Psalm 138
138:1. I will praise thee with my whole heart. His mind is so taken up with God that he does not mention his name: to him there is no other God, and Jehovah is so intimately known that the psalmist, in addressing him, no more thinks of mentioning his name than we should do if we were speaking to a father or a friend. He is resolved to praise the Lord with the whole force of his life, with his whole heart. He would not act because of the opinions of others, but in the presence of the opponents of the living God he would be as hearty in worship as if all were friends and would cheerfully unite with him. If others do not praise the Lord, there is all the more reason why we should do so with eagerness. We need a broken heart to mourn our own sins, but a whole heart to praise the Lord’s perfections.
Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. The psalmist will not for a moment suspend his songs because there are images before him, and their foolish worshipers might not approve of his music. I believe David referred to the false gods of the neighboring nations, and the deities of the surviving Canaanites. In these days when new religions are daily thought up, it is well to know how to act. Controversy is apt to advertise the heresy; the very best method is to go on personally worshiping the Lord with unvarying zeal. Do they deny the divinity of our Lord? Let us the more fervently adore him. Do they despise the atonement? Let us the more constantly proclaim it. Praising and singing are our armor against the idolatries of heresy, our comfort under the depression caused by insolent attacks upon the truth, and our weapons for defending the Gospel. Faith, when displayed in cheerful courage, has about it a sacred contagion.
138:2. I will worship toward thy holy temple, or the place of God’s dwelling, where the ark abode. He would worship God in God’s own way. The Jew looked to the temple; we are to look to Jesus, the living temple.
And praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth. Praise would be the main part of David’s worship, the name or character of God the great object of his song, and the special point of his praise the grace and truth which shone so conspicuously in that name. The person of Jesus is the temple of the Godhead, and therein we behold the glory of the Father, “full of grace and truth.” It is upon these two points that the name of Jehovah is at this time assailed—his grace and his truth. He is said to be too stern, too terrible, and therefore “modern thought” set up an effeminate deity of its own making. True believers hear the thunder of his justice, and yet they do not doubt his lovingkindness. But not only do people attack the lovingkindness of God, but the truth of God is at this time assailed on all sides; some doubt the truth of the inspired histories, others challenge the doctrines, many sneer at the prophecies; the Word of the Lord is treated as the writing of impostors, and only worthy to be carped at.
For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. The name of the Lord in nature is not so easily read as in the Scriptures, which are a revelation in human language, treating of human need, and of a Saviour who appeared in human nature to redeem humanity. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the divine Word will not pass away. It is his Word which creates, sustains, quickens, enlightens, and comforts. As a word of command it is supreme; and in the person of the incarnate Word it is set above all the works of God’s hands.
138:3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me. No one doubts the power of prayer after he has received an answer of peace to his supplication. It is the distinguishing mark of the true and living God that he hears the pleadings of his people and answers them. What answer can there be to a cry—to a mere inarticulate wail of grief? Our Heavenly Father is able to interpret tears, and cries, and he replies to their inner sense. The answer came to David in the same day as the cry ascended: so speedily does prayer rise to heaven, so quickly does mercy return to earth. This also is our defense against modern heresies: we cannot forsake the Lord, for he has heard our prayers.
And strengthened me with strength in my soul. This was a true answer to his prayer. If the burden was not removed, yet strength was given wherewith to bear it. It may not be best for us that the trial should come to an end; it may be far more to our advantage that by its pressure we should learn patience. Strength imparted to the soul means courage, fortitude, assurance, heroism. The man having been strengthened for one emergency remains vigorous for life, and is prepared for all future labors and sufferings; unless, indeed, he throw away his force by unbelief, or pride, or some other sin.
138:4. Kings have usually small care to hear the Word of the Lord; but David feels assured that if they do hear it they will feel its power. Brighter days are coming, in which rulers will become hearers and worshipers. The way of conversion for kings is the same as for ourselves: faith to them also comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Happy are those who can cause the Word of the Lord to penetrate palaces; the occupants of thrones are usually the last to know the joyful sounds of the Gospel. David, the king, cared for kings’ souls, and it will be wise for each of us to look first after those of our own order.
138:5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD. Here is a double wonder—kings in God’s ways, and kings singing there. The difficulty is to bring the great ones of the earth into ways so little attractive to the carnal mind.
For great is the glory of the LORD. Kings will be stirred by a sight of it to obey and adore. David, under a sense of Jehovah’s glory, exclaimed, “I will sing” (verse 1), and here he represents the kings as doing the same thing.
138:6. Though the LORD be high. In greatness, dignity, and power, Jehovah is higher than the highest, even the loftiest soarings of imagination.
Yet hath he respect unto the lowly. He views them with pleasure, thinks of them with care, listens to their prayers, and protects them from evil. Because they think little of themselves he thinks much of them.
But the proud he knoweth afar off. He does not need to come near them to discover their utter vanity. He will keep them at arm’s length in this life, and shut them up in hell in the next.
138:7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me. God is with me, and will give me new life. When we are somewhat in trouble it is bad enough, but it is worse to traverse its midst: yet in such a case the believer makes progress, for he walks; he keeps to a quiet pace, for he does no more than walk; his God is near to pour fresh life into him. If our God be away at any other time, yet he is pledged to be with us in trying hours. He is in a blessed condition who can confidently use the language of David—thou wilt revive me. How often has the Lord quickened us by our sorrows! Are they not his readiest means of exciting to fullness of energy the holy life which dwells within us?
Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. This is the fact which would revive fainting David. Our foes fall when the Lord comes to deal with them; he makes short work of the enemies of his people—with one hand he routs them. God’s right hand cannot forget its cunning; Jerusalem is his chief joy, and he will defend his own elect.
138:8. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me. All my interests are safe in Jehovah’s hands. God is concerned in all that concerns his servants. He will see to it that none of their precious things fail of completion.
Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever. The first clause of the verse is the assurance of faith, and this second one reaches to the full assurance of understanding. God’s work will abide in us to perfection because God’s mercy towards us thus abides.
Forsake not the works of thine own hands. Our confidence encourages us to pray all the more. If there be anything good in us, it is the work of God’s own hands; will he leave it? It would be a sheer waste of effort. He who has gone so far will surely persevere with us to the end. Our hope for the final perseverance of the believer lies in the final perseverance of the believer’s God. If the Lord begins to build, and does not finish, it will not be to his honor. He will have a desire to finish the work of his hands, for he knows what it has cost him already, and he will not throw away a vessel upon which he has expended so much labor and skill. Therefore we praise him with our whole heart, even in the presence of those who set up another God and another Gospel.
The Treasury of David by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)
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