Psalms
Chapter 138
I Will Praise the Lord With All My Heart
I thank you, O Lord, with all my heart, for you have heard the word of my lips. I sing your praise in the presence of the gods.
I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name, for your love and faithfulness, for your word, which exceeds everything.
You answered me when I called; you restored my soul and made me strong.
O Lord, all kings on earth will give you praise, when they have heard your words.
They will celebrate the ways of the Lord, “Great is the glory of the Lord!”
From above, the Lord watches over the lowly; from afar, he marks down the haughty.
If I walk in the midst of trouble, you give me life. With an outstretched arm, you save me from the wrath of my foes, with your right hand, you deliver me.
How the Lord cares for me! Your kindness, O Lord, endures forever. Forsake not the work of your hands.
Commentaries
138
The great God, Lord of the world and angels, cares for us, always exceeding what we might expect from him. Those who pray do not know what their future holds. They trust that if dangers are great, God’s hand will save them, and his love is eternal. God cannot abandon the work of his hands. Thanksgiving has a future.
The psalmist repeatedly thanks God for answering his prayers. Indeed, our prayers will be answered because Jesus told us so. Jesus even taught us how to pray (Mt 6:9), instructed us to ask and we will receive (Mt 7:7), and said that whatever we ask in prayer with full faith, we will receive (Mt 21:22).