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Psalm 138

Psa. 138:2 KJV (With Strong’s)

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I will worship
shachah (Hebrew #7812)
to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God)
KJV usage: bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.
Pronounce: shaw-khaw'
Origin: a primitive root
toward thy holy
qodesh (Hebrew #6944)
a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
KJV usage: consecrated (thing), dedicated (thing), hallowed (thing), holiness, (X most) holy (X day, portion, thing), saint, sanctuary.
Pronounce: ko'-desh
Origin: from 6942
temple
heykal (Hebrew #1964)
a large public building, such as a palace or temple
KJV usage: palace, temple.
Pronounce: hay-kawl'
Origin: probably from 3201 (in the sense of capacity)
, and praise
yadah (Hebrew #3034)
used only as denominative from 3027; literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands)
KJV usage: cast (out), (make) confess(-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank(-ful, -s, -sgiving).
Pronounce: yaw-daw'
Origin: a primitive root
thy name
shem (Hebrew #8034)
an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
KJV usage: + base, (in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
Pronounce: shame
Origin: a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064)
for thy lovingkindness
checed (Hebrew #2617)
kindness; by implication (towards God) piety: rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
KJV usage: favour, good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
Pronounce: kheh'-sed
Origin: from 2616
and for thy truth
'emeth (Hebrew #571)
stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness
KJV usage: assured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.
Pronounce: eh'-meth
Origin: contracted from 539
: fori thou hast magnified
gadal (Hebrew #1431)
properly, to twist (compare 1434), i.e. to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)
KJV usage: advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to...estate, + things), grow(up),increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), tower.
Pronounce: gaw-dal'
Origin: a primitive root
thy word
'imrah (Hebrew #565)
feminine of 561, and meaning the same
KJV usage: commandment, speech, word.
Pronounce: im-raw'
Origin: or memrah {em-raw'}
above all thy name
shem (Hebrew #8034)
an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
KJV usage: + base, (in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
Pronounce: shame
Origin: a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064)
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Isa. 42:21• 21Jehovah had delight in him for his righteousness' sake: he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable. (Isa. 42:21)

More on:

