Psalm 138
Psalm 138 • 2 min. read • grade level: 8
This Psalm is one of peculiar interest to the soul. In the Psalm 56 the soul rejoiced in the word above all. All in God was matter of praise, but above all, His word, His promise, His covenant. “In God will I praise His word” (Psa. 56:4,104In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. (Psalm 56:4)
10In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. (Psalm 56:10)).
In this Psalm the word is praised again—esteemed above all God’s name or revelation of Himself. The worshipper owns that he had cried, and the Lord had heard him. This was to the honor of His word; this was the faithfulness of His promise. But we know that it is only in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, that all the promises are thus yea and amen (2 Cor. 1:19-2019For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (2 Corinthians 1:19‑20)), and that He Himself, in an eminent sense, is the word. So that this Psalm is as the language of a soul upon its discovery of Jesus. He learns “the Word” (John 1:11In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)) or “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” and sees that God has magnified Himself in that revelation beyond all other, and that there He shines, full of loving-kindness and truth, or, in the language of the New Testament, of “grace and truth” (Psa. 138:22I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2); John 1:1414And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)). God has published His name again and again in the progress of this world’s history. He has successively unfolded the glory of it. He is “God,” “the Lord God,” “God Almighty,” “Jehovah;” and now He stands revealed in fullness in the light and glory and blessedness of His New Testament name.
Upon this discovery, all manner of joy and blessing is anticipated; for the cry of the sinner has been answered and the soul has been strengthened. Kings are heard not merely fearing or falling down (see Psa. 72; 102), but singing in God’s ways. The lowly are exalted, the proud are abased, according to the ministry of Jesus (Matt. 23:1212And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)), and the preaching of His apostles (Psa. 138:66Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. (Psalm 138:6); James 4:66But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6); 1 Peter 5:55Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)). Joy in trouble, victory in the face of enemies, yea, revival or resurrection, are anticipated, and the full accomplishing of all that concerns the soul which thus apprehends and trusts this precious revelation of God. For such an one is God’s own work, as the Gospel teaches—“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus,” as is here, with true Gospel confidence and liberty, pleaded. And this is the highest and most blessed confidence—the believer making his cause God’s cause. As the prophet said, “the battle is not yours but God’s” (2 Chron. 20:1515And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. (2 Chronicles 20:15)), when he would, through the Holy Ghost, encourage the host of Israel and king Jehoshaphat. The saint’s blessing is thus God’s cause: and the confidence is, that it shall never be forsaken.