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A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Psalm 138
Good News Translation (GNT)
"HEBREW TITLE:
A Psalm by David"
1 I thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I sing praise to you
before the gods.
2 I face your holy Temple, bow down, and praise your name
because of your constant love and faithfulness,
because you have shown that your name and your
commands are supreme(a)
3 You answered me when I called to you; with your strength
you strengthened me.
4 All the kings in the world will praise you, Lord, because
they have heard your promises.
5 They will sing about what you have done and about your
great glory.
6 Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly,
and the proud cannot hide from you.
7 When I am surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe.
You oppose my angry enemies and save me
by your power.
8 You will do everything you have promised; Lord, your love
is eternal.
Complete the work that you have begun.
Footnotes
Psalm 138:2 Probable text your name and your
commands are supreme;
Hebrew your command is greater than all your name.
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Commentary taken from 'word-on-the-web'
supplied by Scripture Union
'A Prayer of Thanksgiving'.
This is a song of gratitude to a faithful God.
The Lord deserves the homage of the most powerful on earth, yet he 'looks kindly on the lowly' (v 6).
This song proclaims that the Lord remembers the poor and needy. The psalmist declares dependence upon this Lord - not other 'gods' (v 1).
Today, so many other 'gods' offer us security and the good life - personal development, financial planning, job security, retirement income, health insurance.
In distant times, before Jesus came, this psalmist only dimly understood and haltingly expressed that ultimate security which is eternal life with the Lord, but the fleeting glimpses are there.
This Lord preserves our lives and saves us (v 7). This Lord fulfils his purposes for us with a love which 'endures for ever' (v 8). The psalm beautifully expresses the deepest ambiguities of the Christian's life.
We must always proclaim that God has delivered us (v 7) but, at the same time, we will always find ourselves desperately seeking his deliverance (v 8b).
In the not-yet-ness of our lives, we live in the paradox of the kingdom which is present within us (Luke 17:21) and the kingdom which is yet to be (Luke 22:16).
In one and the same prayer we say 'thine is the kingdom' and 'thy kingdom come'. This apparent ambiguity is actually one of the deepest realities of the life of faith.
However much we may seem to be blessed or however much of God's amazing grace we experience, we are nevertheless conscious always of our desperate need of God's presence and protection.
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