Psalms 138
1 [A Psalm] of David. I will give thee thanks with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing psalms of thee.
Yahweh, I thank you with all my inner being. I sing to praise you in front of [the idols of false] gods [to ridicule/belittle them].
2 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 word above all thy name.
I bow down while I look towards your sacred temple, and I thank you [MTY] because you faithfully love [us] and faithfully do all that you have promised. You have shown that both you [MTY] and what you have promised to do are greater than anything else.
3 In the day when I called thou answeredst me; thou didst encourage me with strength in my soul.
On the day when I called out to you, you answered me; you enabled me to be strong and brave.
4 All the kings of the earth shall celebrate thee, Jehovah, when they have heard the words of thy mouth;
Yahweh, [some day] all the kings of this earth will praise you, because they will have heard what you have said.
5 And they shall sing in the ways of Jehovah, for great is the glory of Jehovah.
They will sing about what you have done; they will sing and say that you are very great.
6 For Jehovah is high; but he looketh upon the lowly, and the proud he knoweth afar off.
Yahweh, you are supreme, but you take care of people [who are considered to be] unimportant. And you know what proud people [are doing], even though they are far away [from you and think that you do not see them].
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou wilt stretch forth thy hand against the anger of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
When I am in the midst of [many] troubles/difficulties, you save/rescue me. With your hand/power [MTY] you rescue me from my enemies who are angry at me.
8 Jehovah will perfect what concerneth me: thy loving-kindness, O Jehovah, [endureth] for ever; forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Yahweh, you will do for me everything that you promised; you faithfully love [us] forever. Finish what you started to do [for us, your Israeli people.]
