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 wonder if the psalm writer was like an ancient cheerleader. Cheerleaders function to get the crowd excited about the action in the game, to give encouragement to those working hard on the field. And cheerleaders give the onlookers a way to participate together in the activity they see in front of them.
The psalm writer here helps us to be intentional about noticing God’s activity in our lives and through that acknowledgment to be thankful. The gorgeous words of the psalms give language to a community of faith to praise God with one voice: “I give thanks with my whole heart,” “your steadfast love and faithfulness,” “your steadfast love endures forever.” These are the phrases that give voice to our gratitude when words escape us.
Great is the glory of the Lord!
Prayer
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart. May our voices of praise bring joy to all the earth. Amen.