Higher than the heavens
Psalms 108:4-5 - God has infinite mercy and faithfulness that is worthy of the greatest praise and recognition of His glory!
“For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”
Psalms 108:4-5 NIV
Back to the Psalms today! Some day, I may have to see if I can put together a compilation of the Psalm devotionals here on Heaven On Wheels, but today is not that day…
Psalm 108 is one of King David’s psalms, in which he is praising and offering prayers of supplication to God in seeking victory against his adversaries. These two verses start off with a call to elevate God to the ultimate heights of honor and reverence. In the Bible, “the heavens” refer to the sky or celestial realm, the highest known point in the universe. By saying that God’s love is “higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies,” David is showing that God transcends everything on earth and in heaven.
Enduring Word’s David Guzik explains the first verse in this manner:
David understood that the mercy of God was so great that if it were to be measured, it would extend above the heavens, and His truth would reach to the clouds.
BibleHub.org had this comment about Psalm 108:4 —
Theologically, it underscores the belief in God's omnipotence and His rightful place as the ultimate ruler of the universe.
In the next verse, David states “let your glory be over all the earth”. He’s asking that God’s presence and characteristics be recognized everywhere in the world, and experienced by all of humanity.
There’s a vision described by the minor prophet Habakkuk that describes the same hope:
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
Habakkuk 2:14 NIV
That hope is for a future in which God’s presence and righteousness are acknowledged by all people. As with many of the psalms, there is a New Testament connection that may not be readily apparent…
That connection? David appears to be foreshadowing the coming of the Messiah, whose life and ministry revealed God’s glory to humanity. The return of Jesus Christ will completely fulfill the hope for “your glory be over all the earth”.
When he calls for God to be “exalted above the heavens”, David is making a simple equation. If God’s mercy and faithfulness are “higher than the heavens” and reach “to the skies”, then our honor and recognition should also be that great. God has infinite mercy and faithfulness that is worthy of the greatest praise and recognition of His glory!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer for Psalms 108:4-5 comes from Prayerz.org:
Dear God, I come before you today to thank you for your great loving kindness that is above the heavens. I am grateful for your faithfulness that reaches to the skies. I claim this promise today and ask that you continue to pour out your love and faithfulness upon me. Help me to trust in your goodness and to rely on your unfailing love. May your love and faithfulness be evident in my life and may I be a reflection of your grace to those around me. Thank you for your never-ending love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
BibleHub was accessed on May 29, 2025 for commentary on Psalms 108:4-5
Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author