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The Temple,
Truth,
Worship

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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toward.
Psa. 5:7• 7But as for me, in the greatness of thy loving-kindness will I enter thy house; I will bow down toward the temple of thy holiness in thy fear. (Psa. 5:7)
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Psa. 28:2• 2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward the oracle of thy holiness. (Psa. 28:2)
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Psa. 99:5,9• 5Exalt Jehovah our God, and worship at his footstool. He is holy!
 9Exalt Jehovah our God, and worship at the hill of his holiness; for holy is Jehovah our God. (Psa. 99:5,9)
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1 Kings 8:29‑30• 29that thine eyes may be open upon this house night and day, upon the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.
 30And hearken unto the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, and hear thou in thy dwelling-place, in the heavens, and when thou hearest, forgive. (1 Kings 8:29‑30)
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Dan. 6:10• 10And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and, his windows being open in his upper chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. (Dan. 6:10)
and praise.
Psa. 36:5‑6• 5Jehovah, thy loving-kindness is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
 6Thy righteousness is like the high mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: thou, Jehovah, preservest man and beast. (Psa. 36:5‑6)
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Psa. 85:10• 10Loving-kindness and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other: (Psa. 85:10)
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Psa. 86:15• 15But thou, Lord, art a *God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodness and truth. (Psa. 86:15)
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Psa. 89:1‑2• 1An instruction. Of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving-kindness of Jehovah for ever; with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness from generation to generation.
 2For I said, Loving-kindness shall be built up for ever; in the very heavens wilt thou establish thy faithfulness. (Psa. 89:1‑2)
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Psa. 100:4‑5• 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise; give thanks unto him, bless his name:
 5For Jehovah is good; his loving-kindness endureth for ever; and his faithfulness from generation to generation. (Psa. 100:4‑5)
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Psa. 115:1• 1Not unto us, O Jehovah, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth's sake. (Psa. 115:1)
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Isa. 63:7• 7I will record the loving-kindnesses of Jehovah, the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah hath bestowed upon us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel which he hath bestowed upon them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses. (Isa. 63:7)
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Mic. 7:18‑20• 18Who is a *God like unto thee, that forgiveth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in loving-kindness.
 19He will yet again have compassion on us, he will tread under foot our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
 20Thou wilt perform truth to Jacob, loving-kindness to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers, from the days of old. (Mic. 7:18‑20)
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Luke 1:68‑72• 68Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people,
 69and raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David his servant;
 70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began;
 71deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us;
 72to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant, (Luke 1:68‑72)
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John 1:17• 17For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth subsists through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
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Rom. 15:8‑9• 8For I say that Jesus Christ became a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises of the fathers;
 9and that the nations should glorify God for mercy; according as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the nations, and will sing to thy name. (Rom. 15:8‑9)
for thou hast.
Psa. 56:4,10• 4In God will I praise his word, in God I put my confidence: I will not fear; what can flesh do unto me?
 10In God will I praise his word; in Jehovah will I praise his word. (Psa. 56:4,10)
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Isa. 42:21• 21Jehovah had delight in him for his righteousness' sake: he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable. (Isa. 42:21)
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Matt. 5:18• 18For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass. (Matt. 5:18)
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Matt. 24:35• 35The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall in no wise pass away. (Matt. 24:35)
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John 10:35• 35If he called *them* gods to whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), (John 10:35)
• But the enduring of God's mercy forever brings out a blessed apprehension in the heart of many other truths, which make God's character known, and His word precious as revealing it and as sure, so that the whole heart praises. (“Practical Reflections on the Psalms: Psalms 135-138” by J.N. Darby)
• Lovingkindness and truth are the great traits in which He is known, just as grace (a fuller word) and truth came by Jesus Christ, who is the living Word. There they came, and we know their fullness and perfectness in Him; here they are learned by experience, and it is lovingkindness in nature and circumstances, not infinite and perfect grace in itself. But God had here made good His word. His faithfulness had exalted itself, and taught the saint how right he was in trusting God when all seemed contrary. But this involved His goodness also in caring for us and persevering in His love in spite of failure. His word taught us to trust in Him, was in its nature a call to it, revealed His goodness to sinners to this effect, but called us to wait on Him to this effect, to trust Him though it set us in a lowly place, apparently far off from all our desires and left evil in power to try our faith. So it was with Christ and those who followed Him. (“Practical Reflections on the Psalms: Psalms 135-138” by J.N. Darby)
• (vv. 1-2) The psalmist praises the Lord, not only with lip profession, but, with his whole heart—an undistracted heart engrossed with its object. Moreover he publicly acknowledges the Lord by praising before the judges of the earth; here called gods, as representing God in their positions of authority (Psa. 82:1, 6-7). (“Psalms 138” by H. Smith)
• Furthermore the psalmist worships towards Jehovah’s holy temple. This would indicate that the godly man is not yet established in the land. Like Daniel, though not in the temple, he prays towards it, in the faith of Solomon’s prayer. Solomon had asked that God would hear His people if, in their time of trouble, they prayed toward the city that God had chosen, and toward the house that was built for the glory of His Name (comp. 1 Kings 8:44, 48 and Dan. 6:10-11). (“Psalms 138” by H. Smith)
• God’s Name declares God’s character as marked by loving-kindness and truth. God’s Word declares His Name, and must ever be in accord with that Name. God is ever faithful to His Word, and, by fulfilling His Word, He magnifies it above all His Name. Men profess the Name of God, but set aside the Word of God. God, Himself, magnifies His Word above His Name. (“Psalms 138” by H. Smith)
• They have cried to the Lord and have been granted strength from Him (vs. 3) to make the journey homeward (vs. 7). Not having reached the land yet their praise is toward (not in) the temple. This psalm gives the two great resources Israel will have in the way (vs. 2-3); the Word of God and prayer (“I cried”). (“Book 5.” by B. Anstey)

J. N. Darby Translation

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I will bow down toward the temple of thy holiness, and celebrate thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth; for thou hast magnified thy worde above all thy name.

JND Translation Notes

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Imrah. see Ps. 119.11.