Original Meaning
The Heading (108:0)
THE HEADINGS OR SUPERSCRIPTIONS found in Psalms 57 and 60 both associate the psalm with events in the life of David. Psalm 57 alludes to the scene in which David escapes Saul by hiding in a cave (1 Sam 24), and Psalm 60 references the occasion when David fought with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah (2 Sam 8).5
Regarding these types of historical superscriptions, Clinton McCann explains that “these references should be not construed as historically accurate, but neither should they be dismissed as irrelevant. Rather they provide an illustrative narrative context” for interpreting the psalms.6
Strikingly, however, in Psalm 108 the psalmist has omitted both historical superscriptions and prefers, instead, a much simpler heading, “A song. A psalm of David.” The omission of the two previous headings and the introduction of a new category, “a song” (shir), in the superscription suggests that the psalmist was, in fact, creating a new psalm altogether and that it was meant to be understood as such.
Bridging Contexts
THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD. In Psalm 107 the psalmist celebrated God’s faithfulness and steadfast love in returning the dispersed people of God to Jerusalem. Psalm 108 continues the theme of the steadfast love of God, but in this instance the psalmist explores its implications for the people of the postexilic community who face threats from those around them. In verse 4 the psalmist praises God for his hesed (“love”) and his ’emet (“faithfulness”), thus declaring that God’s covenantal commitments are not only present but have also filled the cosmos. Through such metaphorically rich language the psalmist affirms that God’s covenantal commitments remain valid, true, and ever present. This conviction prompts the psalmist to sing aloud praises to God despite the presence of nations and peoples (v. 3). Rolf Jacobson contends that the dominant theological confession of the Psalter is, “the Lord is faithful.”22
These two Hebrew terms hesed (“steadfast love”) and ’emet (“faithfulness”) are part of a larger semantic field he identifies with the term “fidelity.”23
The psalmist exhorts Yahweh to assume his rightful place “above the heavens” (v. 5). While the language concerning God’s presence “above the heavens” may sound somewhat strange in an age of science, such language should not be too quickly dismissed as pre-scientific speculation or simply as rhetorical flare; rather, the psalmist is making a fundamental, theological claim concerning the kingship of God. God stands over all creation as the Divine King, whose “glory” fills the earth (v. 6). And because he is the Divine King who rules from on high, the psalmist pleads for the right hand of Yahweh to give him aid.24
While God had been faithful to bring the community back home, the question remained whether God would be faithful to protect his people in the face of dire threats. The question is further complicated by God’s apparent silence or failure to act as suggested in verse 11. In that verse the psalmist toys with the question of whether God has ultimately rejected his people and will no longer go with them into battle. While this verse may look out of place in a psalm focused on the fidelity of Yahweh, it actually contributes to the nature of the psalm itself. Patrick Miller has remarked that, while the “structure of faith does not require questions concerning the presence and power of God, the prayer of faith permits such questions and usually cannot avoid them.”25
In this instance, however, the description of such dire circumstances actually functions as grounds for the expectation of help from God.26
This is surely the case in Psalm 108 given that the following verses plead for God’s assistance (v. 12) and confess the certainty of his power (v. 13).
God as Divine Warrior and source of power. The image of Yahweh as a Divine Warrior appears throughout the Old Testament with varied meanings and nuances.27
These descriptions are laden with poetically rich language and imagery. In Exodus 15, for example, God appears as the dreaded warrior (v. 3) who piled up the waters with the blast of his nostrils (v. 8) and drove Pharaoh’s armies into the heart of the sea with his right hand. In Habakkuk 3 the imagery only grows richer. Yahweh comes from Teman with rays of light flashing forth from his hands and plagues following after him (v. 5). In Psalm 68 Yahweh appears as the Warrior King riding across the heavens presumably in a chariot en route to battle (v. 33). These and other similar texts help populate the image of “God as warrior” with rich and textured meanings.
In Psalm 108, however, the imagery remains rather reserved. When the psalmist announces the divine oracle in verses 7–9, God self-describes as the Warrior King prepared to lay waste to Israel’s enemies. The only images invoked are those of the helmet and scepter (v. 8), along with Yahweh’s battle cry (v. 9). Beyond that, the psalmist remains restrained in his description of the Divine Warrior. The crisis for the psalmist, however, is not the image itself but the fact that God no longer appears to go out with Israel’s armies as the Warrior King (v. 11). The striking move in Psalm 108 is that despite God’s perceived absence as the Warrior King, the community remains steadfast in their commitment to this God. Repeatedly throughout the psalm, the psalmist or the community confesses that their hope for deliverance remains with God and God alone (vv. 1, 6, 12–13). As suggested above, the community refuses to put their trust in human help (v. 12b); such help remains worthless in the face of such grave threats. True help can only come from Israel’s God, the Divine Warrior, who is enthroned in the heavens.
