Psalm 138:title–8
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By David.
138:1I will give you thanks with all my heart;
before the heavenly assembly1 I will sing praises to you.
138:2I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your name,
because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky.2
138:3When3 I cried out for help, you answered me.
You made me bold and energized me.4
138:4Let all the kings of the earth give thanks5 to you, O Lord,
when they hear the words you speak.6
138:5Let them sing about the Lord’s deeds,7
for the Lord’s splendor is magnificent.8
138:6Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the lowly,
and recognizes the proud from far away.
138:7Even when I must walk in the midst of danger,9 you revive me.
You oppose my angry enemies,10
and your right hand delivers me.
138:8The Lord avenges me.11
O Lord, your loyal love endures.
Do not abandon those whom you have made!12
Footnotes
- 1 The referent of the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is unclear. It refers either to the angelic assembly (see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5) or to the pagan gods (see Pss 82:1, 6; 86:8; 97:7), in which case the psalmist’s praise takes on a polemical tone.
- 2 The reads, “for you have made great over all your name your word.” If retained, this must mean that God’s mighty intervention, in fulfillment of his word of promise, surpassed anything he had done prior to this. However, the statement is odd and several emendations have been proposed. Some read, “for you have exalted over everything your name and your word,” while others suggest, “for you have exalted over all the heavens your name and your word.” The translation assumes an emendation of “your name” to “your heavens” (a construction that appears in Pss 8:3 and 144:5). The point is that God has been faithful to his promise and the reliability of that promise is apparent to all. For a fuller discussion of these options, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101–150 (), .
- 3 Heb “in the day.”
- 4 Heb “you made me bold in my soul [with] strength.”
- 5 The prefixed verbal forms here and in the following verse are understood as jussives, for the psalmist appears to be calling upon the kings to praise God. Another option is to take them as imperfects and translate, “the kings of the earth will give thanks … and will sing.” In this case the psalmist anticipates a universal response to his thanksgiving song.
- 6 Heb “the words of your mouth.”
- 7 Heb “ways.”
- 8 Heb “great.”
- 9 Or “distress.”
- 10 Heb “against the anger of my enemies you extend your hand.”
- 11 Heb “avenges on my behalf.” For the meaning “to avenge” for the verb גָּמַר (gamar), see גמר.
- 12 Heb “the works of your hands.” Many medieval Hebrew read the singular, “work of your hands.”
The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press
In other versions
ESVEnglish Standard Version
Of David.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy 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.
On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles
NIVNew International Version (2011)
Of David.
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your unfailing love and your faithfulness,
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
that it surpasses your fame.
When I called, you answered me;
you greatly emboldened me.
May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord,
when they hear what you have decreed.
May they sing of the ways of the Lord,
for the glory of the Lord is great.
Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me.
The Lord will vindicate me;
your love, Lord, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.
CSBChristian Standard Bible
Of David.
I will give you thanks with all my heart;
I will sing your praise before the heavenly beings.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name
for your constant love and truth.
You have exalted your name
and your promise above everything else.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased strength within me.
All the kings on earth will give you thanks, Lord,
when they hear what you have promised.
They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.
Though the Lord is exalted,
he takes note of the humble;
but he knows the haughty from a distance.
If I walk into the thick of danger,
you will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend your hand;
your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.
Lord, your faithful love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of your hands.
Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
NLTNew Living Translation
A psalm of David.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
by all the honor of your name.
As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength.
Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord,
for all of them will hear your words.
Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways,
for the glory of the Lord is very great.
Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
but he keeps his distance from the proud.
Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
LEBThe Lexham English Bible
Of David.
I give you thanks with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise.
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name,
because of your loyal love and faithfulness,
for you have magnified your word according to all your name.
When I called and you answered me,
you emboldened me in my soul with strength.
All the kings of the earth
will praise you, O Yahweh,
when they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they will sing of the ways of Yahweh,
because Yahweh’s glory is great.
Though Yahweh is high, yet he sees the lowly,
but the proud he perceives at a distance.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me alive.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my enemies,
and you save me with your right hand.
Yahweh accomplishes things for my benefit.
O Yahweh, your loyal love endures forever;
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Copyright 2012 Lexham Press
KJV 1900King James Version
A Psalm of David.
I will praise thee with my whole heart:
Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
I will worship toward thy holy temple,
And praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth:
For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
In the day when I cried thou answeredst me,
And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord,
When they hear the words of thy mouth.
Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord:
For great is the glory of the Lord.
Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly:
But the proud he knoweth afar off.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me:
Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies,
And thy right hand shall save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:
Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever:
Forsake not the works of thine own hands.
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