There is No One Like You: Psalm 138

  I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
    before the gods I sing your praise;
² 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.^[a]
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
    my strength of soul you increased.^[b]

⁴ All 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 the ways of the Lord,
    for great is the glory of the Lord.
⁶ For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
    but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷ 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.
⁸ The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
     your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Psalm 138, ESV

• Psalm 138:2 Or you have exalted your word above all your name
• Psalm 138:3 Hebrew you made me bold in my soul with strength

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Another work of David, and I believe there are sufficient reasons to question his integrity, and to challenge his character. He was a rascal, and much of what he did in his life was evil. But somehow God loved him “as a man after my own heart.”

I’m comforted with God’s choice to love David. God’s love is never logical, it isn’t where we arrive at; but it is what we believe . There is nothing more foolish than His Love. Many voices will declare that “we are lost, that God has given us up!” These same kind of people, told David, “Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Ps. 3:2

Commentary

V. 1, 2, This is a declaration of both the quality and quality of worship. Effort is made of giving the best to the Lord. There is positioning as well, the temple mount. It’s where God is, and the spotlight is always there shining on any who will step into. Position yourself, to find out what He wants. The reference to “the gods” does not refer to a pluralism. Israel was strictly monotheistic since the time of Abraham. My thinking is that David was looking for something to make a comparable understanding. He was not advocating a new theology.

V. 3,  There will be days that you cry out. If not today, tomorrow, or next week or month. But it will happen. Soon. Strengthening here of the soul, we need to understand that God is always fortifying and empowering us. It’s what He does.

V. 4, 5, The kings themselves will worship the Lord. They have received God’s word. It changes their focus from ruling to serving. There is also “king’s song.” And glory is what they have in mind. It initiates so much.

V.6,  God has His favorites…the humble. He looks and discerns every heart, and those that are arrogant He notes.

V. 7, there is so much here. The Father can be seen working ‘behind the scenes’ on our behalf. “The midst of trouble,” so often that is where we can be found, “in the thick of it.” There is activity in this verse, God strengthens, and He preserves us.

V. 8, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me” instills confidence. We wait for His promises, and are assured they will be fulfilled. We find in this verse the wore “steadfast” and the word “love” bonded together. That is the best kind. Don’t forsake me, don’t lose me, don’t forget me! I’m trusting in You.