12 A simple petition follows the complaint of vv. 10–11: Come to us as a helper against the oppressor. The word helper (ʿezrâ) derives from the verbal root ʿāzar (“to help, to free, to come to help”), the same root behind the similar word in Gen. 2:18:
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the human (hāʾād̠ām) should be alone; I will make him a helper (ʿēzer) as his partner.”
The noun ʿēzer occurs some sixty-five times in the Old Testament, in most cases refering to the majestic “help” of God in some sort of military situation (Exod. 18:4; Deut. 33:26; Ps. 33:20). In short, ʿēzer in the Hebrew Bible conveys the idea of a “help” that is a strong presence, an aid without which humankind would be unprotected and vulnerable to all sorts of unsettling situations.
The end of the petition in v. 12 explains the reason that the community of worshippers cries out to God: for worthless is the assistance of humanity. The word translated humanity here is ʾād̠ām, the same word used in the refrains of Psalm 107:
Let God’s hesed one give thanks to the Lord
For his wondrous works for the children of humanity (ʾādām).
(vv. 8, 15, 21, 31)
God alone can perform wondrous works among humanity; therefore the gathered worshippers cry out for God’s help against the oppressor. The alternative—reliance on human aid—is of no use.
13 The psalm concludes with a two-part expression of trust. First, the worshippers affirm that with God we will perform strong deeds, and then they state that God will crush our oppressors. The depiction is of people and God in partnership. The people must sing, make music, give thanks, and exalt the Lord (vv. 1, 3, 5). And with God’s help (ʿezrâ), they will perform strong deeds. God as helper (ʿezrâ) will triumph, measure out, and shout with joy over the oppressors of Israel (vv. 7, 9). God will provide, in God’s own time and in God’s own place.
The Israelites who returned to Jerusalem in 538 after the Babylonian exile realized that what had happened to them was wholly dependent on the hesed (the covenant love) of their God. Their repatriation was undeserved; it was a gift from God, not earned through the efforts of humanity (ʾād̠ām). The singers of Psalm 108 could do nothing more than give thanks and learn to rely on their good God. McCann writes, “Psalm 108 teaches us that the people of God never live beyond trouble and the need for God’s help.” May believers in today’s times and places have the insight and the grace to follow in the footsteps of the singers of Psalm 108 by learning to give thanks and by relying on God.
Nancy deClaissé-Walford[1]
Ver. 12.—Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Completely identical with Ps. 60:11.
Ver. 13.—Through God we shall do valiantly, etc. Also completely identical with Ps. 60:12.[2]
Ver. 12. Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.—Help in trouble:—
I. A very common experience. “Trouble.”
1. Bodily.
2. Family.
3. Church.
4. Heath.
II. A very certain resource. Betaking ourselves to God in prayer.
1. The resource itself. God. He knows all our troubles. He is ever graciously disposed to help and comfort His people.
2. How the resource is available. By prayer. It may be very short—a mere fragment. But it must be the prayer of conscious need, and of believing supplication.
III. A very evident truth. “For vain is the help of man.” Good men may give us wise counsel, and they may sympathize sincerely and tenderly, and they may pray for us, and thus be instrumental of good to our souls; but they can neither sustain us in trouble, nor sanctify our sorrows, nor deliver us out of our afflictions.
1. They cannot control our circumstances. But God can; He alone disposes of the conditions of men—raiseth up, or casteth down—enriches, or impoverishes—sends prosperity, or adversity—joy, or grief.
2. They cannot drive back our enemies. Either those in the world, or our spiritual ones; but God can; He can enable us effectually to resist both, and to triumph over them.
3. They cannot turn our afflictions into a blessing. But God can; He is able “out of the eater to bring forth meat, and out of the strong to bring forth sweetness.”
4. They cannot deliver us from our troubles. Look at Abraham on the mount with Isaac! Jacob meeting Esau! Israelites on way to Red Sea! Daniel in den of lions! Hebrews in the fiery furnace! Peter in prison—Paul in the stocks! In all these cases vain would have been the skill and power of man; but God did deliver each and all of them; and He will deliver those who put their trust in Him. (J. Burns, D.D.)