Contemporary Significance
FIRM CONVICTION. In Psalm 108 the psalmist is resolute in his belief that God remains faithful to his covenant people. As noted above, in the opening line the psalmist indicates that his heart is steadfast or firm. Because such a declaration of God’s faithfulness is not altogether surprising in the Psalter, we are prone to read over the opening line, since it does appear so formulaic. Yet if we keep reading Psalm 108, we discover that the psalmist remains in need of deliverance, that the enemies continue as a threat, and that God does not appear to be coming on the immediate horizon. Despite these realities, the psalmist seeks to awaken the dawn (v. 3a) in anticipation of God’s work. He believes the steadfast love of God fills the cosmos even if circumstances may suggest otherwise. The psalmist implores God to be exalted and to rise up above the heavens in order to deliver “those you love.” And in the end—even when it seems God no longer goes out with the psalmist’s army—the poet confesses that it is God alone who can deliver his people. From beginning to end the psalmist remains firm in his commitment and steadfast in his conviction concerning the faithfulness of Yahweh. In so doing, the writer models for us the kind of deeply rooted faith that permeates the Psalter.
Like the psalmist, circumstances in everyday life, both expected and unexpected, crowd in upon our lives and often threaten to define life for us. Worse yet, such circumstances frequently threaten to define God for us. It is not so much that we want such circumstances to define God or our lives—we just seem inclined to allow it to happen. But it does not occur without serious consequences. In his small classic treatise, Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips reminds us all of the danger this poses for the life of faith. Phillips explains, “the conception of the character of God which slowly forms in our minds is largely made by the conclusions we draw from the ‘providences’ and ‘judgments of life.’ We envisage ‘God’ very largely from the way in which He appears to deal with (or not to deal with) His creatures.”28
Phillips then explains that if we allow such events to define God, then we are “likely to find ourselves with a second-hand god who is quite different from the real one.”29
The psalmist refuses to believe in a second-hand god because he refuses to allow the circumstances that surround him to define God. Had the psalmist done so, he would have arrived at a very deficient view of God—one that is theologically at odds with the faithful God to whom all of Scripture witnesses.
Original Meaning
A Song of Praise to God (108:1–4)
THE PSALM OPENS WITH A CALL to praise God in verses 1–3, followed by a rationale in verse 4. Verses 3 and 4, in particular, hint at the psalmist’s interest in celebrating the universal and cosmic scope of Yahweh’s kingship.
I will sing. The psalmist is prepared to “sing and make music” (v. 1b) because his heart is nakon, his heart is “steadfast” (NIV). In Psalm 107:1 the psalmist declared that Yahweh’s commitment to him was “steadfast,” but in that context he used the term hesed clearly to reference the covenantal commitments Yahweh has made to his people. In Psalm 108, however, the psalmist opts for a different Hebrew term, nakon, to speak of himself as steadfast. The term can also mean “firm” or “set.” The psalmist can sing of God because his heart remains firm or loyal despite the apparent challenges of the “enemy” mentioned later in verses 12–13.7
Phil Botha has suggested another interpretation of the term nakon in this context. In Hebrew’s niphal verb stem, the term can also mean “to be ready.” In Exodus 34:2 nakon is connected to the morning, as it is here in Psalm 108. In Exodus, Moses is told to be ready in the morning for the coming of Yahweh. Botha surmises that the use of nakon in conjunction with the morning imagery in Psalm 108 might refer to the psalmist’s readiness to meet Yahweh as the morning dawns.
Awake, harp and lyre! In verse 2 the psalmist employs images and language that are suggestive of the early morning hours. Twice the psalmist uses the verb “awake” (‘ur). In the first part of verse 3 the psalmist calls for the harp and lyre to awaken from their slumber. With the harp and lyre awake, the psalmist explains that he will awaken the dawn. The precise meaning of “waking the dawn” has yielded a number of suggestions. Perhaps most obviously, the phrase may refer to the psalmist’s desire to start praising God even before the sun has risen. In other words, as the sun rises on the psalmist, he will already be in full praise of his God. Alternatively, the term can function metaphorically in the ancient Near East. Dawn signals the first light of the day, followed by sunrise. In the ancient Near East, sunrise signaled the appearance of the “god-king,” who manifests himself with the rising of the sun. With his appearance, he provided sustaining life to all of creation.8
This observation is not to suggest that Israel actually perceived God as the sun—only that the psalmist may have employed a frequent metaphorical image invoked in the ancient Near East in an effort to speak of the cosmic rule of Israel’s God—God’s rule extends over the world even as the sun rays do the same.9
In short, while the former interpretation seems the most straightforward, the emphasis on the cosmic rule of God over all creation may warrant serious consideration.
I will praise you, LORD, among the nations. In verse 3 the psalmist says that he will “praise” Yahweh among the peoples. The dominant word for praise in the Psalter is halal. In Psalm 108 the word is yadah, which can be correctly translated as “praise.” The term does, however, have another meaning that might be more suggestive in this context. The verb yadah can also mean “to confess.” The psalmist is announcing that he will make a confession concerning all that God has done in behalf of his people—and that he will make that confession among the peoples and the nations.10
By confessing God among nations, the psalmist also stakes out the claim that Yahweh is much more than a regional or tribal deity; this God is the Great King over all creation. The psalmist provides an explicit rationale to this claim in verse 4.11
God’s steadfast love is so great that it reaches above the heavens and his faithfulness (’emet) extends to the clouds. These defining features of the fidelity of Yahweh permeate the entire cosmos; there is no place on earth, in heaven, or even above the heavens to which God’s faithfulness does not extend.
Bridging Contexts
THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD. In Psalm 107 the psalmist celebrated God’s faithfulness and steadfast love in returning the dispersed people of God to Jerusalem. Psalm 108 continues the theme of the steadfast love of God, but in this instance the psalmist explores its implications for the people of the postexilic community who face threats from those around them. In verse 4 the psalmist praises God for his hesed (“love”) and his ’emet (“faithfulness”), thus declaring that God’s covenantal commitments are not only present but have also filled the cosmos. Through such metaphorically rich language the psalmist affirms that God’s covenantal commitments remain valid, true, and ever present. This conviction prompts the psalmist to sing aloud praises to God despite the presence of nations and peoples (v. 3). Rolf Jacobson contends that the dominant theological confession of the Psalter is, “the Lord is faithful.”22
These two Hebrew terms hesed (“steadfast love”) and ’emet (“faithfulness”) are part of a larger semantic field he identifies with the term “fidelity.”23
The psalmist exhorts Yahweh to assume his rightful place “above the heavens” (v. 5). While the language concerning God’s presence “above the heavens” may sound somewhat strange in an age of science, such language should not be too quickly dismissed as pre-scientific speculation or simply as rhetorical flare; rather, the psalmist is making a fundamental, theological claim concerning the kingship of God. God stands over all creation as the Divine King, whose “glory” fills the earth (v. 6). And because he is the Divine King who rules from on high, the psalmist pleads for the right hand of Yahweh to give him aid.24
While God had been faithful to bring the community back home, the question remained whether God would be faithful to protect his people in the face of dire threats. The question is further complicated by God’s apparent silence or failure to act as suggested in verse 11. In that verse the psalmist toys with the question of whether God has ultimately rejected his people and will no longer go with them into battle. While this verse may look out of place in a psalm focused on the fidelity of Yahweh, it actually contributes to the nature of the psalm itself. Patrick Miller has remarked that, while the “structure of faith does not require questions concerning the presence and power of God, the prayer of faith permits such questions and usually cannot avoid them.”25
In this instance, however, the description of such dire circumstances actually functions as grounds for the expectation of help from God.26
This is surely the case in Psalm 108 given that the following verses plead for God’s assistance (v. 12) and confess the certainty of his power (v. 13).
God as Divine Warrior and source of power. The image of Yahweh as a Divine Warrior appears throughout the Old Testament with varied meanings and nuances.27
These descriptions are laden with poetically rich language and imagery. In Exodus 15, for example, God appears as the dreaded warrior (v. 3) who piled up the waters with the blast of his nostrils (v. 8) and drove Pharaoh’s armies into the heart of the sea with his right hand. In Habakkuk 3 the imagery only grows richer. Yahweh comes from Teman with rays of light flashing forth from his hands and plagues following after him (v. 5). In Psalm 68 Yahweh appears as the Warrior King riding across the heavens presumably in a chariot en route to battle (v. 33). These and other similar texts help populate the image of “God as warrior” with rich and textured meanings.
In Psalm 108, however, the imagery remains rather reserved. When the psalmist announces the divine oracle in verses 7–9, God self-describes as the Warrior King prepared to lay waste to Israel’s enemies. The only images invoked are those of the helmet and scepter (v. 8), along with Yahweh’s battle cry (v. 9). Beyond that, the psalmist remains restrained in his description of the Divine Warrior. The crisis for the psalmist, however, is not the image itself but the fact that God no longer appears to go out with Israel’s armies as the Warrior King (v. 11). The striking move in Psalm 108 is that despite God’s perceived absence as the Warrior King, the community remains steadfast in their commitment to this God. Repeatedly throughout the psalm, the psalmist or the community confesses that their hope for deliverance remains with God and God alone (vv. 1, 6, 12–13). As suggested above, the community refuses to put their trust in human help (v. 12b); such help remains worthless in the face of such grave threats. True help can only come from Israel’s God, the Divine Warrior, who is enthroned in the heavens.
Contemporary Significance
FIRM CONVICTION. In Psalm 108 the psalmist is resolute in his belief that God remains faithful to his covenant people. As noted above, in the opening line the psalmist indicates that his heart is steadfast or firm. Because such a declaration of God’s faithfulness is not altogether surprising in the Psalter, we are prone to read over the opening line, since it does appear so formulaic. Yet if we keep reading Psalm 108, we discover that the psalmist remains in need of deliverance, that the enemies continue as a threat, and that God does not appear to be coming on the immediate horizon. Despite these realities, the psalmist seeks to awaken the dawn (v. 3a) in anticipation of God’s work. He believes the steadfast love of God fills the cosmos even if circumstances may suggest otherwise. The psalmist implores God to be exalted and to rise up above the heavens in order to deliver “those you love.” And in the end—even when it seems God no longer goes out with the psalmist’s army—the poet confesses that it is God alone who can deliver his people. From beginning to end the psalmist remains firm in his commitment and steadfast in his conviction concerning the faithfulness of Yahweh. In so doing, the writer models for us the kind of deeply rooted faith that permeates the Psalter.
