Maranatha Baptist Church
Psalm 108
  • Holy Holy Holy

      • Matthew 6:25ESV

      • Matthew 6:26-28ESV

      • Matthew 6:29-30ESV

      • Matthew 6:31-33ESV

      • Matthew 6:34ESV

  • I Stand Amazed (My Saviour's Love)
  • The Love Of God

      • Psalms 108:1-4ESV

      • Psalms 108:5-7ESV

      • Psalms 108:8-11ESV

      • Psalms 108:12-13ESV

  • (Open by praying that the Lord prepared our hearts to hear from his word. Pray that our hearts would be steadfast.)
    Sometimes in music, artists will sample or borrow from other musicians in their creation of a song. A jaded ear might hear this and say that the newer artist has plagiarized or stolen, from the older artist. However, in most cases there are royalties given, permission is often sought, and it is homage rather than ripping off. Yet what it often does is take a musical motif, or even a chorus and puts a different song.
    I was going to use the example of 2Pac using Bruce Hornsby’s the Way It Is… but i think that might be foreign…
    A more church appropriate example is that recently Phil Wickham released a song called “What an Awesome God”, the verses are his own. But the chorus is taken from the Rich Mullins song “Awesome God”. When one artists does this it provides the opportunity for a new generation to learn of the original artist: Rich Mullins. As at some point or another someone might tell someone else about the song, or look it up and find the original.
    This Psalm leads us to do something similar, as Psalm 108 is a medley of two of David’s other psalms.
    For this reason many commentators don’t have a lot to say about this psalm.
    One 16th century commentator wrote:
    “Because this Psalm is composed of parts taken from the fifty-seventh and sixtieth psalms, it would be superfluous to repeat, in this place, what we have already said by the way of exposition in those psalms.” (John Calvin).
    However, I was not here for Psalm 57 or Psalm 60 so I cannot make any such excuse.
    Because of this it is worth looking at the original Psalms to see where David was when he wrote them. Both of the original psalms begin in some manner of despair.
    Psalm 57 is one of two Psalms that David wrote in the cave when he is fleeing from Saul in 1 Samuel 22. (the other being Psalm 142). Saul wants to kill David, so he hides in a cave.
    English Standard Version Psalm 57

    57 TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO DO NOT DESTROY. A MIKTAM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, IN THE CAVE.

    In Psalm 60, the superscript tells us that:
    English Standard Version Psalm 60

    A MIKTAM OF DAVID; FOR INSTRUCTION; WHEN HE STROVE WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM AND WITH ARAM-ZOBAH, AND WHEN JOAB ON HIS RETURN STRUCK DOWN TWELVE THOUSAND OF EDOM IN THE VALLEY OF SALT.

