Psalm 108

Psalm 108 is the 108th psalm in the Book of Psalms. The first verse attributes it to King David, the author of many Psalms. It is a hymn, beginning in English "O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory" in the King James Version (KJV). In the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 107 in a slightly different numbering system. In Latin, it is known as "Paratum cor meum Deus".[1]

This article uses the Hebrew (Masoretic) Psalms numbering. Psalm 108 in Septuagint/Vulgate numbering would correspond to Psalm 109 in Hebrew numbering.
Harley Psalter (1000-1050) - Psalm 108

The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant liturgies. It has been paraphrased in hymns, and has been set to music often.

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".[2][3] 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".[4]

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".[5] Matthew Henry calls it "An assurance of God's answer and salvation".[6]

The Midrash teaches that verse 3 refers to David's practice of arising each night before dawn and praising God with psaltery and harp, thus "awakening the dawn".[7]

In Psalm 108 and Psalm 60 both say "I cast my shoe on Edom" which would be typical of a master tossing his shoe to a servant to clean the shoes. The Herod's would be from the line of Esau being Idumeans. This leaves an issue to resolve. A descendent of Esau was ruling in the days of Jesus. Some would see Herod's demise in the early chapters of Acts showing decisively who really reigns.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 108:

Verse Hebrew
1 שִׁ֖יר מִזְמ֣וֹר לְדָוִֽד
2 נָכ֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַֽ֜אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה אַף־כְּבוֹדִֽי
3 עוּרָה הַנֵּ֥בֶל וְ֜כִנּ֗וֹר אָעִ֥ירָה שָּֽׁחַר
4 אוֹדְךָ֖ בָעַמִּ֥ים | יְהֹוָ֑ה וַֽ֜אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ בַּלְאֻמִּֽים
5 כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל מֵעַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְעַד־שְׁחָקִ֥ים אֲמִתֶּֽךָ
6 ר֣וּמָה עַל־שָׁמַ֣יִם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־הָאָ֣רֶץ כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ
7 לְמַעַן יֵחָֽלְצ֣וּן יְדִידֶ֑יךָ הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה יְמִֽינְךָ֣ וַֽעֲנֵֽנִי
8 אֱלֹהִ֚ים | דִּבֶּ֥ר בְּקָדְשׁ֗וֹ אֶֽעֱלֹ֥זָה אֲחַלְּקָ֥ה שְׁכֶ֑ם וְעֵ֖מֶק סֻכּ֣וֹת אֲמַדֵּֽד
9 לִ֚י גִלְעָ֨ד | לִ֬י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה וְ֖אֶפְרַיִם מָע֣וֹז רֹאשִׁ֑י יְ֜הוּדָ֗ה מְחֹֽקְקִֽי
10 מוֹאָ֚ב | סִ֬יר רַחְצִּ֗י עַל־אֱ֖דוֹם אַשְׁלִ֣יךְ נַֽעֲלִ֑י עֲלֵֽי־פְ֜לֶ֗שֶׁת אֶתְרוֹעָֽע
11 מִ֣י יֽ֖וֹבִלֵנִי עִ֣יר מִבְצָ֑ר מִ֖י נָחַ֣נִי עַד־אֱדֽוֹם
12 הֲלֹֽא־אֱלֹהִ֥ים זְנַחְתָּ֑נוּ וְלֹֽא־תֵצֵ֥א אֱ֜לֹהִ֗ים בְּצִבְאֹתֵֽינוּ
13 הָ֣בָה־לָּ֖נוּ עֶזְרָ֣ת מִצָּ֑ר וְ֜שָׁ֗וְא תְּשׁוּעַ֥ת אָדָֽם
14 בֵּֽאלֹהִ֥ים נַֽעֲשֶׂה־חָ֑יִל וְ֜ה֗וּא יָב֥וּס צָרֵֽינוּ

King James Version
  1. O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
  2. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
  3. I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
  4. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
  5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
  6. That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.
  7. God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
  8. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
  9. Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.
  10. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
  11. Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
  12. Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
  13. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

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 Church

This is one of the psalms for 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 for matinss 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 and Anglican

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. Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 107 (108 Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  2. James Luther Mays, Psalms (Westminster John Knox Press, 2011 ) p347.
  3. William Barrick, Psalms Hymns and Spitritual Songs: The Master Musician melodies (2007).
  4. "General Audience of John Paul II". Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  5. Charles H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David
  6. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
  7. "Midrash Tehillim / Psalms 108" (PDF). matsati.com. October 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2018. (password: www.matsati.com)
  8. 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. The main cycle of liturgical prayers takes place over four weeks.
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