Psalm 108:4
New International Version
For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

New Living Translation
For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

English Standard Version
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Berean Standard Bible
For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

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

New King James Version
For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds.

New American Standard Bible
For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies.

NASB 1995
For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies.

NASB 1977
For Thy lovingkindness is great above the heavens; And Thy truth reaches to the skies.

Legacy Standard Bible
For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies.

Amplified Bible
For Your lovingkindness is great and higher than the heavens; Your truth reaches to the skies.

Christian Standard Bible
For your faithful love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For Your faithful love is higher than the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

American Standard Version
For thy lovingkindness is great above the heavens; And thy truth reacheth unto the skies.

Contemporary English Version
Your love reaches higher than the heavens, and your loyalty extends beyond the clouds.

English Revised Version
For thy mercy is great above the heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the skies.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
because your mercy is higher than the heavens. Your truth reaches the skies.

Good News Translation
Your constant love reaches above the heavens; your faithfulness touches the skies.

International Standard Version
For your gracious love extends to the sky, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

NET Bible
For your loyal love extends beyond the sky, and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.

New Heart English Bible
For your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Webster's Bible Translation
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth to the clouds.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

World English Bible
For your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For Your kindness [is] great above the heavens, "" And Your truth to the clouds.

Young's Literal Translation
For great above the heavens is Thy kindness, And unto the clouds Thy truth.

Smith's Literal Translation
For great above the heavens thy mercy, and even to the clouds thy truth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth even unto the clouds.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For your mercy is great, beyond the heavens, and your truth, even to the clouds.

New American Bible
For your mercy is greater than the heavens; your faithfulness, to the skies.

New Revised Standard Version
For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For thy mercy is great to the heavens; and thy truth reaches to the heaven of heavens.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because your kindness is great under the sky and your faithfulness unto The Heaven of Heavens.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For Thy mercy is great above the heavens, And Thy truth reacheth unto the skies.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For thy mercy is great above the heavens, and thy truth reaches to the clouds.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Kingdom Blessing
3I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples. 4For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth.…

Cross References
Psalm 36:5
Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.

Psalm 57:10
For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the clouds.

Psalm 103:11
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.

Psalm 89:2
For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever; in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”

Psalm 117:2
For great is His loving devotion toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah!

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. / They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!

Exodus 34:6
Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,

Numbers 14:18
‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Isaiah 55:9
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Ephesians 2:4-5
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, / made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:9-10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. / And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.


Treasury of Scripture

For your mercy is great above the heavens: and your truth reaches to the clouds.

thy mercy

Psalm 36:5
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

Psalm 85:10
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Psalm 89:2,4
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens…

clouds, or, skies

Jump to Previous
Clouds Faith Faithfulness Great Heavens Higher Kindness Loving Mercy Reaches Reacheth Skies Steadfast Truth Unchanging
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Clouds Faith Faithfulness Great Heavens Higher Kindness Loving Mercy Reaches Reacheth Skies Steadfast Truth Unchanging
Psalm 108
1. David encourages himself to praise God
5. He prays for God's assistance according to his promise
11. His confidence in God's help














For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens
This phrase emphasizes the boundless nature of God's love, often referred to as "chesed" in Hebrew, which encompasses mercy, kindness, and covenant loyalty. The imagery of extending "beyond the heavens" suggests an infinite quality, surpassing human understanding and limitations. In biblical context, the heavens are often seen as the highest realm of creation (Genesis 1:1), and to extend beyond them signifies a divine attribute that is immeasurable. This concept is echoed in other scriptures, such as Psalm 36:5, which also speaks of God's love reaching to the heavens. Theologically, this can be seen as a type of Christ, whose sacrificial love on the cross is the ultimate expression of divine loving devotion, transcending earthly bounds.

and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds
The term "faithfulness" here is translated from the Hebrew word "emunah," which conveys steadfastness, reliability, and truth. The imagery of reaching "to the clouds" suggests a vastness and elevation, indicating that God's faithfulness is as expansive and enduring as the sky itself. In the ancient Near Eastern context, clouds were often associated with divine presence and activity, as seen in the Exodus narrative where God led the Israelites by a pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21). This phrase assures believers of God's unwavering commitment to His promises, a theme that resonates throughout scripture, such as in Lamentations 3:23, which speaks of God's mercies being new every morning. This faithfulness is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is described as "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), embodying the eternal and unchanging nature of God's promises.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 108, David was the second king of Israel and a man after God's own heart. His psalms often express deep trust in God and a desire to worship Him.

2. Heavens
In the context of this verse, the heavens symbolize the vastness and majesty of God's creation, emphasizing the greatness of His loving devotion.