Like the psalmist, circumstances in everyday life, both expected and unexpected, crowd in upon our lives and often threaten to define life for us. Worse yet, such circumstances frequently threaten to define God for us. It is not so much that we want such circumstances to define God or our lives—we just seem inclined to allow it to happen. But it does not occur without serious consequences. In his small classic treatise, Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips reminds us all of the danger this poses for the life of faith. Phillips explains, “the conception of the character of God which slowly forms in our minds is largely made by the conclusions we draw from the ‘providences’ and ‘judgments of life.’ We envisage ‘God’ very largely from the way in which He appears to deal with (or not to deal with) His creatures.”28
Phillips then explains that if we allow such events to define God, then we are “likely to find ourselves with a second-hand god who is quite different from the real one.”29
The psalmist refuses to believe in a second-hand god because he refuses to allow the circumstances that surround him to define God. Had the psalmist done so, he would have arrived at a very deficient view of God—one that is theologically at odds with the faithful God to whom all of Scripture witnesses.
Original Meaning
The Divine King is Mighty to Save (108:5–6)
IN VERSE 5 THE PSALMIST IMPLORES GOD to “be exalted” over the heavens.12
This request continues the image suggested in verse 4—that of God’s presence throughout the cosmos. Konrad Schmid has identified the diverse ways in which the writers of the Old Testament speak about the relationship between God and heaven and the implications of this kind of metaphorical language.13
Some texts, such as Psalm 108, portray God as above or beyond the heavens: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth” (v. 5). In such instances, the entire cosmos actually appears to serve as the sanctuary of God. Such an image reinforces the notion that God is king over all of the created order, both heaven and earth. Yet despite being enthroned above the heavens, with all creation as his sanctuary, God remains closely bound to this world. God sends out his steadfast love and faithfulness (v. 4) along with his glory (v. 5b) to fill the created order, thereby ensuring his felt presence in the world.14
To be sure, God’s presence above the heavens does not signal God’s absence from his people; rather, it stresses his role as the Sovereign God over all creation.
Both the NIV and NRSV invert the order of the two clauses in verse 6. Following verse 5, the Hebrew text actually reads, “so that those you love may be delivered; Save with your right hand and answer me.” The initial word in verse 6 is the Hebrew particle lema‘an. This term often introduces a purpose clause, “so that” or “in order that.” The purpose clause (“that those you love may be delivered”) relates directly to the plea in the rest of verse 6 (“Save us and help us with your right hand”).
In addition to the connection between verse 6a and 6b, the relationship between verses 5 and 6 should not be overlooked. The psalmist’s request for God to rise up and be exalted over the heavens in verse 5 establishes the ground for the petition that follows in verse 6. Because Yahweh has assumed his rightful place over the heavens as Sovereign over the created world, the psalmist has confidence that God, and God alone, will deliver his people.
Bridging Contexts
THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD. In Psalm 107 the psalmist celebrated God’s faithfulness and steadfast love in returning the dispersed people of God to Jerusalem. Psalm 108 continues the theme of the steadfast love of God, but in this instance the psalmist explores its implications for the people of the postexilic community who face threats from those around them. In verse 4 the psalmist praises God for his hesed (“love”) and his ’emet (“faithfulness”), thus declaring that God’s covenantal commitments are not only present but have also filled the cosmos. Through such metaphorically rich language the psalmist affirms that God’s covenantal commitments remain valid, true, and ever present. This conviction prompts the psalmist to sing aloud praises to God despite the presence of nations and peoples (v. 3). Rolf Jacobson contends that the dominant theological confession of the Psalter is, “the Lord is faithful.”22
These two Hebrew terms hesed (“steadfast love”) and ’emet (“faithfulness”) are part of a larger semantic field he identifies with the term “fidelity.”23
The psalmist exhorts Yahweh to assume his rightful place “above the heavens” (v. 5). While the language concerning God’s presence “above the heavens” may sound somewhat strange in an age of science, such language should not be too quickly dismissed as pre-scientific speculation or simply as rhetorical flare; rather, the psalmist is making a fundamental, theological claim concerning the kingship of God. God stands over all creation as the Divine King, whose “glory” fills the earth (v. 6). And because he is the Divine King who rules from on high, the psalmist pleads for the right hand of Yahweh to give him aid.24
While God had been faithful to bring the community back home, the question remained whether God would be faithful to protect his people in the face of dire threats. The question is further complicated by God’s apparent silence or failure to act as suggested in verse 11. In that verse the psalmist toys with the question of whether God has ultimately rejected his people and will no longer go with them into battle. While this verse may look out of place in a psalm focused on the fidelity of Yahweh, it actually contributes to the nature of the psalm itself. Patrick Miller has remarked that, while the “structure of faith does not require questions concerning the presence and power of God, the prayer of faith permits such questions and usually cannot avoid them.”25
In this instance, however, the description of such dire circumstances actually functions as grounds for the expectation of help from God.26
This is surely the case in Psalm 108 given that the following verses plead for God’s assistance (v. 12) and confess the certainty of his power (v. 13).
