Psalms 138:1-6

1 ¹I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before ²the gods I sing your praise;

2 I bow down ³toward your ⁴holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.^[a]

3 On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.^[b]

4 ⁵All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth,

5 and they shall sing of ⁶the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.

6 ⁷For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Psalms 138:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 138

\\<>\\. This psalm is generally thought to have been written by David upon his being advanced to the throne; on account of which he praises the Lord, who had supported him under many exercises, and had made good his promise to him, at least in part; and he firmly believed the accomplishment of the rest, that he would perfect what concerned him, Ps 138:8. It seems as if this psalm was composed between his being king over Judah and over all Israel. Though Theodoret understands the psalm as a thanksgiving of the Jews upon their return from Babylon, which David prophesied of. The Syriac version calls it a thanksgiving with a prophecy; as indeed it is a prophecy of the Messiah's kingdom, and of the calling of the Gentiles in the latter day, as appears from Ps 138:4.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 111:1
• 2. Psalms 95:3; Psalms 96:5
• 3. Psalms 28:2; 1 Kings 8:29
• 4. Psalms 5:7
• 5. See Psalms 102:15
• 6. Psalms 103:7
• 7. [Psalms 131:1; Proverbs 3:34; Luke 1:48; James 4:6]; See Psalms 113:5, 6

Footnotes

• [a]. Or you have exalted your word above all your name
• [b]. Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength