Valiantly Stand in Psalm 108 and Exalt God Over All the Earth

“My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!” Psalm 108:1

David responds to the steadfast love of God with a steadfast heart for God. He is compelled from within his being to adore God, and he sings melodies of worship. With all that is in him he praises God.

If you’re ready to make a melody, open your mouth and sing. If within reach, grab a harp or a lyre and wake the dawn in the morning.

“I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” Psalm 108:3-4

David goes from awakening the dawn to singing among the nations. In one verse, God underscores the responsibility we have to praise him and let his praise be known across the world—among the peoples and nations. The great steadfast love of God is above the heavens and his faithfulness reaches the clouds. He is great and greatly to be praised. He is matchless, and David knows it well. And he cannot restrain his grateful heart from singing it out.

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” Psalm 108:5

David reinforces his desire to exalt God to the highest heavens and to see his glory be spread over all the earth. This is a Great Commission reminder. If you’re a redeemed person, you should be intent on exalting God and spreading his glory to every nation, all tribes, all peoples, and all languages by praying, giving, going, and sending. Play your part to one day see a great multitude worshipping the Lamb around the throne.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes…” Revelation 7:9

We seek to spread his glory that people may be delivered and given salvation by the strong arm of our Savior.

“God has promised in his holiness…” Psalm 108:7

David rehearses God’s powerful salvation. He lists places where his own possessions inhabit the land. He exults over his own. Shechem and Succoth are his portion. Gilead and Manasseh are his possessions. He calls Ephraim his helmet and Judah his scepter.

Next, he proclaims those places where he will conquer and reign. Moab is identified as his washbasin and Edom is his shoe. He shouts triumphantly over Philistia.

And he looks forward to the fortified city, Edom, knowing he will prevail.

“Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies.” Psalm 108:11

And yet, a sliver of doubt or question enters his mind in prayer. Without a doubt, there are times that it seems as if God has turned his back on us or not protected us. We seem to love his triumph over our enemies, and we rail against those times when brokenness breaks through. Times of loss are those times when we ask if we’ve been rejected. It seems as if we are led into war, and he does not go with us.

“God knew many of us would need a permission slip when our boiling emotions seem to border on blasphemy.” Brad Hambrick, Angry With God (about Psalm 44 but applies to other psalms)

And yet, take the long view. Eternity will reveal clarity over what seems confusing in a confusing temporal moment. See the temporal moment as a time to lament—turn to God, complain to God, ask of God, but trust in God.

Call upon his name to grant help against the foe. Gain clarity and context. In time, we will be valiant, and God will defeat our enemies.

Even death. Loss. Brokenness.