God as Divine Warrior and source of power. The image of Yahweh as a Divine Warrior appears throughout the Old Testament with varied meanings and nuances.27
These descriptions are laden with poetically rich language and imagery. In Exodus 15, for example, God appears as the dreaded warrior (v. 3) who piled up the waters with the blast of his nostrils (v. 8) and drove Pharaoh’s armies into the heart of the sea with his right hand. In Habakkuk 3 the imagery only grows richer. Yahweh comes from Teman with rays of light flashing forth from his hands and plagues following after him (v. 5). In Psalm 68 Yahweh appears as the Warrior King riding across the heavens presumably in a chariot en route to battle (v. 33). These and other similar texts help populate the image of “God as warrior” with rich and textured meanings.
In Psalm 108, however, the imagery remains rather reserved. When the psalmist announces the divine oracle in verses 7–9, God self-describes as the Warrior King prepared to lay waste to Israel’s enemies. The only images invoked are those of the helmet and scepter (v. 8), along with Yahweh’s battle cry (v. 9). Beyond that, the psalmist remains restrained in his description of the Divine Warrior. The crisis for the psalmist, however, is not the image itself but the fact that God no longer appears to go out with Israel’s armies as the Warrior King (v. 11). The striking move in Psalm 108 is that despite God’s perceived absence as the Warrior King, the community remains steadfast in their commitment to this God. Repeatedly throughout the psalm, the psalmist or the community confesses that their hope for deliverance remains with God and God alone (vv. 1, 6, 12–13). As suggested above, the community refuses to put their trust in human help (v. 12b); such help remains worthless in the face of such grave threats. True help can only come from Israel’s God, the Divine Warrior, who is enthroned in the heavens.
Contemporary Significance
FIRM CONVICTION. In Psalm 108 the psalmist is resolute in his belief that God remains faithful to his covenant people. As noted above, in the opening line the psalmist indicates that his heart is steadfast or firm. Because such a declaration of God’s faithfulness is not altogether surprising in the Psalter, we are prone to read over the opening line, since it does appear so formulaic. Yet if we keep reading Psalm 108, we discover that the psalmist remains in need of deliverance, that the enemies continue as a threat, and that God does not appear to be coming on the immediate horizon. Despite these realities, the psalmist seeks to awaken the dawn (v. 3a) in anticipation of God’s work. He believes the steadfast love of God fills the cosmos even if circumstances may suggest otherwise. The psalmist implores God to be exalted and to rise up above the heavens in order to deliver “those you love.” And in the end—even when it seems God no longer goes out with the psalmist’s army—the poet confesses that it is God alone who can deliver his people. From beginning to end the psalmist remains firm in his commitment and steadfast in his conviction concerning the faithfulness of Yahweh. In so doing, the writer models for us the kind of deeply rooted faith that permeates the Psalter.
Like the psalmist, circumstances in everyday life, both expected and unexpected, crowd in upon our lives and often threaten to define life for us. Worse yet, such circumstances frequently threaten to define God for us. It is not so much that we want such circumstances to define God or our lives—we just seem inclined to allow it to happen. But it does not occur without serious consequences. In his small classic treatise, Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips reminds us all of the danger this poses for the life of faith. Phillips explains, “the conception of the character of God which slowly forms in our minds is largely made by the conclusions we draw from the ‘providences’ and ‘judgments of life.’ We envisage ‘God’ very largely from the way in which He appears to deal with (or not to deal with) His creatures.”28
Phillips then explains that if we allow such events to define God, then we are “likely to find ourselves with a second-hand god who is quite different from the real one.”29
The psalmist refuses to believe in a second-hand god because he refuses to allow the circumstances that surround him to define God. Had the psalmist done so, he would have arrived at a very deficient view of God—one that is theologically at odds with the faithful God to whom all of Scripture witnesses.
Original Meaning
The Response of God (108:7–9)
IN THE HEBREW, VERSE 6 CONCLUDES with the petition for Yahweh to “answer me.” As Marvin Tate has noted, the verb in this instance means “more than a verbal answer”; it means a response that announces both help and impending victory.15
Or put differently, the psalmist desires more than simply a word from God; he yearns to see God act in behalf of the petitioner in distress. The anticipated response to the psalmist’s request follows in the next section of the psalm, verses 7–9. While this “divine oracle” does provide a “verbal answer,” it indicates much more; the response suggests God’s intent to act on behalf of his people by bringing deliverance. This oracle resembles the kind given to a king just before a battle—an oracle ensuring the king’s victory because Yahweh will fight for his people.16
God has spoken. The divine oracle is pregnant with metaphorical language and imagery, particularly those of a great king who is dividing up his spoil following a victory. The mention of Shechem and Sukkoth (v. 7) refers to the lands on both sides of the Jordan, with Shechem representing the lands to the west of the Jordan and Sukkoth the lands to the east. The geographical imagery continues in verse 8. Both Gilead and Mannasseh, clans associated with east of the Jordan, are declared to be the Lord’s, as are Ephraim and Judah, the two major clans identified with west of the Jordan. Ephraim and Judah receive a special designation. Ephraim will function as the helmet for Yahweh, while Judah will serve as the scepter. The helmet mentioned in verse 8 likely refers to the impressive headgear of the king, while the scepter invokes images of royal rule.17
