Psalm 138 (NRSV)
I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;
I 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.
On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.
All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.
For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.
Though 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.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Psalm 138 is a prayer of thanksgiving. It is a word of praise lifted to God in pure gratitude. God has answered the psalmist’s prayer, and in response the psalmist pens these words to express thankfulness and praise.
The psalmist has come to know God’s steadfast love and faithfulness in a new and powerful way, and can’t help but sing. But when you dive into it, Psalm 138 is not just about an individual who has received a blessing from the Lord and feels a need to offer God a word of thanks. That may have been the impetus, but the psalmist, over the course of just eight verses in our English Bibles, is then inspired to offer up deep and meaningful truths about God’s character, God’s workings, and God’s priorities. It’s not just about thanksgiving—it’s about the very glory of God.
As you read Psalm 138, watch as a song of thanks bursts forth into a grand symphony of gratitude-based praise. In its strains we hear kings bowing in worship, the lowly and downtrodden finding favor in God’s eyes, and the prideful receiving their due. We are reminded of God’s protection, deliverance, guidance, and steadfast love. And the end result is actually stated near the beginning: “you have exalted your name and your word above everything.” (v. 2)
There is a good word in here for us. When God “shows up” in our lives, when he answers prayer, provides for our needs, and guides us in his ways, it is absolutely right to give him thanks. But in our gratitude we need to watch out that we don’t focus solely on the answer, the provision, or the guidance. They’re important, yes, but in the end the glory goes to God, not what he has given.
I’m challenged by this psalm. I’m challenged to move into a deeper experience of gratitude, one that looks beyond the present situation and considers the God who meets me in it. I want to glory, not in the answer to prayer, but in the one who loves me enough to answer it in the first place.
Song: “Worthy Of It All” by CeCe Winans
Lyrics: Click here
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How have you experienced the link between gratitude and praise in your own life? In what ways have you seen God move on your behalf that have led you to give him glory?
What does in mean for you to “give thanks with your whole heart?” Are there times when gratitude (even to God) can be only half-hearted? What can guard us against that?
Spend some time prayerfully asking God to open your heart to even deeper levels of gratitude and praise, that he alone would receive the glory and be exalted. Perhaps use the Scripture-based lyrics of today’s song to lead you in prayer:
You are worthy of it all
You are worthy of it all
For from You are all things
And to You are all things
You deserve the glory