Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 138

I will praise you with my whole heart - Reserving nothing in my heart to give to idols or to other gods. All that constitutes praise to God as God, he would address to him alone. He would use no language, and cherish no feeling, which implied a belief that there was any other God; he would indulge in no attachment which would be inconsistent with supreme attachment to God, or which would tend to draw away his affections from him. See the notes at Psalms 9:1.

Before the gods will I sing praise to you - The idols; all idols; in preference to them all. This does not mean that he would do this in the presence of other gods; but that Yahweh should be acknowledged to be God in preference to any or all of them.

I will worship — I will bow down and adore.

Toward your holy temple — See the notes at (Psalms 5:7). The word temple here undoubtedly refers to the tabernacle.

And praise your name for your loving-kindness — Praise you for your benignity; your mercy; your benevolence.

And for your truth — Your truthfulness; your faithfulness to your promises.

For you have magnified your word — You have made it great. . The reference here is to the promises of God, and especially to the promise which God had made to David that the Messiah would descend from him. (Compare to 2 Samuel 7).

Above all your name — Above all else that you have done; above all the other manifestations of yourself to me or to the world.

The word name here would refer properly to all that God had done to make himself known, since it is by the name that we designate or distinguish anyone.

Thus understood, the meaning would be that the word of God—the revelation which he has made of himself and of his gracious purposes to mankind—is superior in clearness and in importance to all the other manifestations which he has made of himself; all that can be known of him in his works.

Beyond all question, there are higher and clearer manifestations of himself—of his being, his perfection, his purposes—in the volume of revelation than any which his works have disclosed or can disclose.

. There are very many points in relation to God, of the highest interest to mankind, on which the disclosures of science shed no light.

There are many things which it is desirable for man to know, which cannot be learned in the schools of philosophy; there are consolations which man needs in a world of trouble which cannot be found in nature.

There is especially a knowledge of the method by which sin may be pardoned, and the soul saved, which can never be disclosed by the blow-pipe, the telescope, or the microscope.

These things, if learned at all, must be learned from revelation, and these are of more importance to man as a traveler to another world than all the learning which can be acquired in the schools of philosophy—valuable as that learning is.

In the day when I cried - Referring to some former period of his life when he was in trouble.

You answered me - In the very day when I called, you gave me the answer: that is, immediately.

And strengthened me with strength in my soul - literally, “You emboldened - or, made me courageous with strength.” You enabled me to meet danger, and to overcome fear. It would seem probable that this was on some occasion when he was in danger from his enemies.

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee ... - That is, kings, princes, and rulers shall learn the words of promise; shall be made acquainted with the words which you have graciously spoken, and with their fulfillment, and shall be led to praise you. This refers to a time, of which frequent prophetic mention is made in the Scriptures, when kings and rulers shall be converted to the true religion, and when they shall act an important part, by their example and influence, in maintaining and diffusing it. Compare Psalms 68:31-32; Isaiah 49:23.

Yes, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord - In the ways which God has appointed. They shall join with all that love him - with the humblest of the people - in acknowledging God. Kings and people shall thus bow before God in common acts of praise, and as being on the same level before him. As people, as sinners, as redeemed, as traveling to the grave, they are all alike before God.

For great is the glory of the Lord - Great is his character; great his dignity; great his honor; and all this will be seen to be so when those of most exalted rank thus worship and adore him. The most lofty on earth shall acknowledge that there is one who is more exalted than they are, and their own dignity and splendor shall thus contribute to deepen the impression of the honor and glory of God.