While Gilead, Manessah, Ephraim, and Judah receive positions of respect, Moab, Edom, and Philistia will become part of the conquered regions of Yahweh, and in their defeat they will be shamed. Although the entire geographical region identified marks out a territory reminiscent of the Davidic empire, the focus of the oracle remains upon Yahweh as a warrior in overcoming the powers that threaten the people of God. The oracle, then, is not primarily a “map” referring to the boundaries of a restored community but, instead, an affirmation that hostile forces can and will be overcome by the Divine Warrior with the goal of establishing a new order.18
Bridging Contexts
THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD. In Psalm 107 the psalmist celebrated God’s faithfulness and steadfast love in returning the dispersed people of God to Jerusalem. Psalm 108 continues the theme of the steadfast love of God, but in this instance the psalmist explores its implications for the people of the postexilic community who face threats from those around them. In verse 4 the psalmist praises God for his hesed (“love”) and his ’emet (“faithfulness”), thus declaring that God’s covenantal commitments are not only present but have also filled the cosmos. Through such metaphorically rich language the psalmist affirms that God’s covenantal commitments remain valid, true, and ever present. This conviction prompts the psalmist to sing aloud praises to God despite the presence of nations and peoples (v. 3). Rolf Jacobson contends that the dominant theological confession of the Psalter is, “the Lord is faithful.”22
These two Hebrew terms hesed (“steadfast love”) and ’emet (“faithfulness”) are part of a larger semantic field he identifies with the term “fidelity.”23
The psalmist exhorts Yahweh to assume his rightful place “above the heavens” (v. 5). While the language concerning God’s presence “above the heavens” may sound somewhat strange in an age of science, such language should not be too quickly dismissed as pre-scientific speculation or simply as rhetorical flare; rather, the psalmist is making a fundamental, theological claim concerning the kingship of God. God stands over all creation as the Divine King, whose “glory” fills the earth (v. 6). And because he is the Divine King who rules from on high, the psalmist pleads for the right hand of Yahweh to give him aid.24
While God had been faithful to bring the community back home, the question remained whether God would be faithful to protect his people in the face of dire threats. The question is further complicated by God’s apparent silence or failure to act as suggested in verse 11. In that verse the psalmist toys with the question of whether God has ultimately rejected his people and will no longer go with them into battle. While this verse may look out of place in a psalm focused on the fidelity of Yahweh, it actually contributes to the nature of the psalm itself. Patrick Miller has remarked that, while the “structure of faith does not require questions concerning the presence and power of God, the prayer of faith permits such questions and usually cannot avoid them.”25
In this instance, however, the description of such dire circumstances actually functions as grounds for the expectation of help from God.26
This is surely the case in Psalm 108 given that the following verses plead for God’s assistance (v. 12) and confess the certainty of his power (v. 13).
God as Divine Warrior and source of power. The image of Yahweh as a Divine Warrior appears throughout the Old Testament with varied meanings and nuances.27
These descriptions are laden with poetically rich language and imagery. In Exodus 15, for example, God appears as the dreaded warrior (v. 3) who piled up the waters with the blast of his nostrils (v. 8) and drove Pharaoh’s armies into the heart of the sea with his right hand. In Habakkuk 3 the imagery only grows richer. Yahweh comes from Teman with rays of light flashing forth from his hands and plagues following after him (v. 5). In Psalm 68 Yahweh appears as the Warrior King riding across the heavens presumably in a chariot en route to battle (v. 33). These and other similar texts help populate the image of “God as warrior” with rich and textured meanings.
In Psalm 108, however, the imagery remains rather reserved. When the psalmist announces the divine oracle in verses 7–9, God self-describes as the Warrior King prepared to lay waste to Israel’s enemies. The only images invoked are those of the helmet and scepter (v. 8), along with Yahweh’s battle cry (v. 9). Beyond that, the psalmist remains restrained in his description of the Divine Warrior. The crisis for the psalmist, however, is not the image itself but the fact that God no longer appears to go out with Israel’s armies as the Warrior King (v. 11). The striking move in Psalm 108 is that despite God’s perceived absence as the Warrior King, the community remains steadfast in their commitment to this God. Repeatedly throughout the psalm, the psalmist or the community confesses that their hope for deliverance remains with God and God alone (vv. 1, 6, 12–13). As suggested above, the community refuses to put their trust in human help (v. 12b); such help remains worthless in the face of such grave threats. True help can only come from Israel’s God, the Divine Warrior, who is enthroned in the heavens.
Contemporary Significance
FIRM CONVICTION. In Psalm 108 the psalmist is resolute in his belief that God remains faithful to his covenant people. As noted above, in the opening line the psalmist indicates that his heart is steadfast or firm. Because such a declaration of God’s faithfulness is not altogether surprising in the Psalter, we are prone to read over the opening line, since it does appear so formulaic. Yet if we keep reading Psalm 108, we discover that the psalmist remains in need of deliverance, that the enemies continue as a threat, and that God does not appear to be coming on the immediate horizon. Despite these realities, the psalmist seeks to awaken the dawn (v. 3a) in anticipation of God’s work. He believes the steadfast love of God fills the cosmos even if circumstances may suggest otherwise. The psalmist implores God to be exalted and to rise up above the heavens in order to deliver “those you love.” And in the end—even when it seems God no longer goes out with the psalmist’s army—the poet confesses that it is God alone who can deliver his people. From beginning to end the psalmist remains firm in his commitment and steadfast in his conviction concerning the faithfulness of Yahweh. In so doing, the writer models for us the kind of deeply rooted faith that permeates the Psalter.
