1 A psalm of David. I thank you with my whole being; I sing your praises before the heavenly beings. 2 I bow down before your holy Temple, and I am thankful because of who you are—for your trustworthy love and faithfulness—and for the fact that your promises are even greater than what people expect of you. 3 On the day I cried out to you for help, you answered me. You encouraged me and made me strong. 4 All the kings of the earth will praise you, Lord, for they have heard what you have said. 5 They will sing about what the Lord has done and about the great glory of the Lord. 6 Though the Lord is high above, he pays attention to the lowly; but he recognizes the proud a long way off. 7 Even though I walk into a great deal of trouble, you protect me. You reach out to defend me from the anger of those who hate me—your strong hand saves me. 8 The Lord vindicates me! Lord, your trustworthy love lasts forever! Don't give up on what you have made!
Psalm 138 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (8)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 111:1; Psalm 95:3; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Psalm 86:12–13; Psalm 96:4
- 2 Matthew 5:18; Psalm 56:10; Isaiah 42:21; Matthew 24:35; Psalm 56:4
- 3 1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 18:6; Psalm 34:4–6; Isaiah 40:29–31; Zechariah 10:12
- 4 Psalm 102:15; Psalm 72:11; Psalm 22:22; Psalm 22:27; Psalm 102:22
- 5 Revelation 4:11; Psalm 21:5; Revelation 7:12; Malachi 1:11; Exodus 15:11
- 6 Psalm 113:5–6; Isaiah 57:15; 1 Samuel 2:7–8; Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6
- 7 Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 23:3–4; Psalm 71:20–21; Psalm 85:6; Acts 2:33
- 8 Philippians 1:6; Psalm 57:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Isaiah 26:12; Psalm 136:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
But to-day we have sung, "By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered Sion" (ver. 1).... 2. Observe "the waters of Babylon." "The waters of Babylon" are all things which here are loved, and pass away.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)