Psalm 108-6.4.21
Scripture
Psalm 108:1-4
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my [a]soul. Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies.
Observation-What does it say?
This is another psalm by David. It is split into two parts. The first half is written in praise for God’s love and as an expression of trust in God. The second part is a prayer for help against their enemies. This psalm may have been written during a period of David’s victorious military campaigns, documented in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. In these verses, David’s armies defeat the Moabites, the Philistines and the Arameans, expanding the borders of the kingdom to the west, north and east. The order of this psalm highlights the importance of the order of our prayers, praise first and then supplication. This is similar to how Jesus taught his disciples to pray through the Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:9-13.
Understanding-What does it mean?
It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I was in school, though it’s been nearly twenty years. I still remember standing up every morning to say the pledge of allegiance every morning. The pledge of allegiance is almost like a mission statement for the country. Companies and other organizations use a mission statement to give a general direction to its members and the people looking to invest in that organization. The mission statement also helps set the tone to what is expected of the organization. As a local church body, our mission statement includes the statement, “making Christ followers everywhere.”
Prayers like the Lord’s prayer, and songs like this one written by David, provide us direction like a modern day mission statement. When we learn to pray like David did and how Jesus directed us, with praise at the outset, then we set the tone for our day to day activities, as well as our lives. When we focus on God’s goodness first, it provides us with the right perspective to move forward and carry out His will. At this point in David’s life, God’s will was to be victorious in battle and make the kingdom of Israel secure. For us, it may mean being victorious in sharing the gospel with a coworker, overcoming a weakness, or maybe even turning the country back to prayer. No matter what God’s will is for us, it cannot be accomplished unless our focus is on bringing Him glory.
Life Application
Jesus, when my feet touch the ground, let me go forward as an act of worship to you. Help me to work and move and breathe as an act of worship to you. Before all else, help me to sing of your goodness and praise you for your faithfulness, for you are working out all things for our good in Your glory.
-Tyler Galloway