Psalm 138 is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise, quite likely from the period of King Solomon or shortly after, due to the reference to the Temple.[1] Its superscription is the oft-used Of David. Its exuberance has a wide reach, singing praise before the gods, which may refer to the heavenly court or the gods of the nations, which clearly subordinates to the Lord. He will also sing in praise of the ways of the Lord before the kings of the earth.
In Psalm138: 1-3, the king offers thanks. 1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart (Psalm 9:1, 86:12, and 111:1). Elsewhere in Scripture, especially passages influenced by Deuteronomistic and/or prophetic theology, there is also an emphasis on honoring (including seeking, loving and obeying) God with the whole heart: Deuteronomy 4:29; 6:5-6; 10:12-13; 30:2, 6, 10; Joshua 22:5; Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 29:11-14; Joel 2:12; Zephaniah 3:14; Luke 10:27. To what extent is our own love for, obedience to, thanksgiving and praise to God from our whole heart?
The psalmist interestingly concludes the verse by saying that before the gods (elohim) I sing your praise (Psalm 82:1, 89:7-8, 95:3). God has appeared in worship. If the reference is to gods, it suggests a henotheistic faith, in that while Yahweh is God of Israel exclusively, other nations may have other gods. Such a notion moves against the assumption of many of us that the Old Testament represents a unified picture of a monotheistic faith that denies the existence of the gods. Yet, the historical situations in the Old Testament suggest a complex picture. Exodus 20:3, in commanding the Israelites to have no other gods before Yahweh, suggests other gods exist, but Israel is to have Yahweh. Psalmists could affirm that there is no one like Yahweh among the gods (86:8). The Lord is a great God and King above all gods (95:3). The Lord is to receive praise above all gods (96:4). All gods shall bow before Yahweh, putting their worshippers to shame (97:7). Such a notion reminds us that Israel slowly came to a monotheistic faith only in the time of Hezekiah and Josiah. Joshua 24 suggests that early Israelites worshiped many gods and goddesses, either bringing them with them into the Promised Land or adopted them as such once they arrived. Some Israelites tried to have an eclectic form of religion in which they combined worship of Yahweh with other gods (I Kings 11:33). Prophet after prophet thundered against people with idolatrous beliefs and practices (comparing such unfaithful worship and practices to adultery) because many people were not faithful to the Lord God of Israel alone. Elijah urged the people to decide instead of limping through their lives holding two different opinions. He urges them to follow Yahweh or Baal (I Kings 18:21). II Isaiah was the prophet who most vigorously called Israel to a strict monotheistic, non-idolatrous faith and way of living. There is no other god beside Yahweh, so they are to turn to Yahweh, who is righteous and the Savior. If they turn to Yahweh, they will receive salvation. Yahweh is God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:21-22). A psalmist ponders why the nations ask where the God of Israel is. God is in the heavens and does whatever what God pleases. In contrast, their idols are the work of human hands, with mouths that do not speak, eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear, noses that do not smell, hands that do not feel, and feet that do not walk. Those who trust in gods like these become like them. The psalmist then urges Israel to trust in the Lord, who is their help and shield (Psalm 115:2-9). Of course, Jesus affirmed the basic creed of Israel, the Shema, which stated that the Lord is one, and beside the Lord is no other (Deuteronomy 6:4 and Mark 12:28-34). The Bible arose over several periods of Israelite and Jewish biblical and theological history. Paul wrestles with these matters as well. He is clear in his monotheism, affirming that no idol truly exits and there is no God but one. Yet, he also affirms many gods and lords claim the allegiance of their worshippers, while for us, we worship one God revealed in Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 8:4-6). To return to our passage, then, we also need to remember that elohim could also refer to divine beings, the heavenly assembly, divine council, or even angels. The Tanakh translates the word as divine beings. New English Translation has “heavenly assembly”; the LXX Greek has ἀγγέλων (“angels”), and the Latin Vulgate has angelorum (“angels”). In Psalm 8:5 ’elohim is translated variously as “God” (NRSV), “the angels” (KJV) or “the heavenly beings” (NIV and NET). Thus, one could understand elohim as referring the divine council, comprised of Yahweh and other heavenly beings around the throne of Yahweh. Isaiah 6:1-13 suggests the Lord invites the prophet to the divine counsel for him to receive his vision, calling, and mission. Psalmists could suggest encouraging heavenly beings to ascribe glory and strength to Yahweh (29:1). God assumes the throne among the heavenly beings, which we could also understand to be gods (82:1). None of the heavenly beings compares to Yahweh, whom the heavenly beings fear (89:5-8). I repeat the observation that the Israelite and Jewish views of Yahweh, viewed in the context of its biblical and theological history, are more complex than we sometimes realize.
The psalmist continues with the theme of giving thanks. 2 I bow down toward your holy temple, in Deuteronomistic theology the name of the Lord resides in the temple, where humans have ritual contact with the Lord, and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love (hesed) and your faithfulness (‘emet). In this reference to the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord, we have to do with the identity and consistency of the eternal God in divine love turning toward those whom God has made.[2] He gives thanks in this way, for you have exalted your name and your word above everything. 3 On the day I called, you answered me; you increased my strength of soul. Imagine the relief that, on the very day the king called upon the Lord, the Lord answered. It may not happen often, but when it does, it is wonderful. The poet gets more than he asked for, God granting salvation and new strength.
Let us pause for a moment and reflect upon the importance of gratitude in our lives. The psalmist is offering gratitude before he has received an answer. The spirit of praise and thanksgiving is one that anticipates victory and divine response. Further, our outer lives need to express our inner world. Without that connection, purity will stagnate, and intention will decay.[3] The only place to live our lives truly is out of gratitude. The longer we live in gratitude, the more we love a life of gratitude. We enjoy our neighbors more. Gratitude arises out of humility. It acknowledges the debt we owe to God and to other people. Gratitude admits that we would have nothing if it were not for what others have already given to us. We need to express this gratitude as often as we can, both to God and to others.[4] Unexpressed gratitude is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude.[5] Genuine happiness will arise out of our cultivation of gratitude. People we intentionally thank will also experience increased happiness. Expressing gratitude is the stone thrown into the flat water. It creates a ripple that affects everything around it.[6]
In Psalm 138: 4-5, the writer turns to the hope that others shall offer praise to the Lord. 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth. 5 They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. Human kings praise the Lord because they have seen how the Lord protects those who call upon the Lord. The only way this hope becomes true is the faithful witness of the people of the Lord throughout the earth. The Israelite king plans to publish abroad what the Lord has said. Even Paul had the confidence that faith comes from what one hears (Romans 10:17). However, this could mean in an eschatological sense. However, one could take the meaning here in an eschatological sense. Beyond the end of our human time, human beings shall offer praise.
Then, the poet offers a brief reflection on divine providence. 6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away. The exalted Lord regards the lowly, a reversal reminiscent of the Song of Hannah (I Samuel 2:1-10) and the Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-55). The Lord attends to the needs of the humble and pulls down the proud from miles away.
[1] Dahood strongly objects to a post-exilic date due to the reference to the Temple in verse 2.
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[3] Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said it this way: “Unless the outer life expresses the inner world, purity stagnates and intention decays.”
[4] Inspired by —Ellsworth Kalas, “Lessons learned,” Asbury Theological Seminary Alumni Link, Summer 2009, 8.
[5] There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude. —Robert Brault.
[6] Lyubomirsky, Sonja. The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want. New York: Penguin Press, 2007.
Good take on gratitude. Now I must have agape love and gratitude. It gets harder and harder.- Lyn Eastman
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