Lord, and over all the earth is Your glory.
7 לְמַעַן יֵחָֽלְצ֣וּן יְדִידֶ֑יךָ הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וַֽעֲנֵֽנִי In order that Your beloved ones be released, save with Your right hand and answer me.
8 אֱלֹהִ֚ים | דִּבֶּ֥ר בְּקָדְשׁ֗וֹ אֶֽעֱלֹ֥זָה אֲחַלְּקָ֥ה שְׁכֶ֑ם וְעֵ֖מֶק סֻכּ֣וֹת אֲמַדֵּֽד God spoke with His holiness, that I would rejoice, that I would allot a portion, and that I would measure the valley of Succoth.
9 לִ֚י גִלְעָ֨ד | לִ֬י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה וְ֖אֶפְרַיִם מָע֣וֹז רֹאשִׁ֑י יְ֜הוּדָ֗ה מְחֹֽקְקִֽי Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the strength of my head; Judah is my prince.
10 מוֹאָ֚ב | סִ֬יר רַחְצִּ֗י עַל־אֱ֖דוֹם אַשְׁלִ֣יךְ נַֽעֲלִ֑י עֲלֵֽי־פְ֜לֶ֗שֶׁת אֶתְרוֹעָֽע Moab is my wash basin, on Edom I shall cast my shoe; on Philistia I shall shout.
11 מִ֣י יֽ֖וֹבִלֵנִי עִ֣יר מִבְצָ֑ר מִ֖י נָחַ֣נִי עַד־אֱדֽוֹם Who will bring me to the fortified city? He Who led me up to Edom.
12 הֲלֹֽא־אֱלֹהִ֥ים זְנַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְלֹֽא־תֵצֵ֥א אֱ֜לֹהִ֗ים בְּצִבְאֹתֵֽינוּ Is it not You, O God, Who has forsaken us, and does not go, O Lord, in our hosts?
13 הָ֣בָה־לָּ֖נוּ עֶזְרָ֣ת מִצָּ֑ר וְ֜שָׁ֗וְא תְּשׁוּעַ֥ת אָדָֽם Give us help against the adversary, for man's salvation is futile.
14 בֵּֽאלֹהִ֥ים נַֽעֲשֶׂה־חָ֑יִל וְ֜ה֗וּא יָב֥וּס צָרֵֽינוּ With God we shall gather strength and He will trample our adversaries.

Uses

Judaism

  • Verse 5 is recited during Selichot.[8]
  • Verse 7 is part of the Elokai Netzor paragraph at the end of the Amidah. This verse is identical to verse 7 in Psalm 60.[8]

Catholic

This is one of the psalms which St. Benedict of Nursia did not specify the use, in the Rule of St. Benedict of 530AD. However, Psalm 108 was traditionally performed by his order to the celebration matins of Saturday,.[9] or according to another document of the founder or according to one of his successors, so that all 150 psalms are executed each Week.[10]

In the Liturgy of Hours, Psalm 108 is read to the Office of Lauds of Wednesday of the fourth week.[11]

Protestant

Psalm 108 has been set to music in The Anglican "Hymnal 1982", The United Methodist Hymnal, Psalter Hymnal (Gray) and the Baptist Hymnal 1991

References

  1. ↑ James Luther Mays, Psalms (Westminster John Knox Press, 2011 ) p347.
  2. ↑ William Barrick, Psalms Hymns and Spitritual Songs: The Master Musician melodies (2007).
  3. ↑ "General Audience of John Paul II". Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  4. ↑ Charles H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David
  5. ↑ Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
  6. ↑ "Midrash Tehillim / Psalms 108" (PDF). matsati.com. October 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 36". Chabad.org. 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Brauner, Reuven (2013). "Shimush Pesukim: Comprehensive Index to Liturgical and Ceremonial Uses of Biblical Verses and Passages" (PDF) (2nd ed.). p. 46. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  9. ↑ Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique, p.408.
  10. ↑ C'est la raison pour laquelle la distribution aurait été fixée par lui. (chapitre XI, traduction par Prosper Guéranger,(Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, réimpression 2007) p39.
  11. ↑ Le cycle principal des prières liturgiques se déroule sur quatre semaines.
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