The Way of the Word: The One Hundred and Thirty-Eighth Psalm – A Contemplative Reading.
Monsignor Joji Vadakara, Vatican City
Psalm 138 is a song of thanksgiving to God who is faithful in His promises. It is a psalm that differs from common thanksgiving hymns in that it refers to a particular pain or misfortune and thanks God for delivering them from it. Every person, especially those who exercise authority and responsibility, should be more thankful for the blessings and help received from God. God cares for both the low and the high, the poor and the rich, who depend on Him. The psalmist expresses the hope that, being merciful and faithful to his promises, he will fulfill without fail his plans of welfare for us. The lines of this psalm epitomize the verse of the twenty-third psalm, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear because you are with me; in your staff and in your staff I trust.” What makes this psalm so beautiful are the words of thanksgiving to God who has protected and cared for him. If in the preceding psalm one hundred and thirty-seventh we met the people who refused to sing the songs of Israel in the land of slavery, in today’s psalm we find the psalmist inviting all to sing in thanksgiving to God. David is believed to have written this psalm as well.
Believer’s works and God’s faithfulness
In verses one through three of the psalm, the psalmist writes about giving thanks for God’s faithfulness. “Lord, I thank thee with all my heart; I will sing to thee before the gods. I bow my head to thy sanctuary; I thank thee for thy mercy and faithfulness: great is thy name and thy promise. Thou hast answered me in the day that I have called; thou hast strengthened my soul and strengthened me.” (vv. 1-3). God’s protection and redemption is not the result of human virtue, goodness, or might, but God’s loving faithfulness. David gives thanks to God with all his heart. The psalmist sings praises and thanksgiving to God in front of other nations, all powers, and heavenly powers, because of God’s mercy and his faithfulness. In the opening verse of the ninth Psalm, the psalmist gives thanks to God in almost the same spirit: “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will recount his wonderful works”. The importance of the temple in worship, praise, and faith is indicated in the second verse. The psalmist ‘bows his head to the holy temple’ as God’s dwelling place (v. 2). The psalmist confesses that God’s name and promise are supreme. God does not blame Israel for their mistakes and sins. Yahweh is the God of the covenant. God punishes people who are caught in the grip of sin, but often punishes them as part of a plan to bring them to the way of salvation. He answers those who call upon his name in the days of trouble. Thus the psalmist sings these words with gratitude, realizing that it is his duty to give thanks to God. It is God who has the power to praise God.
A God who knows people intimately
In verses four to six, we see that knowing God, in a way that is visible to all, man publicly gives thanks to the Lord God, and thereby the worship of God is beneficial for other nations to know and accept God, Yahweh. For they have heard your words. They will sing of the ways of the Lord; For great is the glory of the Lord. Though the Lord is great, He cares for His people; The proud know Him afar off” (vv. 4-6). The name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, has been known before all the kings of the earth. All the kings of the earth have confirmed that they will glorify Yahweh, recognizing that He is a God who makes a covenant with His people, dwells with them, and delivers them from the hand of slavery and power. The psalmist’s motivation to say this is his devotion to God and the love of God that he experienced. The psalmist wants the God of Israel to be glorified in the whole world. The idea that the all-knowing God looks down with favor on the lowly and recognizes those who lift up their heads with pride, is mentioned in the Old Testament itself, in the thirty-fourth verse of the book of Proverbs, the third chapter, and the article written by Jacob in the New Testament. In the sixth verse of the fourth chapter, and in the fifth verse of the fifth chapter of the first epistle of Peter, I am meeting. In the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we see in the first chapter fifty-one and fifty-two verses that Mary sings about the savior God, who scatters the proud in the thoughts of the heart, and lifts up the humble. A God who blesses the humble and humble and opposes the proud is a more acceptable concept of God among men who are more receptive to those with authority, honor, and power.
God who is with and saves
The psalmist, who experienced God’s salvation and protection, firmly believes that Yahweh will be with him as a protector in moments of great danger and crisis. Therefore, even when going through hardships, in the face of the enemy, he moves forward with hope in the infinite mercy of the Lord. We see this idea in the last two verses of the psalm: “Though I pass through tribulations, he preserves my life; he will stretch out his hand against the wrath of my enemies; his right hand will save me. The Lord will fulfill his promise about me; Lord, your mercy is endless; do not forsake your creation!” (vv. 7-8). Through these lines, the psalmist is telling us that God, who has been with them as salvation for so long, will still be with them, and if they trust in Him, they will not be disappointed. But we also see this becoming a prayer. David writes these lines in the light of life experiences. David realizes that God has a plan for him. Realizing the depth of God’s faithfulness and His infinite mercy causes every believer to trust in Him more.
Psalm in life
When summarizing the thoughts of the one hundred and thirty-eighth Psalm here, these Psalms inspire every believer to deepen their sense of trust in God, hold on to God, who is faithful in His promises, and move forward boldly. David also reminds us that we, His people, have a duty to praise God Yahweh at every opportunity of life and to inform the world about His ways. The God of Israel must be known before all the kings of the earth.
That Yahweh is a God who looks upon, blesses, and exalts the humble in heart, but who knows the thoughts of the proud in their heart, is a beautiful thought that we encounter in the Psalms. May the realization that the Almighty God, who has chosen us as His beloved people, is always with us, knows us, walks with us and cares for us, may we be strengthened to rely on Him more and to walk the paths of life with hope and courage. Let the praises of the Most High God, who is present for us in the temple, who answers when we call, and who inspires courage in our souls, be known throughout the world through our tongues and lives. May our lives be an acceptable offering to God.