Psalms 138:1. I will praise thee with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
We cannot be too much occupied in the praises of God. He rightly deserves all the thanksgivings we can bring to him. It is the great engagement of heaven; let us begin the music here. If we would be heavenly-minded on earth, we must be filled with the praises of God. Notice how David resolves that in praising God, it shall be done heartily. «I will praise thee with my whole heart.» If there is ever a thing that ought to be done enthusiastically, it is the praising of God. I cannot bear to hear God's praises chirped out elegantly by polite people, as if they were ashamed of what they were doing, or to see a mass of pipes and bellows left by itself to blow the praises of God by machinery, instead of men and women praising him with their heart. Oh! how acceptable it must be to God to hear the heart speak. As for the tongue and voice, however sweet their sound, there is little in it. It is the heart. Soul-music its the soul of music. «I will praise thee with my whole heart.» See how bold the psalmist is about this. «Before the gods,» he says, «will I do it. Before the angels, before the kings and great ones that think themselves little gods. I will speak to the honour of Jehovah's name awe, and in the idol temples, where their worshippers will be greatly wroth about it. I will praise thee with my whole heart. Before the gods will I present praise unto thee.»
Psalms 138:2. I will worship toward thy holy temple,
That was God's way of worship. In the old times there was the shrine of God. There was the one altar which world render praise acceptable. David takes care to render praise to God in God's way: and that is a great principle in worship to avoid will-worship, and to endeavor to present sacrifices such as God prescribes. «I will worship toward the holy temple.» What blessed reasons are here given for praising. «I will praise thee for thy loving-kindness.» Is not that the grandest word in any language loving-kindness? It is a compound of perfect sweets to make up yet more perfect sweetness kindness and love mixed together. A marvellous blend? Loving-kindness gave the promise, but truth takes care to see it fulfilled. «So will I praise thy name.»
Psalms 138:2. And praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word
That is, «thy word of promise thy gospel which thou hast applied with power to my soul. Thou hast made it to seem lustrous beyond anything else I have ever seen of thee, O my God; therefore, will I magnify thee, because thou heart magnified thy word.»
Psalms 138:2-19. Above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
Ah! this is what ties a man to praise. Answered prayer is sure to lead us to adoring gratitude. Notice that he says that God answered him, not by taking away his trouble, but by strengthening him with strength in his soul. You see it does not matter whether he takes away the load, or strengthens the back to bear it. And that is often the method by which he answers his servants' cries. Not strength of body, perhaps he would have liked that, but strength of soul. And oh! when the soul is strong bodily weakness is but a very small drawback. Nay, the weakness of the body may sometimes tend to illustrate the more the greatness of the power of God. Let us read that verse again, for some of us can set our seal to it. «In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.»
Psalms 138:4-19. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
David was a king, and kings would learn from him. You and I are not kings, but we may exercise a very beneficial influence in our own circle of acquaintances if we make bold to praise God when others can hear us. Let us speak well of his name. Wherever we go, let us have a good word for our Master. When others want to know what sort of God we serve, may they gather it from our holy joy and exultant confidence at all times.
Psalms 138:6. Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
A glance of them is quite enough for him. He has no wish to know any more about them: he so hates them. Nothing can separate God from a soul so much as pride. It is that which causes the rejection of the gospel. Men will not have the humbling gospel the sinners' gospel. They are too fine, too good, too lofty, and so they do not want God, neither does his soul desire them. «For the proud he knoweth afar off.»
Psalms 138:7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me:
He was a king but he had his trouble. A throne is not a place wherein we can shelter ourselves from trial. «Though I walk in the midst of trouble» like a man that is to rush through a fire «yet I shall be safe,» saith he «for thou wilt revive me give me new life. When it seems as if my life would be destroyed, thou wilt quicken me again.»
Psalms 138:7-19. Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save. me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Note the confident spirit that runs through all this. There is a childlike trust in God, and there is a gladsome praise of God for what has been already received at his hands. Oh! for more of this spirit the spirit that makes music to the Lord for the past, and trusteth him for the present and the future. Some more blessed words of comfort from:
This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 138:1.; Isaiah 55:1-11; Romans 8:28-39.