Life-Study of Psalms, by Witness Lee

More excerpts from this title...

IV. THANKING JEHOVAH
IN THE WORSHIP OF HIS HOLY TEMPLE

The subject of Psalm 138 is the thanking of Jehovah in the worship of His holy temple.

A. For His Lovingkindness and Truth
in Magnifying His Word of Promise
above All in His Great Glory

In verse 1 the psalmist said, "I will give You thanks with all my heart;/Before the gods I will sing psalms to You." The psalmist then thanked Jehovah for His lovingkindness and truth in magnifying His word of promise above all in His great glory (vv. 2-5).

B. For His Regarding the Lowly,
Preserving Him Alive in Trouble,
and Saving Him from His Enemies

In verse 6 the psalmist declared that though Jehovah is high, He regards the lowly. He was assured that in the midst of trouble Jehovah would preserve him and that He would save him from his enemies (v. 7).

Seemingly this psalm does not contain anything significant, but it reveals something precious concerning the psalmist’s intimacy with God. In order to write this short psalm, the psalmist had to be a person who was soaked with God and who was in the divine presence. Only in this way could he be qualified to write such an intimate psalm to the One whom He loved.

V. ASKING JEHOVAH FOR HIS SEARCHING AND TRYING

The subject of Psalm 139 is the psalmist’s asking Jehovah for His searching and trying.

A. God Being Omniscient

Verses 1 through 6 speak of God’s omniscience. For example, the psalmist said that Jehovah understood his thoughts from afar and was acquainted with all his ways. Jehovah knows everything.

B. God Being Omnipresent

In verses 7 through 12 the psalmist continued with a word regarding God’s omnipresence. God not only knows everything—He is also everywhere.

(Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 43, by Witness Lee)