Psalms 108 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

A Song or Psalm of David. O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Even with my glory - My greatest glory shall be in publishing thy praise. Some make the glory here to mean the Lord himself; some, the Ark of the covenant; some, the Soul of the psalmist; others, his Tongue; some, the Gift of Prophecy; and some, the psalmist's Spirit or Vein of poetry. See the notes on Psalms 57:8.

Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. Among the people - The Jews.

Among the nations - The Gentiles. Wherever this Psalm is sung or read, either among Jews or Gentiles, David may be said to sing praise to God.

For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;

That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.

God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. God hath spoken in his holiness - בקדשו bekodsho; some think this means in his Holy One, referring to the Prophet Jeremiah, who predicted the captivity, its duration of seventy years, and the deliverance from it.

Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.

Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? The strong city - The possession of the metropolis is a sure proof of the subjugation of the country.

Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?

Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. Through God we shall do valiantly - From him we derive our courage, from him our strength, and by him our success.

[For the Analysis, see the Psalms 57:1-11 (note) and Psalms 60:1-12 (note). Also see introduction to Psalms 108:1-13 (note)]

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].