Human help is of no avail:—
About twenty years ago a fisherman on the way to his boat met his little boy, who pleaded with him to be taken on the little voyage across to the neighbouring island. The fisherman looked at the waves; they had begun to pub on their white caps of wrath, and the swell of the sea had commenced, and he hesitated; but at last he allowed his boy to go. All seemed well in the smack, till half way across a sudden squall caught the canvas and flung the father and his assistant into the deep. They caught hold of the rope that attached the little boat behind the smack, and climbed in and were saved. Looking back, they saw the smack on her beam end, filling rapidly, and a pale, white little face, the face of the little boy at the cabin window. He had been sent down below when the squall had come. The father, in desperation, flung himself on the sinking smack. One blow of his strong fist shattered the window, and the little face there still looked out, but he cannot escape: what could the father do? The window is too small. The man was nearly demented; he tried to tear the beams from the sinking vessel, but they were too strong; and the little boy, in his homely Scotch, said, “Daddy, save me, help me.” Deeper and deeper, the smack turned on her side; and the tears streamed down the little white face, and down the face of the despairing father. At last he cried, “God help thee, my laddie, I canna.” Down went the smack, with a gurgle and a foaming bubble, and that was all. That father never went to sea again. Twenty years passed, and on his death-bed it was the same cry, “God help thee, my laddie, I canna.” Dear soul, you are in greater danger than that little fisher-lad. You’re sinking! God help you, you immortal soul, you’re sinking; and I cannot help you, your father can’t, your mother can’t. God help thee (J. Robertson.)
Ver. 13. Through God we shall do valiantly.—Assurance of the Church’s victory:—
1. Whatsoever may be the variety of the exercises of faith, victory and triumph shall close the war, and crown the wrestler.
2. Albeit the means be nothing but vanity without God, yet they must be used, for they are something when they are used by us, and put in God’s hand.
3. What the Lord doth by the believer as His servant, or by any other instrument, God must have the glory of it.
4. The faith of the Church’s victory over her enemies is grounded upon God’s engaging in the war for the Church, and against our enemies. (D. Dickson.)
Faith’s impossible feats:—
We need the courage of those ancient soldiers who were wont to regard difficulties only as whetstones upon which to sharpen their swords. I like Alexander’s talk—when they said there were so many thousands, so many millions, perhaps, of Persians. “Very well,” said he, “it is good reaping where the corn is thick. One butcher is not afraid of a thousand sheep.” I like even the talk of the old Gascon who said, when they asked him, “Can you and your troops get into that fortress? it is impregnable.” “Can the sun enter in?” said he. “Yes.” “Well, where the sun can go we will enter.” Whatever is possible, or whatever is impossible, Christians can do at God’s command, for God is with us. (C. H. Spurgeon.)[3]
12. “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.” This prayer has often fallen from the lips of men who have been bitterly disappointed by their fellows, and it has also been poured out unto the Lord in the presence of some gigantic labour in which mortal power is evidently of no avail. Edom cannot be entered by any human power, yet from its fastnesses the robber bands come rushing down; therefore, O Lord, do thou interpose and give thy people deliverance. Help divine is expected because help human is of no avail. We ought to pray with all the more confidence in God when our confidence in man is altogether gone. When the help of man is vain, we shall not find it vain to seek the help of God.
13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
13. God’s help shall inspire us to help ourselves. Faith is neither a coward nor a sluggard: she knows that God is with her, and therefore she does valiantly; she knows that he will tread down her enemies, and therefore she arises to tread them down in his name. Where praise and prayer have preceded the battle, we may expect to see heroic deeds and decisive victories. “Through God” is our secret support; from that source we draw all our courage, wisdom, and strength. “We shall do valiantly.” This is the public outflow from that secret source: our inward and spiritual faith proves itself by outward and valorous deeds. “He shall tread down our enemies.” They shall fall before him, and as they lie prostrate he shall march over them, and all the hosts of his people with him. This is a prophecy. It was fulfilled to David, but it remains true to the Son of David and all who are on his side. The church shall yet arouse herself to praise her God with all her heart, and then with songs and hosannas she will advance to the great battle; her foes shall be overthrown and utterly crushed by the power of her God, and the Lord’s glory shall be above all the earth. Send it in our time, we beseech thee, O Lord.[4]
[1] deClaissé-Walford, N. (2014). Book Five of the Psalter: Psalms 107–150. In E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, & R. L. Hubbard Jr. (Eds.), The Book of Psalms (pp. 825–826). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
[2] Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. (1909). Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 15). Funk & Wagnalls Company.
[3] Exell, J. S. (1909). The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms (Vol. 4, pp. 415–416). Fleming H. Revell Company; Francis Griffiths.
[4] Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 88-110 (Vol. 4, p. 430). Marshall Brothers.
Truth2Freedom's Blog 