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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 138

Psalm 138 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

PraiseThanksgivingKingship
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 138

1By David. I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

2I 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.

3In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

4All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth.

5Yes, they will sing of the ways of the LORD, for the LORD’s glory is great!

6For though the LORD is high, yet he looks after the lowly; but he knows the proud from afar.

7Though 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.

8The LORD will fulfill that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, LORD, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 138

Psalm 138 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Praise, Thanksgiving, Kingship. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 138

Psalm 138 contains 8 verses and about 172 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “By David. I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 8 closes: “The LORD will fulfill that which concerns me. Your loving kindness, LORD, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, give, thanks, sing, name, loving. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 138

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 138:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes praise, with related themes of Praise, Thanksgiving, Kingship. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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