    Psalm 60 is written concerning David’s military conquests in 2 Samuel 8.
    Though both of these Psalms ends in celebration, they open with lament.
    Psalm 108, takes the celebratory portion of both of these Psalms and combines them to create a new Psalm.
    We are not certain how Psalm 108 developed. Though one suggestion that I find interesting is what Psalm 108 takes from Psalms 57 and 60, and what it leaves behind.
    This psalm is the first of three Psalms of David. 108, 109 and 110 are all Psalms of David. 108 and 109 are both laments, and 110 is a royal Psalm.
    Throughout this Psalm resonates the theme of steadfastness.
    David’s Steadfast Heart
    God’s Steadfast Love
    Our Steadfast God
    In this psalm of steadfastness, we are encouraged to also be steadfast. We should be steadfast because God himself is steadfast and has demonstrated his steadfast love toward sinners.
    And this gives us reason for thanksgiving and praise.
    Psalm 108:1 ESV
    1 My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!
    David opens with “my heart is steadfast.”
    This is not the same word as we see in verse 4 to describe the Lord’s steadfast love. That is its own word altogether.
    But the word for steadfast is to be firm, to be set, to be firmly established. To be unmovable.
    David is ready to bring his praises to the Lord… he is prepared.
    He is prepared to come before the Lord in praise.
    Is your heart steadfast when you come to the worship service on Sunday mornings?
    This doesn’t mean you have to come to the worship service with your life in order. Are you set, and established this morning as we open God’s Word?
    How do you prepare yourself for the morning worship service?
    Oddly enough, most people never even think about preparing themselves for the worship service. However, if you come with a familiarity of the text, and a proper disposition when you are present here, you will be better prepared to hear from God’s word.
    One clear way that we see this in the New Testament is when it describes the Lord Supper. In 1 Cor 11 Paul speaks of examining oneself before coming to the table.
    This week, I was speaking with other men about the Lord’s Supper, as we have been reading a book about the topic. And the chapter that we were discussing for this week was self examination. The idea behind the topic is that before we take of the elements we ought to examine ourselves.
    However, in our discussion concerning the Lord’s Supper we had agreed that one of the main benefits of having regular observation of the Lord’s Supper is that it should provide those in the congregation to prepare themselves for the observance of the Lord’s Supper. If you know the Lord’s Supper is coming then you should resolve conflict with others in the congregation before you come to the table. If you know the supper is coming then you should confess sin. You should evaluate your own life.
    Am I being obedient to Christ? If not, what do I need to confess? What do I need to repent of? What do I need to do prior to coming to church? What are we remembering in the table?
    While it is absolutely true that we bring nothing to our salvation except the sin that makes it necessary - we are called to be obedient and faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not supposed to remain stagnant in our faith - but rather steadfast.
    This isn’t about creating barriers to entry - but about coming to the gathering best prepared to hear from God’s word.
    So my quick list and tips for steadfastness for the Lord’s Day service:
    Sunday morning worship attendance is a Saturday night plan.
    Find the issues on that cause tension Sunday morning and plan for those Saturday night.
    Have your clothes ready.
    Iron your clothes Sunday morning.
    Know what you (and the kids) are going to eat Sunday morning.
    Know where your Bible is.
    Get to bed on time.
    Confess sin.
    Resolve conflict with others.
    Read the Sermon text passage beforehand - every week I put up the next week’s text after service, for that purpose.
    Familiarize yourself with the songs for Sunday - while this may not be accessible for everyone I try to post the songs we sing on Sunday on the church Facebook page on Saturday afternoon.
    Begin your day in prayer.
    What would it look like for for you to come to the worship service ready to worship him and hear from God’s word? What would it look like for your heart to be steadfast that you may sing and make melody with all of your being?
    What would it look like for you to come to the door of the church and when i ask “How are you this morning”?” Your response is not “I’m here” (you know who you are), but instead “I’m ready to worship God and hear from his word.”
    I’m not asking anyone to lie about how they are - David isn’t lying in this Psalm. David initially wrote this while hiding a cave because Saul, his father-in-law, the king, was trying to kill him.
    So David wasn’t good, but he also wasn’t just “here”. His heart was steadfast.
    What would it look like for you to come before the Lord, in your quiet time, in your daily routine, and on Sunday mornings, as David comes before the Lord in this Psalm.
    David in that circumstance writes:
    Psalm 108:1–3 ESV
    1 My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! 2 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! 3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
    So if we take verses 1-3 together. We see that David is stating that David’s steadfast heart leads in to what he is intending to do - and that’s to the worship the Lord.
    David’s steadfast heart is not even limited to a good night sleep. He’s hiding in a cave - he’s definitely not getting good sleep. He’s probably anxious and sore.
    Even so, he states that he will awake the dawn. He will in his praise greet the morning. He will praise through the night.
    And he roots this demeanor in the object of his worship. He knows the Lord is worthy of all honor, and glory and praise. He knows that the Lord is deserving of Thanksgiving, and that he is God is the God of all the earth. And he will sing his praise to all nations.
    David’s heart is steadfast because he knows who God is.
    And he knows and declares that God’s steadfast love is great.
    Psalm 108:4 ESV
    4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
    And I want to root that application further into this… David’s steadfast heart is not based upon the circumstantial, but rather it is based upon the eternal. David’s heart is able to be set and established because of who God is, and what God is worthy of.
    Having a steadfast heart, as David did, is not dependent upon the strength of the preacher, or the degree to which you like the music, or the temperature of the room, or how you feel that morning. But rather turning to the Lord, and asking him to open his word to you, in spite of whatever you are dealing with, that he might speak to you in spite of your surroundings since he himself is steadfast, and his steadfast love endures forever.
    Our circumstances change minute by minute, but our God never changes.