3. Skies
Similar to the heavens, the skies represent the expanse of God's truth, illustrating its boundless nature.
Teaching Points
The Immeasurable Love of God
God's loving devotion is beyond human comprehension, surpassing even the vastness of the heavens. This should lead us to a deeper awe and worship of Him.

The Unchanging Truth of God
Just as the skies are a constant presence, God's truth is unchanging and reliable. We can trust His promises and His Word in every circumstance.

Living in Response to God's Love and Truth
Recognizing the greatness of God's love and truth should inspire us to live lives of gratitude, obedience, and faithfulness.

God's Love and Truth in Our Relationships
As recipients of God's boundless love and truth, we are called to reflect these attributes in our interactions with others, showing love and speaking truth in love.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Psalm 108:4?

2. How does Psalm 108:4 emphasize God's "steadfast love" in your daily life?

3. What does "faithfulness reaches to the clouds" reveal about God's nature?

4. How can Psalm 108:4 inspire trust in God's promises throughout Scripture?

5. In what ways can you reflect God's "steadfast love" to others today?

6. How does understanding God's "faithfulness" impact your relationship with Him?

7. How does Psalm 108:4 reflect God's love and faithfulness in a modern context?

8. What historical evidence supports the claims made in Psalm 108:4?

9. How does Psalm 108:4 influence Christian understanding of divine love and mercy?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 108?

11. How can I engage in a guided Christian prayer?

12. If Psalm 108 is partly repeated from Psalms 57 and 60, does this raise doubts about its originality or authorship (Psalm 108)?

13. If David wrote this psalm, why do some historical timelines suggest inconsistencies with events described here (Psalm 108)?

14. What defines a psalm?
What Does Psalm 108:4 Mean
Loving devotion beyond the heavens

“For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens…”

• David piles image on image to say God’s covenant love is literally higher than anything we can measure. The heavens, to an ancient observer, were the unreachable realm; so if God’s loving devotion stretches past them, it is boundless (Psalm 103:11; Jeremiah 31:3).

• This is no poetic exaggeration but a factual statement about the scope of God’s commitment to His people. He loves with an everlasting love that neither sin, nor distance, nor time can diminish (Romans 8:38-39).

• Because His love exceeds the heavens, it overarches:

– every dark night of the soul (Psalm 42:8)

– every height of joy and blessing (James 1:17)

– every generation still to come (Psalm 100:5)

• Conscious of such vast loving devotion, believers respond with:

– Confident praise even before deliverance arrives (Psalm 57:7-10)

– Willing submission, knowing the One who commands also cherishes (John 14:15-21)

– Steadfast hope, certain that no prayer rises higher than His love already stands (Ephesians 3:18-19)


Faithfulness reaching to the clouds

“…and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.”

• If His love is expansive, His faithfulness is equally towering. The “clouds” form the upper boundary of what we see; God’s reliability goes that high and stays there (Psalm 36:5).

• Faithfulness means He keeps every promise without exception (Numbers 23:19). In practice:

– He remembers covenant even when His people forget (Deuteronomy 7:9).

– He remains trustworthy when humans prove fickle (2 Timothy 2:13).

– He daily supplies mercies that never fail (Lamentations 3:22-23).

• The imagery invites us to look up: when clouds fill the sky, they shout of a steadfast God who stands behind every sunrise, every rainbow, every season (Genesis 9:13-16).

• Living under cloud-high faithfulness shapes us to:

– Rest, not panic, when circumstances shift (Psalm 62:5-8).

– Tell the next generation that God has never broken His word (Psalm 89:1-2).

– Serve courageously, knowing success is secured by His dependability, not ours (1 Corinthians 15:58).


summary

Psalm 108:4 paints twin pillars—God’s loving devotion and God’s faithfulness—rising higher than the visible universe. Because His love outstrips the heavens and His faithfulness tops the clouds, every believer can worship with unshakable confidence, obey with joyful surrender, and hope with settled assurance that the God who loves immeasurably also keeps His word unfailingly.

Verse 4. - For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Identical with Psalm 57:10, with the exception of one preposition, which occurs only in some manuscripts.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

Your loving devotion
חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ (ḥas·de·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2617: Kindness, piety, reproof, beauty

is higher
גָד֣וֹל (ḡā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

than the heavens,
שָׁמַ֣יִם (šā·ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

and Your truth
אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ (’ă·mit·te·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 571: Stability, certainty, truth, trustworthiness

reaches
וְֽעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

to the skies.
שְׁחָקִ֥ים (šə·ḥā·qîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7834: A powder, a thin vapor, the firmament


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OT Poetry: Psalm 108:4 For your loving kindness is great above (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 108:3
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