Psalms 138:2

I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving devotion and Your faithfulness; You have exalted Your name and Your word above all else.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David addresses God in a moment of worship, following his declaration of thanks and preceding his recounting of divine strengthening (Psalms 138:1; 138:3). He positions himself physically and verbally to acknowledge God's character and actions.

The words — אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה ('eshתַּחֲוֶה) means to bow down or prostrate oneself, while הֵיכָל (heikhal) specifies the temple structure. The psalmist couples this physical act with וְאוֹדֶה (ve'odeh), meaning "I will give thanks," directed toward God's name.

The thread — The theme of honoring God's name and word appears in Psalm 56:10 and Isaiah 42:21. Matthew 5:18 further emphasizes the enduring authority of God's word.

Why it lands — The verse states that God has placed His name and word above all else before the psalmist offers thanks. It requires the reader to subordinate all competing claims to the acknowledged supremacy of God's revealed character and speech.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה'esh.ta.cha.VehI will bow down אֶל־'el-to הֵיכַ֪לhei.Khal[the] temple of קָדְשְׁךָ֡kod.she./chaholiness/ your וְא֘וֹדֶ֤הve./'o.Dehso/ I may give thanks to אֶת־'et-<obj.>שְׁמֶ֗ךָshe.Me./khaname/ your עַל־'al-on חַסְדְּךָ֥chas.de./Khacovenant loyalty/ your וְעַל־ve./'al-and/ on אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ'a.mi.Te./khafaithfulness/ your כִּֽי־ki-for הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּhig.Dal.tayou have made great עַל־'al-over כָּל־ka.lo.Shi-all שִׁ֝מְךָ֗Shim./Khaname/ your אִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃'im.ra.Te./khaword/ your

King James Version

I 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.

Cross-references

Matthew 5:18 For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Psalms 56:10 In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise,
Isaiah 42:21 The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Psalms 56:4 In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
1 Kings 8:29 May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
Psalms 5:7 But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.
Psalms 28:2 Hear my cry for mercy when I call to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Psalms 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.