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Psalms 138

Psalms 138

The big picture

Psalms 138 opens in verse 1 with “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 4 with “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD , when they hear the words of thy…”, and closes in verse 8 with “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD , endureth for ever…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, praise, hand, name, sing. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Psalms · King James Version · 8

Psalms 138:1-8

1–8: I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing…

Psalms 138:1–8 opens with “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” and reaches “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD , endureth for ever: forsake…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by LORD, praise, hand.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” By verse 4, the text has turned to “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD , when they hear the words of thy…” It lands on “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD , endureth for ever…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 verse with a speech marker, 1 stated contrast, 3 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Speaker, parallel lines, images, emotional movement, and changes in voice carry the argument. Wise guidance is richer than a mechanical promise. Words such as LORD, praise, hand, name, sing, afar tie the complete block together. The central idea, “the wording and movement of this passage,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Though, All, Yea. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 4: “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD , when they hear the words of thy mouth.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: LORD, praise, hand, name, sing, afar

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Psalms 138:1

    “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” The line’s distinctive content terms include praise, gods, heart. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.

  2. Psalms 138:2

    “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast…” The line’s distinctive content terms include name, holy, lovingkindness. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

  3. Psalms 138:3

    “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” The line’s distinctive content terms include answeredst, cried, soul. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

  4. Psalms 138:4

    “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD , when they hear the words of thy mouth.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Psalms 138:5

    “Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD : for great is the glory of the LORD .” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  6. Psalms 138:6

    “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” Naming Though keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  7. Psalms 138:7

    “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  8. Psalms 138:8

    “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD , endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine…” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, concerneth, endureth. Its relationship to verses 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

Psalms 138:1-8

King James Version

1I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

2I 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.

3In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

4All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD , when they hear the words of thy mouth.

5Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD : for great is the glory of the LORD .

6Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

7Though 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.

8The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD , endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Follow the speaker, images, parallel lines, questions, and emotional movement.
  2. Notice where tension or suffering resists an easy answer.
  3. Read a saying as wisdom for faithful discernment, not as a mechanical promise detached from context.

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Psalms 138?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of Psalms 138 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: Psalms 138:1–8 completes a passage that was not covered by the original study-unit map. Its own wording and immediate context supply the focus.?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?