Psalm Chapter 138

A Psalm of David.

• Psalm 138:1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

Before all kings, men of great esteem, before all great or small. The only way worship is counted good is if it is with our whole heart. Half-heartedness is out. We should confess God before all men and never be ashamed of Him or His word. The phrase before the gods according to some bible theologians, the word means judges or those that enforce the law. It could also mean the false idols that the heathen sets up. 

• Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

We must never take this lightly.

• Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

This is what is grievous in today's world. So many do not realize the importance of God's word. Here it says that the word is even above His name. We must never attempt to change the word to fit our particular lifestyle. We must never water it down so that the meaning changes. Look at the way Jesus' own words concerning divorce is ignored today. We want to divorce anyway so we look for a way around it excusing ourselves. We need to repent of these things that we do. God will forgive but we must change and stop going in the wrong direction. The word will judge us in the last day if we do not repent.

• Psalm 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
• 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
• 5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

We can sing all about God ways. We can tell of His words through songs. The song, "Victory in Jesus" is an example. The first verse tells of salvation through the atoning blood of Jesus. The second verse tells of His power to heal. The third verse tells of our home in Heaven. The song, "There is Power in the Blood," tells of how we can be made free from sin by the blood Jesus Shed on Calvary.

• Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

One verse that really blessed my heart one day:

• Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

God wanted to dwell among His people. He actually wants to live among us. It is us that keeps Him out. We either do not believe in Him or else if we do believe in Him, we limit Him. Yet He desires to walk with us as He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden before the fall. We are as close to God as we want to be.

• Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
• 8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

He will not forsake those that truly seek Him with all their hearts.

• Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

• Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

If we are having trouble finding a close relationship with God maybe we are not really seeking with a whole heart.

• Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
• 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
• 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Phillip told the man from Ethiopia that if he really believed with all his heart he could receive Christ and be baptized. Phillip wanted to make sure that this man was sincere and not a half-hearted.  lukewarm believer, half-hearted worshipper and a hypocrite who is not accepted. We need to seek the Lord with a whole heart. With all our being. DC

Psalm 139

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