Psalm 138 is a short song of thanksgiving in which David praises the LORD for answering his prayer, for his steadfast love and faithfulness, and for preserving him in the middle of trouble. People read it when they need a reminder that God hears and acts, especially when they feel surrounded by opposition. It is a psalm that moves from gratitude to confidence, and it closes with a request that God would not abandon the work of his own hands.
Psalm 138 Summary
The psalm opens with a vow. David says he will thank the LORD with his whole heart, sing before the gods, and bow toward the temple, because God’s loving kindness and truth are greater than anything else he knows. He then recalls a specific moment when he cried out and was answered with strength in his soul, which becomes the foundation for everything that follows.
From his own experience David widens the view. He expects the kings of the earth to give thanks as well, because they will hear the words God speaks and see his glory. The psalm then contrasts God’s nearness to the humble with his distance from the proud, and returns to David’s own danger, where God promises revival, deliverance, and a fulfilled purpose. It ends with a plea that God would finish what he has started.
Background and Setting
Psalm 138 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs in the Hebrew Bible that Christians know as the Book of Psalms. It is one of the psalms traditionally attributed to David, and it reads like a personal testimony of deliverance from enemies. Scholars generally place the final shape of the psalm in the period of the monarchy or later, though the tradition of Davidic authorship has been honored by readers for centuries.
Within the Psalter, Psalm 138 appears in the final group of Davidic psalms, near the end of the book’s longer sequence of praise. It was composed for use in worship, so its first readers were the gathered people of Israel, who would sing it as a song of thanks for God’s rescue. Its focus on God’s name, word, and temple reflects the centrality of worship in the life of the community.
Psalm 138 Section by Section
Verses 1-3: A Vow of Thanks Grounded in Answered Prayer
1 I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. 2 I will bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth; for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all. 3 In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul.
Psalm 138:1-3 (WEB)
David begins with a commitment to thank God wholeheartedly, which is more than a passing mood. He sings even in a setting where other gods are honored, making his loyalty to the LORD public. The reason for his thanks is concrete: God answered him on the day he called out, and that answer brought strength to his inner life.
Notice how the psalm roots its praise in memory. David does not thank God in the abstract but for a particular answer to a particular cry. Many readers find this a helpful pattern, since remembering specific deliverances trains the heart to trust God in new seasons.
Verses 4-6: The Wider Chorus and the God Who Stoops
4 All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, the LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth. 5 Yes, they will sing of the ways of the LORD; for great is the LORD’s glory. 6 For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but the proud, he knows from afar.
Psalm 138:4-6 (WEB)
In these verses David imagines the praise spreading outward until even the kings of the earth join in. Their thanks arises because they have heard the words of God’s mouth, which suggests that the LORD’s reputation and authority reach beyond Israel. The psalm sees God’s glory as something that will eventually be recognized by all.
Verse 6 gives a striking picture of God’s character. Though he is high, he looks after the lowly, while the proud are known to him from a distance. This is not a claim that God ignores the proud but a statement that he is attentive to the humble and resists arrogance, a theme that runs through the wider Bible.
Verses 7-8: Revival in Trouble and the Work of God’s Hands
7 Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me. 8 The LORD will fulfill that which concerns me; your loving kindness, the LORD, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.
Psalm 138:7-8 (WEB)
The psalm returns to David’s present danger, admitting that he walks in the middle of trouble. Yet his confidence is not in escape but in God’s power to revive him, to stretch out his hand against his enemies, and to save him by his right hand. The language is physical and vivid, portraying God as an active defender rather than a distant observer.
The closing verse moves from David’s need to God’s commitment. The LORD will fulfill what concerns David, and his loving kindness endures forever. The final plea, asking God not to forsake the works of his own hands, expresses trust that the Lord who began a good work will bring it to completion.
Key Themes in Psalm 138
- Thanksgiving: David commits himself to praise God with his whole heart, grounding gratitude in God’s specific answers to prayer.
- God’s faithful love: The psalm repeatedly points to the LORD’s loving kindness and truth as the reliable foundation for hope.
- God’s humility-favoring nature: Though God is exalted, he looks after the lowly and keeps his distance from the proud.
- Revival in trouble: Even while walking through danger, the psalmist trusts God to restore his strength and deliver him.
- Completion of God’s work: The prayer that God will not abandon the works of his hands shows confidence that he finishes what he starts.
Lessons From Psalm 138 for Today
Psalm 138 teaches that gratitude can be a deliberate practice rather than something we feel only when life goes well. Someone recovering from a hard diagnosis might begin each morning by naming one specific way God has helped them that week, whether through a kind visit, a steady night’s sleep, or a moment of unexpected peace. Remembering concrete answers strengthens trust for the days that remain uncertain.
The psalm also speaks to people who feel small or overlooked at work or at home. The truth that God looks after the lowly can encourage a parent who feels unseen or an employee who is passed over, reminding them that their worth is not measured by public recognition. At the same time, the warning about the proud invites a gentle self-examination for anyone tempted to rely on their own cleverness.
Finally, the closing prayer offers comfort to those who worry that their efforts or their faith will fall apart. When a long project, a difficult relationship, or a season of spiritual dryness seems unfinished, Psalm 138 invites us to ask God to complete what he has begun in us. It turns anxiety into a request made to the one who has never abandoned his purposes.
Questions for Reflection
- What is one specific time God answered a prayer of yours, and how did it strengthen your soul?
- In what ways do you see God’s loving kindness and truth at work in your life this month?
- How does the promise that God looks after the lowly change the way you view people who seem insignificant?
- Where are you walking through trouble right now, and what would it look like to trust God to revive you there?
- What work in your life do you most want God to finish, and how can you pray that honestly this week?
A Prayer From Psalm 138
Lord, I thank you with my whole heart, because you have heard me and answered me when I cried out. Your loving kindness and your truth have carried me through seasons I could not carry myself. Remind me of your past faithfulness when fear rises up, and let that memory strengthen my soul today. Lift up the humble, keep me from pride, and teach me to rest in your nearness. Stretch out your hand against what threatens me and revive me in the middle of trouble. Do not forsake the work you have begun in me, but finish it for your glory. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Psalm 138?
Psalm 138 is traditionally attributed to David, and its first-person voice matches the personal testimony found in many of his psalms. Scholars often date the final form of the psalm to the monarchy period or somewhat later, though the attribution remains widely honored in the church.
Why does Psalm 138 mention kings and the gods?
The psalm imagines a time when even the kings of the earth will give thanks to the LORD because they have heard his word and seen his glory. The mention of other gods underlines David’s public commitment to worship the one true God, even in settings where other powers were honored.
What is the main message of Psalm 138?
The main message is that God answers prayer, remains faithful in his love and truth, and brings his purposes to completion. David responds with heartfelt thanks and trusts God to revive him in trouble and finish the work he has begun.
