Psalm 138 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 138 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;
Verse 2I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.
Verse 3On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.
Verse 4All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Verse 5They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.
Verse 6For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.
Verse 7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.
Verse 8The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Devotion
I find myself most drawn to King David when he sings and dances over our Lord. One can hear his confidence and joy over a God who answers him (v. 3), one who keeps him safe amidst trouble (v. 6), and one who offers steadfast love (v. 8). The Hebrew word for “steadfast love,” chesed, refers to God’s faithfulness and loyalty. Since we know David had his fair share of troubles, some of which were of his own making, while others found their way to him, his praise over God’s faithfulness always feels sincere to me.
Like David, we also endure days to simply survive. This psalm gives thanks and praise over a God who hopes more for us than mere survival, but for us to thrive, and especially through our troubled days.
Prayer
God of Steadfast Love, may we, like David, sing words of praise with our whole hearts. Thank you, O Lord, for your constant protection, presence, and faithfulness which sustain us through even the darkest of our days. Amen.
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