    God’s steadfast love has been a major theme of the Psalms this summer. It is a significant theme in Scripture, and clearly an encouragement for David as he pens this portion of the Psalm.
    God’s steadfast love is not an emotion. God’s steadfast love is not partial to how God is feeling about us that day. God loves because he loves. He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
    From praise, the psalm then moves to prayer.
    Psalm 108:5–6 ESV
    5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! 6 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!
    The heart of the prayer in verses 5-6 is that God would maximize his glory. That his glory would be over all the earth.
    David praying that God would exalt himself, that his glory would be over all the earth.
    He prays that God would do this by bringing salvation, by delivering his people. In this instance certainly in the context of battle. And in our lives, God bringing salvation to sinners through his grace and mercy shown at the cross of Christ.
    And this section of prayer in verse 5-6 makes the end of the portion that comes from Psalm 57 - and this this middle portion serves as the transition to the section that comes from Psalm 60. And following that transition this turn to the emphasis of God’s holiness.
    Psalm 108:7 ESV
    7 God has promised in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
    While God’s steadfast love is a significant theme in the Old Testament, so is God’s holiness. God’s holiness is his foremost attribute as displayed in Scripture - mentioned far more often than his love, and the only attribute mentioned three times in succession.
    “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come.”
    He is Holy Holy Holy, the whole earth is full of his glory.
    So David takes both of these significant attributes of God and praises him for them.
    And in the remainder of the psalm there is what seems like a bit of a geography lesson here. However, even without a map, it is easy to see the intention of David.
    He begins by mentioned Shechem and Succoth. These are locations on either side of the Jordan River. So he’s marking out the sides of the map here.
    Psalm 108:8–10 ESV
    8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. 9 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” 10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
    And from verse 8 to verse 10. He will list out Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, Judah, Moab, Edom and Philistia. He mentions the portions of the Old Testament allotments to Israel, as well as their enemies. And this bears the repeated emphasis that the earth belongs to the Lord. And that he will go before his people into battle. And for David writing this as King, this is a comfort and a reminder that the victory belongs to the Lord. And this is key to Psalm 60, as it is written during David’s conquests in battle, but also during the weariness of battle.
    And for a people in exile, it is a reminder that the earth belongs to the Lord. And that he will be victorious.
    This leads to a sobering moment in the Psalm, where David asks if the Lord has forgotten them. It’s easy to feel that way at times. And that can possible be a stumbling block to that steadfastness.
    They say “there are no atheists in foxholes.” The idea being that when someone is at war and worried if they will make it home to their family, when they no hope, and are at wits end - they look to God.
    It’s easy to read this as David and his mighty men praying from whatever the 1000BC equivalent of a foxhole would be - maybe a cave - crying out for deliverance.
    Praying for the Lord to bring victory. His steadfast heart brings praise to the God who conquers. Even in this moment of wonder if God has rejected them… he knows that the victory belongs to the Lord.
    Psalm 108:10–13 ESV
    10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 11 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. 12 Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! 13 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.
    In the way that this Psalm is arranged, the reminder of God’s characteristics ought to drive our own steadfastness. Our hearts can be prepared, and set, and steadfast - even in the worst of circumstances - because God himself is abounding in steadfast love. Because God himself is steadfast. He does not change. He is always holy. His steadfast love endures forever.
    Because God himself is steadfast, we can trust in his promises. Because God himself is steadfast - our hearts can be steadfast.
    And while this text looks to David and his armies conquering their enemies, and in book 5 it leads a people out of exile back home, and it looks forward to coming Messiah who will bring victory.
    And the Messiah brings victory over sin and death.
    And the holiness and the steadfast love of God meet at the cross of Christ.
    God’s holiness is displayed because the cross is a punishment of sin. As the wrath of God that sinners deserve is poured out on the Son of God. But the steadfast love of God is displayed because the Son of God is taken our place.
    And for those who repent of their sins, and place their faith in Jesus - there is salvation. And Jesus demonstrates that he is the one who conquers by conquering the grave.
    But there is a coming victory that we await. When sin and death are eradicated, and the adversary is thrown into the lake of fire.
    Where David sought to bring the Lord’s praise before the nations in verse 3 of our Psalms, we understand that Jesus is the new and better David. The King who reigns perfectly, and reigns forever. The King who will be victorious over all of his enemies.
    For us as Christians, this ought to lead us to look to the New Jerusalem.
    In Revelation 19-21 we read of this. The text opens with the praise of God in the heavens, following that is the description of the wedding supper of the lamb, and the chapter concludes with the picture of the King of Kings triumphing over his enemies striking down the nations with the sword of his speech, ruling over them with a rod of iron, and treading the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. The victory and treading down of foes that we look forward to has already been anticipated and explained - and we long for at the return of Christ.
    And while we wait we are to be steadfast. Come before the Lord with steadfast hearts, ready to praise him and glorify him. But leave in steadfastness prepared to proclaim the praises of God among the nations.
    And remain steadfast…
    1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
    58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

      • Psalm 108:1ESV

      • Psalm 108:1–3ESV

      • Psalm 108:4ESV

      • Psalm 108:5–6ESV

      • Psalm 108:7ESV

      • Psalm 108:8–10ESV

      • Psalm 108:10–13ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 15:58ESV

  • To God Be The Glory

      • Psalm 109ESV

Maranatha Baptist Church
info@mbcglobe.org
http://www.mbcglobe.org
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