Psalm 138:1-8 NIV
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.
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When I read Psalm 138, I think of it as coming from the heart of King David, although this is likely much later during the Babylonian exile. The first verse brings to me the spirit of praise, a spirit that is essential to worship.
Psalm 138:1 NIV
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
Then he says he'll sing praises to the Lord before all the gods. That part is difficult for me. I grew up in a monotheistic world. There are no other gods. But in the ancient world, Israel was surrounded by neighbouring peoples who worshiped a multitude of gods. A list of gods in this Wikipedia article mentions 28 different gods worshiped by Canaanite culture.
In our increasingly pluralistic society Christians are more and more surrounded by other faiths worshiping other ideas about God or gods. The psalmist's devotion to Yahweh represents the devotion of Israel to the one true God. The prophet Jeremiah reveals this belief that the idols their neighbors worship are not gods.
Jeremiah 16:20 NIV
Do people make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!”
And the prophet Isaiah confirms that Yahweh is the only God there is.
Isaiah 45:5 NIV
I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.
The psalm speaks of bowing toward the temple to worship the Lord. He may be an exile in Babylon excited that the Lord has sent a prophecy to release them from captivity. He bows in worship toward the west where Jerusalem is located. The decree that gives the psalmist cause to celebrate might be any number of oracles from the prophets. One of my favorites comes from Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
This news is wonderful to the exiles! It gives hope.
Placing this psalm during the exile, we can visualize what he is experiencing when the psalmist speaks of walking in the midst of trouble. Even though he is a captive, he trusts God to vindicate him. He knows that the Almighty has compassion on the poor and lowly. Those in need can count on God watching over them and working out good for them according to His purposes.
Perhaps you have had times when your felt surrounded by those who do not share your faith, who revile you and persecute you. Know that the Lord is near. Take these words from Psalm 138:7 to heart.
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life."
Turn your heart to praise the Lord and celebrate His faithful love and trust the Lord to deliver you. May peace cover you journey no matter where you travel.
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