Verse 6
"Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be over all the earth"
May the glory of God rise high above the heavens, and may the whole earth be filled with it.
This verse is the refrain of the psalm, returning again at its close.
Verse 7
"They set a net for my steps, my soul was bowed down; they dug a pit before me, but they fell into it themselves, Selah"
The enemies spread a net and dug a pit to trap David.
But they themselves fell into the very pit they dug.
Verse 8
"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music"
My heart is firm and secure in You, without fear.
The doubled "my heart is steadfast" shows the depth of the trust, and out of it David breaks into song.
Verse 9
"Awake, my glory, awake, harp and lyre, I will awaken the dawn"
David rouses his soul and his instruments to sing.
He rises early to wake the dawn with his song, before the day breaks.
Verse 10
"I will praise You among the peoples, O Lord; I will sing to You among the nations"
I will give thanks openly, among all the peoples and nations.
The praise does not stay private; it spreads to the whole world.
Verse 11
"For Your mercy is great unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds"
God's lovingkindness reaches the heavens, and His faithfulness the clouds.
This is the reason for the praise: the greatness of God's mercy and truth.
Verse 12
"Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let Your glory be over all the earth"
The psalm closes with the same cry it opened with.
The repetition forms a frame: everything begins and ends with the glory of God.
This part teaches that after every trouble, when deliverance comes, the heart cannot stay silent. David rouses himself, his instruments, and the dawn, turning the victory into a song that spreads to all the peoples, an invitation to the whole world to see the greatness of God's mercy.