Dennis Edwards
Psalm 138, a psalm of David, is a short psalm full of powerful thoughts to
reflect on right from the first verse.
1a I will praise You with my whole heart:
There is something about doing things whole-heartedly that
God desires. Jesus said the first and great commandment is, “You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
mind,” Matthew 22:37. In other words, loving God wholeheartedly is the most
important commandment. Apostle Paul says, “And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men,” Colossians 3:23. The Old Testament
has the same sentiment. “Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with all thy
might,” Ecclesiastes 9:10. “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God
require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to love
Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,”
Deuteronomy 10:12.
David’s last words to Solomon his son were, “And you,
Solomon, my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a perfect
heart and a willing mind: for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands all
imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek Him, He will be found of you; but if
you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever,” 1 Chronicles 28:9. Earlier in
Chronicles we read that the men of war from the tribe of Zebulon, “were not of
a double heart,” 1 Chronicles 12:33b.
God wants us to be whole hearted, not doubled hearted or
doubled minded. Apostle James warns about double-heartedness: “But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering (or doubting). For he that wavers (or doubts) is
like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in
all his ways,” James 1:6-8.
Jesus gave a warning to the Laodicean church. The Laodicean’s
were rich and increased in goods, and had need of nothing - physically; but in
reality, they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked - spiritually,
Revelation 3:17. Jesus said, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor
hot: I would that you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue (vomit) you out of My mouth,” Revelation
3:15-16.
Being a lukewarm Christian is such a bad example to the
world. A lukewarm Christian will lead others astray and will infect others with
his half-heartedness. If you are going to believe, believe with all your heart
and get on with it. Don’t halt between two opinions. If God be God, serve Him.
If the world be your god, then serve it. Don’t try to serve both mammon and God
at the same time. You can’t do it. Jesus said so, “No man can serve two
masters; for he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to
the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” Matthew 6:24.
1b Before the gods will I sing praise unto You.
The Hebrew word for “gods” is referring to the other
spiritual beings in the heavenly realm. The good “gods” who yield to God, we
call angels. The disobedient “gods,” we call demons or devils. David starts his
psalm as He often does in praise to the true God.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your
name for Your lovingkindness and for Your truth: for You have magnified Your
Word above all Your name.
There is so much to chew on here. God is saying that He has
magnified His Word above His name. In other words, God is more interested in
you obeying His commandments, than He is in you calling Him by His proper name.
That’s why, whoever follows Jesus’ saying: “to love others as themselves,” will
have a measure of blessing on their lives. Despite the fact that they don’t
believe in God, or call Him by another name, or have another concept of God; if
they obey God’s commandments, found in the words of Jesus, they will have a
measure of God’s blessing on their lives.
Jesus condemns those who say they believe in Him, and even
know how to call Him by His proper name; because they don’t do what He has
asked. “Not everyone that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven,”
Matthew 7:21. Some use the name of Jesus for their own welfare, power, money,
and fame. To these He says, “Depart from Me, you that work iniquity, I never
knew you,” Matthew 7:23.
Jesus says, “If you continue in My word, then are you My
disciples indeed,” John 8:31b. Later he said, “He that has my commandments, and
keep them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved of My
Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him,” John 14:21. If
we try to follow Jesus’ words, He will eventually manifest Himself to us. The
sincere seeker and follower of Jesus’ words will find God. “If a man loves Me,
he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him,” John 14;23. By keeping Jesus’ words we show that
we love Him. Even those who don’t know His name, who keep His words, will be
blessed.
However, we will also be judged by our knowledge of God and
His word and His will. The Bible says, “To him that knows to do good and does
it not, to him it is sin,” James 4:17. Jesus said, “And that servant, which
knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his
will, shall be beaten with many stripes,” Luke 12:47. “He that rejects Me, and
receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day,” John 12:48. If we know God’s word
and will, and don’t follow it, we will be more accountable.
On the other hand, God has given a measure of light to all
mankind. He has placed a moral code in all of our hearts, “the light that
lightens every man that comes into the world,” John 1:9b. Apostle Paul also
speaks of that moral light that each man has. “For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, (having not known the revelation of God’s law to Moses), do
by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law
unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or
else excusing one another,” Romans 2:14-15. God has put a moral compass within
all men, the little voice of conscience. We are really without excuse.
3 In the day when I cried You answered me, and
strengthened me with strength in my soul.
God promises to answer when we call upon Him. “Ye shall seek
Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart,” Jeremiah
29:13. “Call upon Me and I will answer you,” Jeremiah 33:3a. When we do, the
results are, “He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He
increases strength,” Isaiah 40:29. But we have to come unto Him, we have to
draw nigh to God. When we do the seeking and drawing, He promises that He will
draw nigh to us. Jesus said, “Come unto Me all you that are weary and heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I
am meek and lowly of heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For My
yoke is easy, and My burden is light,” Matthew 11:28-30. We have to do the
coming, the searching, the drawing near, the knocking, the asking. He will do
the rest.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
when they hear the words of Your mouth.
Eventually and ultimately, the whole creation will submit to
the rule by the King of kings. “The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever,”
Revelation 11:15b. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among
the heathen (nations), I will be exalted in the earth,” Psalm 46:10
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great
is the glory of the Lord.
It’s at the beginning of the Millennium that the whole world
will break into singing at the coming of the Lord and His reign of peace on
earth for a thousand years. “The whole is at rest, and is quiet: they break
forth into singing,” Isaiah 14:7. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My
holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea,” Isaiah 11:9.
6 Though the Lord be high, yet has He respect unto the
lowly: but the proud He knows afar off.
Apostle James tells us, “God resists the proud, but gives
grace unto the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will
lift you up,” James 4:6b & 4:10. David says, “The Lord is nigh unto them
that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit,” Psalm
34:18.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive
me: You shall stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your
right hand shall save me.
Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father. He is the
right hand of God. It is Jesus that saves and that makes intercession for us,
Romans 8:34. In the Old Testament we read, “But they that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint,” Isaiah 40:31. The
Lord said to Apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is
made perfect in (your) weakness,” 2 Corinthians 12:9a. Apostle Paul responded,
“Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (or weaknesses),
that the power of Christ may rest upon me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9b. God will
revive us and give us strength. “As your days, so shall your strength be,”
Deuteronomy 33:25.
8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me: Your
mercy, O Lord, endures for ever: forsake not the works of Your own hands.
Apostle Paul wrote, “Being confident of this very thing,
that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:6. “For I know Whom have believed, and I am
persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against
that day,” 2 Timothy 1:12b. Jesus said, “No man is able to pluck them out of My
Father’s hand,” John 10:29. Do not fear, therefore, you are more valuable than
many sparrows and not one falls to the ground without My Father knowing it,
Matthew 10:29 & 31. “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him
will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven,” Matthew 10:32.
God will not forsake us, if we don’t forsake Him. Moses said
to the people, “And the Lord, He it is that does go with you; He will be with
you, He will not fail you, neither forsake you: fear not, neither be dismayed,”
Deuteronomy 31:8. In Isaiah 43:10 we read, “Fear not, for I am with you: be not
dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea,
I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.”
Jesus is the right hand of God that is holding us up. “Fear
not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by My name; you are mine. When
you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be
burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you,” Isaiah 43:1b-2.
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