Psalms 138:1-8

I will praise Thee with my whole heart.

Moral features of a good man’s life

I. The grand resolve of a good man--to serve God (verses 1, 2).

1. Entirely. “I will praise Thee with my whole heart.” Unless the Almighty is thus served He is never served at all.

2. Courageously. “Before the gods,” etc. No shame, no timidity, but exulting courage.

3. Intelligently. He is infinitely good and true.

II. The noble testimony of a good man (verse 3). What good man who has ever prayed could not furnish similar testimony?

III. The sanguine hope of a good man (verses 4, 5).

1. This hope implies a very desirable object. To have all the kings of the earth praising God, what patriotic, philanthropic, and religious ends could be more desirable?

2. This hope implies a reasonable expectation. Would it not be natural to expect that when kings heard of God, the words of His mouth, they would worship and serve Him? We have here--

IV. The theological belief of a good man (verse 6).

1. No creature is too humble for the Divine regard. He is not so taken up with the vast as to ignore the minute, so sublimely exalted as not to condescend to the meanest.

2. No creature is too vile to escape His notice. “The proud He knoweth afar off.”

V. The sublime confidence of a good man (verse 7).

1. The universal law of human life. What is that? Progress, walking. Implying--

(1) A constant change of position.

(2) A constant approximation to destiny, every step leading nearer to the end. Life is a constant walk. No pause. A rapid walk. “Swifter than a post.” An irretraceable walk.

2. The saddening probabilities of human life. “In the midst of trouble.” The path is not through flowery meads and under azure skies, but rugged, tempestuous, perilous.

3. The grand support of human life. “Thou wilt revive me.” The support is all-sufficient, the only effective and ever available. (Homilist.)

Open praise and public confession

David was vexed with rival gods, as we are with rival gospels. Nothing is more trying to the soul of a true man than to be surrounded with vile counterfeits, and to hear these cried up, and the truth treated with contempt. How will David act under the trial? For so should we act. He will--

I. Sing with whole-hearted praise (verse 1).

1. His song would openly show his contempt of the false gods: he would sing whether they were there or no. They were such nothings that he would not change his note for them.

2. It would evince his strong faith in the true God. In the teeth of the adversary he glorified Jehovah. His enthusiastic whole-hearted song was better than denunciation or argument.

3. It would declare his joyful zeal for God: he sang to show the strong emotion of his soul. Others might be pleased in Baal, he greatly rejoiced in Jehovah.

4. It would shield him from evil from those about him; for holy song keeps off the enemy. Praise is a potent disinfectant. If called to behold evil let us purify the air with the incense of praise.

II. Worship by the despised rule. “I will worship toward Thy holy temple.”

1. Quietly ignoring all will-worship, he would follow the rule of the Lord, and the custom of the saints.

2. Looking to the Person of Christ, which was typified by the temple. There is no sinning like that which is directed towards the Lord Jesus, as now living to present it to the Father.

3. Trusting in the one finished Sacrifice, looking to the one great Expiation, we shall praise aright.

4. Realizing God Himself.

III. Praise the questioned attributes.

1. Loving-kindness in its universality. Lovingkindness in its speciality. Grace in everything. Grace to me. Grace so much despised of Pharisees and Sadducees, but so precious to true penitents. Concerning the grace of God, let us cling close to the doctrine and spirit of the Gospel all the more because the spirit of the age is opposed to them.

2. Truth. Historic accuracy of Scripture. Absolute certainty of the Gospel. Assured truthfulness of the promises. Complete accuracy of prophecy.

IV. Reverence the honoured word. “Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name.” God has magnified His sure word of testimony beyond all such revelations as we receive through creation and providence, though these declare God’s Name. The Gospel word is--

1. More clear. Words are better understood than nature’s hieroglyphs.

2. More sure. The Spirit Himself sealing it.

3. More sovereign. Effectually blessing believers.

4. More complete. The whole of God is seen in Christ.

5. More lasting. Creation must pass away, the Word endures for ever.

6. More glorifying to God. Specially in the great Atonement.

V. Prove it by personal experience. “In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me,” etc. He had used his knowledge of God derived from the Word.

1. By offering prayer. “I cried.” What do men know of the truth and grace of God and the virtue of His Word if they have never prayed?

2. By narrating the answer. “Thou answeredst me,” etc. We are God’s witnesses, and should with readiness, care, frequency, and courage testify what we have seen and known.

3. By exhibiting the strength of soul which was gained by prayer. This is good witness-bearing. Show by patience, courage, joy, and holiness what the Lord has done for your soul. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Whole-hearted praise before the world

He who praises God with his whole heart is like a man on fire, he is terrible to the adversaries of the Most High. When the great Spanish Armada was ready to swoop down upon the English coast, our brave Admiral Drake took some of his small ships, and placed them where the wind would carry them right among the Spanish fleet. He filled the vessels with combustible material, and set them alight. Then the wind just took the fire ships and drifted them up against the Spanish galleons that floated high out of the water, and exposed a vast surface to the air, and one and another of the big unwieldy monsters were soon in a blaze, and a great victory was won without a blow being struck. So, I like to get a red-hot Christian, full of music and praise unto Jehovah, and just let him go, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, right into the middle of the adversaries of truth. They cannot make him out, they do not know how to handle a man of fire. It was a wise plan, this of David, of getting in among the heathen gods and singing to the praise of Jehovah. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Courage in praising God

Singing unto Jehovah before the gods was good for David’s own soul. It is perilous to attempt a secret fidelity to God, it is so apt to degenerate into cowardice. A converted soldier tried at first to pray in bed, or in some secret corner, but he found it would not do; he must kneel down in the barrack-room before the others, and run the gauntlet of the men’s remarks; for until he had done so he had not taken his stand and he felt no peace of mind. It is needful for our spiritual health that we come out distinctly upon the Lord’s side.