Psalm 138


Psalm 138 is the 138th psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, "I will praise thee with my whole heart". The Book of Psalms is found in the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the Greek Septuagint version of the bible, and in its Latin translation in the Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 137 in a slightly different numbering system. In Latin, it is known as "Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo". The psalm is a hymn psalm.
The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music often, by composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Heinrich Schütz, Michel Richard Delalande, Josef Rheinberger and Stefans Grové.

History and content

Psalm 138 is the 138th psalm from the Book of Psalms, which is the first book of the Ketuvim in the Hebrew Bible, and is also a book of the Christian Old Testament. It is part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 through 145, which are specifically attributed to David in the first verse. However, Dunn and Rogerson assert that the psalm was written as an expression of thankfulness after the return from exile in Babylon. This particular psalm describes that those who are close to God live in reality, and those who believe in human power live in a world of fantasy.
The singer begins with individual thanks for God's lasting love and care. The hope that it will endure forever ends the psalm, framing the middle section which first calls to universal thanks and praise, and then mentions ongoing adversaries and trouble which the singer is sure to overcome with God's help.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 138:
VerseHebrew
1אֽוֹדְךָ֥ בְכָל־לִבִּ֑י נֶ֖גֶד אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲזַמְּרֶֽךָּ
2אֶשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֨ה אֶל־הֵיכַ֪ל קָדְשְׁךָ֡ וְא֘וֹדֶ֚ה אֶת־שְׁמֶ֗ךָ עַל־חַסְדְּךָ֥ וְעַל־אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל־כָּל־שִׁ֜מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ
3בְּי֣וֹם קָ֖רָאתִי וַֽתַּֽעֲנֵ֑נִי תַּרְהִבֵ֖נִי בְנַפְשִׁ֣י עֹֽז
4יוֹד֣וּךָ יְהֹוָה כָּל־מַלְכֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י שָֽׁ֜מְע֗וּ אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ
5וְיָשִׁירוּ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֥י גָ֜ד֗וֹל כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָֽה
6כִּ֚י רָ֣ם יְ֖הֹוָה וְשָׁפָ֣ל יִרְאֶ֑ה וְגָבֹ֖הַּ מִמֶּרְחָ֥ק יְיֵדָֽע
7בְּקֶ֥רֶב צָרָ֗ה תְּחַ֫יֵּ֥נִי עַ֚ל אַ֣ף אֹֽ֖יְבַי תִּשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וְת֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי יְמִינֶֽךָ
8יְהֹוָה֘ יִגְמֹ֪ר בַּֽ֫עֲדִ֥י יְ֖הֹוָה חַסְדְּךָ֣ לְעוֹלָ֑ם מַֽעֲשֵׂ֖י יָדֶ֣יךָ אַל־תֶּֽרֶף

King James Version

  1. of David.
  2. 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.
  3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
  4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O L, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
  5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the L: for great is the glory of the L.
  6. Though the L be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
  7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
  8. The L will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O L, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

    Uses

Judaism

Psalm 138 is traditionally recited as a psalm of thanks and gratitude to God.
Verse 2 is recited during Selichot.
Verse 4 is the verse said by the mule in Perek Shirah.
Verses 3 and 8 are recited at the end of the Amidah by people whose names begin with the first letter of the verse and end with the last letter of the verse.

Catholic Church

Historically, this psalm was recited or sung at the office of Vespers on Wednesday, according to the Rule of St. Benedict. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 138 is recited at Vespers of Tuesday of the fourth semaine. Moreover, in the liturgy of the Mass, it is played on the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time of the year, the 5th and the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time of the year.

Musical settings

The psalm appeared in a rhymed version in the hymnal Genevan Psalter in the 1551 edition. German versions on the same melody, "Mein ganzes Herz erhebet dich", were published from the 18th century, and are part of Protestant and Catholic hymnals.
Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 138 in German, "Aus meines Herzens Grunde" as part of his settings of the Becker Psalter, published in 1628, SWV 243. Michel Richard Delalande set the psalm in Latin, "Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo", S.48, for voices and orchestra in 1697. Henri Desmarets composed a setting for soloists, a five-part choir and orchestra in 1707. Josef Rheinberger composed a four-part setting in Latin- "Confitebor tibi Domine" as No. 4 of his Fünf Motetten, Op. 163, in 1885. The South African composer Stefans Grové wrote a setting for children's choir, choir, African drums, marimba, and string orchestra in 2002.

Cited sources

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