Psalm 138 is a short psalm of David in which he thanks God wholeheartedly for answering him, for his steadfast love and for his faithful word. People read it when they want a clear summary of the chapter, a sense of its main movement, or a reminder that God hears and sustains those who call on him in hard seasons. It moves from thanksgiving to the widening of that praise to all the earth, and then to a calm confidence that the Lord will complete what he has begun.
Psalm 138 Summary
The psalm opens with the singer’s decision to praise God with his whole heart, even in the presence of rival gods or powerful rulers. He does not wait for ideal conditions. He bows toward God’s holy temple and gives thanks because God has answered him in the day of his need and strengthened his soul.
From there the focus widens. The singer expects that kings and whole peoples will one day join in giving thanks, because they have heard the words of God’s mouth and seen his glory. The praise of one troubled person becomes a foretaste of a worldwide song.
The psalm closes in personal trust. Though the singer may walk through trouble and face enemies, he believes God will revive him, stretch out his hand and save him. He ends by asking God not to abandon the work of his own hands, which is a prayer that God will finish what he started in him.
Background and Setting
Psalm 138 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs and prayers in the book of Psalms. It is traditionally attributed to David, and its tone of personal thanks after deliverance fits the life of Israel’s king, though the psalm itself does not name a specific historical occasion. Most scholars date the psalm in the monarchy period or later, since its language fits the worship life of the temple community.
The psalm was written for the gathered worshiping community as well as for the individual who sings it. Its place in the book of Psalms, in the group of David’s psalms near the end of the book, makes it a song for anyone who has moved from crisis to confident praise and wants to express that shift in public worship.
Psalm 138 Section by Section
Verses 1-3: A Whole-Hearted Thanks That Remembers God’s Answer
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)
The psalm begins with a commitment: “I will give you thanks with my whole heart.” The phrase “whole heart” suggests undivided devotion, not a polite or partial gratitude. The singer also chooses to praise before those who might scoff, which shows that thanks is not only private feeling but a public stance.
Verse 3 gives the reason for the thanks. God answered in the day the singer called, and he strengthened the singer’s soul. Gratitude here rests on remembered experience, which gives the praise its weight and its honesty.
Verses 4-5: The Praise That Spreads to the Nations
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.
Psalm 138:4-5 (WEB)
These verses look beyond the singer to the kings of the earth. The psalmist imagines a day when rulers, who might be expected to stand above the worship of Israel’s God, will give thanks because they have heard God’s words. The reason is not political but spiritual: God’s glory is great, and once it is perceived it draws praise out of every corner of the world.
The picture encourages a wider view of faith. One believer’s thanks may feel small, but the psalm places it within a much larger story in which God’s name is ultimately honored everywhere.
Verses 6-8: The High God Who Looks Down in Love
6 For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but the proud, he knows from afar. 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 138:6-8 (WEB)
Verse 6 holds two truths together. God is high above all, yet he looks after the lowly, and he knows the proud from a distance. The psalm does not describe a remote deity. It describes a God whose exalted position makes his care for the humble all the more striking.
In verses 7 and 8 the singer returns to his own struggle. Though he walks in the middle of trouble, he trusts that God will revive him and save him by his right hand. He closes by asking God to fulfill what concerns him and not to forsake the works of his own hands, resting his hope in God’s enduring loving kindness.
Key Themes in Psalm 138
- Whole-hearted thanksgiving: The psalm begins and remains grounded in gratitude that is complete and public, not reserved for easy days.
- God who answers: The singer’s confidence comes from remembering that God answered him when he called, which shapes his expectation for the future.
- Worldwide praise: The thanks of one person opens onto a vision of kings and nations joining in the song of the Lord’s glory.
- Humble God, exalted Lord: The high God looks after the lowly and knows the proud, which reveals his character as both majestic and near.
- Steadfast love and completed work: The psalm ends by trusting God’s enduring loving kindness to finish what concerns the singer and what he has made.
Lessons From Psalm 138 for Today
Psalm 138 speaks to the person who must give thanks in a difficult season, such as a family member who is in the hospital and a spouse who is still waiting for news. The psalm shows that gratitude does not wait for the crisis to be over. It can be offered now, because God has answered before and his love has not run out.
It also speaks to the believer who feels small in a loud and unbelieving workplace or neighborhood. The singer’s willingness to praise before those who might disagree offers a model of quiet, steady witness. Thanks offered openly can be a gentle testimony to a God who is bigger than the pressures around us.
Questions for Reflection
- What is one answer to prayer from your past that you could thank God for today?
- Where in your daily life might you need to offer thanks “before the gods” of fear, approval or busyness?
- How does the psalm’s picture of kings and nations joining in praise change the way you see your small corner of the world?
- In what area of your life are you asking God to complete what he has begun, and how does verse 8 shape that prayer?
A Prayer From Psalm 138
Lord, I thank you with my whole heart, not only for the things that went well but for the times you answered me when I had nothing left to offer. You have strengthened me before and you have not turned away. Help me to praise you openly, even when others around me do not share my faith. When I walk through trouble, remind me that your right hand is strong and your love endures forever. Finish the work you have started in me, and do not let go of the things your hands have made. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Psalm 138?
Psalm 138 is traditionally attributed to David, and it is part of the book of Psalms. The psalm does not name a specific event, so its exact date and occasion remain a matter of scholarly discussion.
What is the main message of Psalm 138?
The main message is that God answers those who call on him and is worthy of whole-hearted thanks. The psalm also trusts that God’s steadfast love will finish what he has begun in his people.
Why does Psalm 138 mention kings?
The psalm imagines a day when rulers of the earth will give thanks to the Lord because they have heard his words. It points to a future in which God’s glory is recognized across all nations.