Like the psalmist, circumstances in everyday life, both expected and unexpected, crowd in upon our lives and often threaten to define life for us. Worse yet, such circumstances frequently threaten to define God for us. It is not so much that we want such circumstances to define God or our lives—we just seem inclined to allow it to happen. But it does not occur without serious consequences. In his small classic treatise, Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips reminds us all of the danger this poses for the life of faith. Phillips explains, “the conception of the character of God which slowly forms in our minds is largely made by the conclusions we draw from the ‘providences’ and ‘judgments of life.’ We envisage ‘God’ very largely from the way in which He appears to deal with (or not to deal with) His creatures.”28
Phillips then explains that if we allow such events to define God, then we are “likely to find ourselves with a second-hand god who is quite different from the real one.”29
The psalmist refuses to believe in a second-hand god because he refuses to allow the circumstances that surround him to define God. Had the psalmist done so, he would have arrived at a very deficient view of God—one that is theologically at odds with the faithful God to whom all of Scripture witnesses.
Original Meaning
Prayer for Help against the Enemies (108:10–13)
THE CONFIDENT CLAIM made in the divine oracle stands in grave tension with the realities articulated in verses 10–13. Although the divine oracle promises victory over the enemies and a restoration of order, the psalmist closes the psalm with the confession that things remain otherwise. The reference to Moab, Edom, and Philistia in verse 9, and to Edom again in verse 10, helps to highlight the threat being experienced by the psalmist. The literal place names mentioned first in Psalm 60 are now likely understood as symbolic aggressors in Psalm 108. The language in verses 3 and 5, and in particular the psalmist’s location “among nations [and] the peoples,” suggests that the psalmist has adapted this language. Although he mentions Edom in verse 10b, the ideas associated with Edom as the enemy have been extended. As Tournay explains, “the perspectives have been universalized. Edom has become the symbol of all the enemies of God and God’s people.”19
The threat of enemies poses serious issues related to protection and deliverance, but equally so, if not more, the threat of the enemies generates serious theological questions.
Is it not you, God, who have rejected us . . .? The threat of the enemy raises several questions in verses 10–11. In verse 10 both questions begin with the interrogative mi (“who”), and both questions simply inquire whether there is anyone to lead them against the enemy threats. The question in verse 11, however, is far more pointed and aimed directly at God. The psalmist returns to second-person language (“you”) in addressing his question to God. The fundamental question in verse 11 is whether God has abandoned his people altogether and left them alone to face their enemies, whether God has “rejected” (zanah) his people. The events of the exile seemed to have prompted this kind of question elsewhere in the Psalter. The verb zanah appears in Psalm 74:1 as the people lament the destruction of their temple, and the word appears again in Psalm 89:38 as the people lament the apparent rejection of the Davidic covenant in the light of the exile.20
This fear that God has rejected them and will not go forth in battle with his people likely explains the psalmist’s request in Psalm 108:5 that God “be exalted” or “rise up” to his proper place in the heavens. The perception that God is not going out with his people (v. 11) inspires the psalmist to plead with God to return to his rightful place in the cosmos so that he might act again and deliver his people.
He will trample down our enemies. The community pleads in verse 12 for Yahweh to help against “the enemy” (tsar) and concludes the psalm with an affirmation that “it is he who will tread down our enemies [tsar].” This term appears in the previous poem (Ps 107:2), where it references geopolitical powers. The location of the psalmist among the peoples and the nations in Psalm 108:3 coupled with the plea for God to manifest himself “over all the earth” (v. 5) suggests that the foe (tsar) in Psalm 108, like in Psalm 107:2, must in fact be geopolitical powers capable of continuing to threaten the people of God. Earlier in Psalm 108:10, the psalmist asked who would go up with him against the enemy. In verse 12b, he confesses that the help of humans is “worthless.”21
The psalmist concludes with a plea that God will come to the aid of his people followed by a confession (v. 13b) that God and God alone can tread down Israel’s foes.
