Read Psalm 138 at Bible Gateway.
The paragraph divisions:
1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the mighty I will sing praises to You.
2a I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name {n}
2b For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; {n}
2c For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, For great is the glory of the Lord.
6 Though the Lord is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.
7a Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; {n}
7b You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. {p}
Patterns and repetitions:
Psa 138:1-5 chiastic structure:
1a) Psa 138:1-2, I will praise You before the mighty, for Your mercy + truth + magnifed word;
1) Psa 138:1-2a, I will praise You before the mighty;
1 I will praise You with my whole heart; before the mighty I will sing praises to You;
2a I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name; {n}
2) Psa 138:2b, You have magnified Your word;
2b For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; {n}
2c For You have magnified Your word above all Your name;
central axis) Psa 138:3, In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul;
2a) Psa 138:4-5, All the mighty shall praise You when they hear Your word, for Your glory is great;
1) Psa 138:4, All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth;
2) Psa 138:5, Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.
Psa 138:6-8 reverse parallelism:
1a) Psa 138:6, The Lord has regard for the lowly;
1a) Though the Lord is on high,
central axis) Yet He regards the lowly;
2a) But the proud He knows from afar;
1b) Psa 138:7a, Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; {n}
2b) Psa 138:7b, You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me;
2a) Psa 138:8, The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
1a) The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me;
central axis) Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
2a) Do not forsake the works of Your hands. {p}
The psalm can also be divided into two halves of three elements each; the first half from verses 1-3, and the elements of 1) Praise before the mighty; 2) Lovingkindness and truth; and 3) Rescue by an active God who pays attention to the lives of His people. The second half is from verses 4-8, with the elements of 1) The praise of the mighty; 2) regard for the lowly/ mercy; 3) Rescue. It encourages me every time I realize my God is my Papa who is active, not passive, in my life! ♥
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