Psalms 138 · Verse 2

Psalms 138:2

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.
Psalms 138:2, King James Version

Psalms 138:2 in other translations

BSBI 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.
WEBI will bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth; for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.
ASVI will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
YLTI bow myself toward Thy holy temple, And I confess Thy name, For Thy kindness, and for Thy truth, For Thou hast made great Thy saying above all Thy name.
DARBYI 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.
BBEI will give worship before your holy Temple, praising your name for your mercy and for your unchanging faith: for you have made your word greater than all your name.
WebsterI will worship towards thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

What does Psalms 138:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. (Compare Psa 5:7). thy word above all thy name--that is, God's promise (2Sa 7:12-16), sustained by His mercy and truth, exceeded all other manifestations of Himself as subject of praise.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 For thy loving-kindness - Thy tender mercy shown to me; and for the fulfillment of thy truth - the promises thou hast made. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name - All the Versions read this sentence thus: "For thou hast magnified above all the name of thy holiness," or, "thy holy name." Thou hast proved that thou hast all power in heaven and in earth, and that thou art true in all thy words. And by giving the word of prophecy, and fulfilling those words, thou hast magnified thy holy name above all things - thou hast proved thyself to be ineffably great. The original is the following: כי הגדלת על כל שמך אמרתך ki higdalta al col shimcha, imrathecha, which I think might be thus translated: "For thou hast magnified thy name and thy word over all," or, "on every occasion." Kennicott reads, "He preferred faithfulness to his promise to the attribute of his power." I believe my own translation to be nearest the truth. There may be some corruption in this clause.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 138:1-5

When we can praise God with our whole heart, we need not be unwilling for the whole world to witness our gratitude and joy in him. Those who rely on his loving-kindness and truth through Jesus Christ, will ever find him faithful to his word. If he spared not his own Son, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? If God gives us strength in our souls, to bear the burdens, resist the temptations, and to do…

Read the full comment on Psalms 138:1-5 →

Psalms 138:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה'esh.ta.cha.VehI will bow downH7812
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הֵיכַ֪לhei.Khal[the] temple ofH1964
קָדְשְׁךָ֡kod.she.chaholiness yourH6944
וְא֘וֹדֶ֤הve.'o.Dehso I may give thanks toH3034
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
שְׁמֶ֗ךָshe.Me.khaname yourH8034
עַל\־'al-onH5921
חַסְדְּךָ֥chas.de.Khacovenant loyalty yourH2617
וְעַל\־ve.'al-and onH5921
אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ'a.mi.Te.khafaithfulness yourH571
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּhig.Dal.tayou have made greatH1431
עַל\־'al-overH5921
כָּל\־ka.lo.Shi-allH3605
שִׁ֝מְךָ֗Shim.Khaname yourH8034
אִמְרָתֶֽךָ\׃'im.ra.Te.khaword yourH565

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 138:2

  • Matthew 5:18

    For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

  • Psalms 56:10

    In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word.

  • Isaiah 42:21

    The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

  • Matthew 24:35

    Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

  • Psalms 56:4

    In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

  • Psalms 28:2

    Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

  • 1 Kings 8:29-30

    That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

  • Psalms 5:7

    But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

  • John 1:17

    For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

  • Psalms 115:1

    Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

  • Psalms 89:1-2

    Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

  • Psalms 86:15

    But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
toward.
5:7; 28:2; 99:5,9; 1Ki 8:29,30; Da 6:10
and praise.
36:5,6; 85:10; 86:15; 89:1,2; 100:4,5; 115:1; Isa 63:7; Mic 7:18-20
Lu 1:68-72; Joh 1:17; Ro 15:8,9
for thou hast.
56:4,10; Isa 42:21; Mt 5:18; 24:35; Joh 10:35

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 138:1

    A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

  • Psalms 138:2

    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.

  • Psalms 138:3

    In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

Read all of Psalms 138

Psalms 138:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Encorvaréme al templo de tu santuario, y alabaré tu nombre por tu misericordia y tu verdad: porque has hecho magnífico tu nombre, y tu dicho sobre todas las cosas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je me prosternerai vers le temple de ta sainteté, et je célébrerai ton nom à cause de ta bonté et à cause de ta vérité; car tu as exalté ta parole au-dessus de tout ton nom.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich will anbeten gegen deinen heiligen Tempel, und deinen Namen preisen um deiner Güte und deiner Wahrheit willen; denn du hast dein Wort groß gemacht über all deinen Namen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		tu cognovisti sessionem meam et resurrectionem meam.