Psalm 138 is a short song of thanksgiving in which David praises God for answering his prayer and for keeping his promises. People read it when they want to know what it means to thank God in the middle of trouble, and how a person can be confident that the Lord still cares about their own small life. The psalm moves from wholehearted praise to a firm trust that God will finish what he has started.
Psalm 138 Summary
The psalm opens with David deciding to thank the LORD with his whole heart, even in front of rulers and rival gods. He says he will worship toward God’s holy temple and praise his name for faithful love and truth. The reason is concrete: God answered him on the day he cried out and strengthened him inside.
The middle verses widen the view. David imagines the kings of the earth joining in praise, because they have heard what God has said. He then notes that the LORD is high above everything, yet pays close attention to the humble while keeping a distance from the proud.
The closing verses return to David’s own danger. Even when he walks through trouble, God will revive him, stretch out a hand against his enemies, and save him. The psalm ends with a confident assurance that the LORD will complete what concerns David, because his faithful love lasts forever, and it asks God not to abandon the work of his own hands.
Background and Setting
Psalm 138 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs in the Hebrew Bible that the church has long used for prayer and worship. It is one of the psalms traditionally attributed to David, and it reads like the testimony of a king who has been delivered from serious threats. Many scholars place its composition in the period of the monarchy, though the exact date cannot be fixed with certainty.
The psalm was written for the people of Israel to sing in worship and for individuals to pray in their own struggles. Within the book of Psalms it sits among the psalms of thanksgiving and trust, near the later Davidic songs that celebrate God’s rule and his care for his people.
Psalm 138 Section by Section
Verses 1-3: A Whole-Hearted Thank You
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 decision rather than a feeling. He will give thanks with his whole heart, which means his praise is not reserved for a quiet mood or a convenient moment. He is willing to sing even where others might scoff, and he turns his face toward the temple as the place where God has chosen to meet his people.
The reason for his praise is specific: God answered him on the day he called out. The psalm also says God gave him strength in his soul, which suggests that the answer was not only an outward rescue but an inward steadying. Thanksgiving here grows out of remembered answers to prayer.
Verses 4-6: Praise That Spreads Outward
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’s praise reaches beyond his own household and into the wider world. He pictures the kings of the earth hearing the words of God’s mouth and responding in thanksgiving. The vision suggests that God’s faithfulness is meant to be seen and acknowledged across nations.
David also describes God’s character with a striking contrast. The LORD is high and exalted, yet he looks after the lowly. The proud, by contrast, are known from a distance, not in the sense of being ignored but of being held to account. This balance shows a God who is both majestic and near to those who are small.
Verses 7-8: Confidence in the Middle of Trouble
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 final verses face danger directly. David admits that he walks in the middle of trouble, yet he does not claim that the trouble has vanished. Instead he trusts that God will revive him and stretch out his hand against his enemies. The language of a strong right hand expresses the security of a God who acts decisively on behalf of his people.
The psalm ends with a prayer rather than a boast. David asks God not to forsake the works of his own hands, which is a request for God to finish what he has begun. The confidence rests on the LORD’s enduring faithful love, not on David’s own ability to see the outcome.
Key Themes in Psalm 138
- Wholehearted thanksgiving: David commits himself to praise with his entire heart, even before an audience that may not share his faith.
- God’s faithful love and truth: The psalm rests on the steady character of God, whose loving kindness and truth do not change.
- God who answers prayer: David’s confidence comes from a specific memory of God responding on the day he called.
- God’s care for the humble: The high and exalted LORD notices the lowly and holds the proud accountable.
- Perseverance through trouble: David trusts God to revive and save him even while still walking through danger.
Lessons From Psalm 138 for Today
Many people face a season when they are not sure God is listening. Psalm 138 offers a pattern for that moment: remember the times God has answered before, and let that memory become the first words of your prayer. You do not need to wait until everything is fixed to say thank you. David thanks God while the trouble is still around him.
The psalm also speaks to anyone who feels small in a large or demanding setting, such as a job where their voice is overlooked or a family situation where they feel unheard. The LORD is described as high yet attentive to the lowly, which gives a quiet reassurance that your life is not too minor for God to see. It also invites humility rather than pride, since the proud are the ones who are kept at a distance.
Questions for Reflection
- When was the last time God answered a prayer you had almost given up on, and how did you respond?
- What would it look like to give thanks with your whole heart this week, even in an unresolved situation?
- How does the picture of a high yet attentive God change the way you approach him in prayer?
- Where in your life do you need to ask God not to abandon the work he has already started?
A Prayer From Psalm 138
Lord, I thank you with my whole heart. You have answered me before, and you have strengthened me when I felt weak inside. Help me remember those moments so that my trust grows even when my circumstances are hard. Stretch out your hand where I feel threatened, and keep me steady as I walk through this season. Do not leave unfinished the work you have begun in me, because your faithful love lasts forever. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Psalm 138?
Psalm 138 is traditionally attributed to David, and its tone fits the testimony of a king who has been delivered from danger. Many scholars accept the attribution while noting that the exact author and date cannot be proven.
What is the main message of Psalm 138?
The main message is that God’s faithful love and truth are reliable, and that he answers those who call on him. David responds with wholehearted thanksgiving and asks God to complete what he has started.
How can I apply Psalm 138 when I am going through a hard time?
Begin by recalling specific ways God has answered you in the past, then offer thanks even before the situation changes. Pray for strength and for God to finish what concerns you, trusting his enduring love.