Soul Strength

Psalms 138 

I will give thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods. I will bow down toward Your temple and give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and truth; for You have magnified Your word according to all Your name. On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul. Psalms 138:1-3 

The Psalmist is responding to God’s kindness and blessing. His response is three-fold: with heart, mouth and body. Give thanks with my HEART; Sing praises with my MOUTH; BOW down and give thanks. Perhaps the Psalmist had adult A.D.D. such as many of us. In order to really remain focused and in the spirit of worship, he gives all his attention to God in praise: in his heart with thanks, with his mouth singing praises and always moving his body by bowing. 

Continuing the thought we have written of recently, this type of whole body worship produces a certain effect. Verse 3 says, On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul. We worship God, yes, to honor Him. It’s an expression of our gratefulness and the joy of our hearts. But as God often does, He rewards us when we do the right things from a sincere heart. In this case, He grants us strength within our souls. We know this to be true from experience: heartfelt worship involving singing and bowing before God changes us from the inside out.  

Perhaps the power of worship in our lives is in the fact that it takes our minds off of ourselves and off of the temporal issues of this world that occupies our minds. It takes our souls upward toward heaven and brings clarity to the reality of eternity.  

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Chris is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

Psalm 138 is a psalm of David. David most likely wrote this shortly after God gave him the Davidic Covenant. So, I went to 2 Samuel 7 this morning where the prophet Nathan spoke GOD’S word to David and blessed him with the covenant. David responds to this overwhelming blessing with, 

Who am I, O Lord God and what is my house that you have brought me this far? And he also said what more can I say to You, Lord? For you know your servant, O Lord.  

David’s response to God’s blessings was to worship with all his heart, sing His praises and bow before Him. Lord, who am I that you have blessed me so very much? May I give thanks with all my heart and bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and truth, for You have magnified Your Word according to all your name. Amen!