Psalms

Psalm 138:2–4

²I 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.

³On the day I called, You answered me;

You emboldened me and strengthened my soul.^a

⁴All the kings of the earth will give You thanks, O LORD,

when they hear the words of Your mouth.

Footnotes

a 138:3 Or You emboldened me with strength in my soul

Read all of Psalm 138

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 138:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I bow down	אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה	’eš·ta·ḥă·weh	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H7812 bow down
toward	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Your holy	קָדְשְׁךָ֡	qāḏ·šə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
temple	הֵיכַ֪ל	hê·ḵal	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1964 palace, temple
and give thanks	וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה	wə·’ō·w·ḏeh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H3034 throw, cast
to Your name	שְׁמֶ֗ךָ	šə·me·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
for	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Your loving devotion	חַסְדְּךָ֥	ḥas·də·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness
and	וְעַל־	wə·‘al-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
Your faithfulness	אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ	’ă·mit·te·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth
You	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
have exalted	הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ	hiḡ·dal·tā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H1431 grow up, become great
Your name	שִׁ֝מְךָ֗	šim·k̲ā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
and Your word	אִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃	’im·rā·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H565 utterance, speech, word
above	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
all else	כָּל־	kā·lō·ši-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all

Psalm 138:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
On the day	בְּי֣וֹם	bə·yō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
I called	קָ֭רָֽאתִי	qā·rā·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
You answered me	וַֽתַּעֲנֵ֑נִי	wat·ta·‘ă·nê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
You emboldened me	תַּרְהִבֵ֖נִי	tar·hi·ḇê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7292 act stormily, boisterously, arrogantly
strengthened	עֹֽז׃	‘ōz	Noun - masculine singular	H5797 strength, might
my soul	בְנַפְשִׁ֣י	ḇə·nap̄·šî	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

Psalm 138:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
All	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the kings	מַלְכֵי־	mal·ḵê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4428 king
of the earth	אָ֑רֶץ	’ā·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
will give You thanks	יוֹד֣וּךָ	yō·w·ḏū·ḵā	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; second person masculine singular	H3034 throw, cast
O LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
when	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they hear	שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ	šā·mə·ʿû	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8085 hear
the words	אִמְרֵי־	’im·rê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of Your mouth	פִֽיךָ׃	p̄î·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Psalm 138:2 Matthew 5:18 · Psalm 56:10 · Isaiah 42:21 · Matthew 24:35 · Psalm 56:4 · Psalm 28:2 · 1 Kings 8:29–30 · Psalm 5:7 · John 1:17 · Psalm 115:1 · Psalm 89:1–2 · Psalm 99:5

Psalm 138:3 1 Peter 5:10 · Psalm 18:6 · Psalm 34:4–6 · Isaiah 40:29–31 · Philippians 4:13 · Zechariah 10:12 · Isaiah 12:2 · Psalm 27:14 · Isaiah 41:10 · Psalm 29:11 · Colossians 1:11 · Ephesians 6:10

Psalm 138:4 Psalm 102:15 · Psalm 72:11 · Psalm 22:27 · Psalm 22:22 · Psalm 102:22 · Isaiah 49:23 · Isaiah 60:3–5 · Isaiah 60:16 · Revelation 21:24 · Revelation 11:15

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.