Bridging Contexts
THE STEADFAST LOVE OF GOD. In Psalm 107 the psalmist celebrated God’s faithfulness and steadfast love in returning the dispersed people of God to Jerusalem. Psalm 108 continues the theme of the steadfast love of God, but in this instance the psalmist explores its implications for the people of the postexilic community who face threats from those around them. In verse 4 the psalmist praises God for his hesed (“love”) and his ’emet (“faithfulness”), thus declaring that God’s covenantal commitments are not only present but have also filled the cosmos. Through such metaphorically rich language the psalmist affirms that God’s covenantal commitments remain valid, true, and ever present. This conviction prompts the psalmist to sing aloud praises to God despite the presence of nations and peoples (v. 3). Rolf Jacobson contends that the dominant theological confession of the Psalter is, “the Lord is faithful.”22
These two Hebrew terms hesed (“steadfast love”) and ’emet (“faithfulness”) are part of a larger semantic field he identifies with the term “fidelity.”23
The psalmist exhorts Yahweh to assume his rightful place “above the heavens” (v. 5). While the language concerning God’s presence “above the heavens” may sound somewhat strange in an age of science, such language should not be too quickly dismissed as pre-scientific speculation or simply as rhetorical flare; rather, the psalmist is making a fundamental, theological claim concerning the kingship of God. God stands over all creation as the Divine King, whose “glory” fills the earth (v. 6). And because he is the Divine King who rules from on high, the psalmist pleads for the right hand of Yahweh to give him aid.24
While God had been faithful to bring the community back home, the question remained whether God would be faithful to protect his people in the face of dire threats. The question is further complicated by God’s apparent silence or failure to act as suggested in verse 11. In that verse the psalmist toys with the question of whether God has ultimately rejected his people and will no longer go with them into battle. While this verse may look out of place in a psalm focused on the fidelity of Yahweh, it actually contributes to the nature of the psalm itself. Patrick Miller has remarked that, while the “structure of faith does not require questions concerning the presence and power of God, the prayer of faith permits such questions and usually cannot avoid them.”25
In this instance, however, the description of such dire circumstances actually functions as grounds for the expectation of help from God.26
This is surely the case in Psalm 108 given that the following verses plead for God’s assistance (v. 12) and confess the certainty of his power (v. 13).
God as Divine Warrior and source of power. The image of Yahweh as a Divine Warrior appears throughout the Old Testament with varied meanings and nuances.27
These descriptions are laden with poetically rich language and imagery. In Exodus 15, for example, God appears as the dreaded warrior (v. 3) who piled up the waters with the blast of his nostrils (v. 8) and drove Pharaoh’s armies into the heart of the sea with his right hand. In Habakkuk 3 the imagery only grows richer. Yahweh comes from Teman with rays of light flashing forth from his hands and plagues following after him (v. 5). In Psalm 68 Yahweh appears as the Warrior King riding across the heavens presumably in a chariot en route to battle (v. 33). These and other similar texts help populate the image of “God as warrior” with rich and textured meanings.
In Psalm 108, however, the imagery remains rather reserved. When the psalmist announces the divine oracle in verses 7–9, God self-describes as the Warrior King prepared to lay waste to Israel’s enemies. The only images invoked are those of the helmet and scepter (v. 8), along with Yahweh’s battle cry (v. 9). Beyond that, the psalmist remains restrained in his description of the Divine Warrior. The crisis for the psalmist, however, is not the image itself but the fact that God no longer appears to go out with Israel’s armies as the Warrior King (v. 11). The striking move in Psalm 108 is that despite God’s perceived absence as the Warrior King, the community remains steadfast in their commitment to this God. Repeatedly throughout the psalm, the psalmist or the community confesses that their hope for deliverance remains with God and God alone (vv. 1, 6, 12–13). As suggested above, the community refuses to put their trust in human help (v. 12b); such help remains worthless in the face of such grave threats. True help can only come from Israel’s God, the Divine Warrior, who is enthroned in the heavens.
Contemporary Significance
FIRM CONVICTION. In Psalm 108 the psalmist is resolute in his belief that God remains faithful to his covenant people. As noted above, in the opening line the psalmist indicates that his heart is steadfast or firm. Because such a declaration of God’s faithfulness is not altogether surprising in the Psalter, we are prone to read over the opening line, since it does appear so formulaic. Yet if we keep reading Psalm 108, we discover that the psalmist remains in need of deliverance, that the enemies continue as a threat, and that God does not appear to be coming on the immediate horizon. Despite these realities, the psalmist seeks to awaken the dawn (v. 3a) in anticipation of God’s work. He believes the steadfast love of God fills the cosmos even if circumstances may suggest otherwise. The psalmist implores God to be exalted and to rise up above the heavens in order to deliver “those you love.” And in the end—even when it seems God no longer goes out with the psalmist’s army—the poet confesses that it is God alone who can deliver his people. From beginning to end the psalmist remains firm in his commitment and steadfast in his conviction concerning the faithfulness of Yahweh. In so doing, the writer models for us the kind of deeply rooted faith that permeates the Psalter.
Like the psalmist, circumstances in everyday life, both expected and unexpected, crowd in upon our lives and often threaten to define life for us. Worse yet, such circumstances frequently threaten to define God for us. It is not so much that we want such circumstances to define God or our lives—we just seem inclined to allow it to happen. But it does not occur without serious consequences. In his small classic treatise, Your God is Too Small, J. B. Phillips reminds us all of the danger this poses for the life of faith. Phillips explains, “the conception of the character of God which slowly forms in our minds is largely made by the conclusions we draw from the ‘providences’ and ‘judgments of life.’ We envisage ‘God’ very largely from the way in which He appears to deal with (or not to deal with) His creatures.”28
Phillips then explains that if we allow such events to define God, then we are “likely to find ourselves with a second-hand god who is quite different from the real one.”29
The psalmist refuses to believe in a second-hand god because he refuses to allow the circumstances that surround him to define God. Had the psalmist done so, he would have arrived at a very deficient view of God—one that is theologically at odds with the faithful God to whom all of Scripture witnesses.
