| Psalm 138 | |
|---|---|
| "I will praise thee with my whole heart" | |
| Hymn psalm | |
 The beginning of Psalm 138,Hymne d'action de grâce, folio 84 ofLes Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry,musée Condé, ms.65. The miniature represents a religious spraying holy water on a dignitary who had just entered his church. | |
| Other name |
|
| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 138 | |
|---|---|
| Book | Book of Psalms |
| Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
| Category | Sifrei Emet |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 138 is the 138th psalm of theBook of Psalms, beginning in English in theKing James Version: "I will praise thee with my whole heart". In Latin, it is known as "Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo".[1] The psalm is ahymn psalm.[2]
In the slightly different numbering system used in the GreekSeptuagint version of the Bible and in the LatinVulgate, this psalm isPsalm 137.
The psalm forms a regular part ofJewish,Catholic,Orthodox, andProtestant liturgies. It has often been set to music, by composers includingClaudio Monteverdi,Heinrich Schütz,Marc-Antoine Charpentier,Michel Richard Delalande,Jan Dismas Zelenka,Josef Rheinberger andStefans Grové.
Psalm 138 is the 138thpsalm from theBook of Psalms, which is the first book of theKetuvim ("Writings") in theHebrew Bible, and is also a book of theChristianOld Testament. It is part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 through 145, which are specifically attributed toDavid in their opening verses.[3][4] However, Dunn and Rogerson assert that the psalm was written as an expression of thankfulness after the return fromexile in Babylon.[5] This particular psalm describes that those who are close to God live in reality, and those who believe in human power live in a world of fantasy.[6]
The singer begins with individual thanks for God's lasting love and care. The hope that it will endure forever ends the psalm, framing the middle section which first calls to universal thanks and praise, and then mentions ongoing adversaries and trouble which the singer is sure to overcome with God's help.[7]
Psalm 138 is traditionally recited as a psalm of thanks and gratitude to God.[8][9]
Verse 2 is recited duringSelichot.[10]
Verse 4 is the verse said by the mule inPerek Shirah.[11]
Verses 3 and 8 are recited at the end of theAmidah by people whose names begin with the first letter of the verse and end with the last letter of the verse.[10]
Historically, this psalm was recited or sung at the office ofVespers onWednesdays, according to theRule of St. Benedict.[12][13] In theLiturgy of the Hours, Psalm 138 is recited atVespers on theTuesday of the fourth week of the four weekly liturgical cycle. In the liturgy of the Mass, it is played on the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time of the year,[14] the 5th and the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time of the year.
In theAgpeya, theCoptic Church'sbook of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office ofCompline[15] and the third watch of theMidnight office.[16]
The psalm appeared in a rhymed version in the hymnalGenevan Psalter in the 1551 edition. German versions on the same melody, "Mein ganzes Herz erhebet dich", were published from the 18th century, and are part of Protestant and Catholic hymnals.
Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 138 in German, "Aus meines Herzens Grunde" (From the bottom of my heart) as part of his settings of theBecker Psalter, published in 1628, SWV 243.[17]Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 4 settings, (H.200, H.200 a, H.151, H.225, H.220),Michel Richard Delalande set the psalm in Latin, "Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo", S.48, for soloists, chorus and orchestra in 1697.[18]Henri Desmarets composed a setting for soloists, a five-part choir and orchestra in 1707.[19]Jan Dismas Zelenka wrote 5 settings for soloists, chorus and orchestra, ZWV 70-73 and ZWV 100.François Giroust, one setting in 1764.Josef Rheinberger composed a four-part setting in Latin- "Confitebor tibi Domine" as No. 4 of hisFünf Motetten (Fivemotets), Op. 163, in 1885.[20] The South African composerStefans Grové wrote a setting for children's choir, choir, African drums,marimba, and string orchestra in 2002.[21]
The following table shows the Hebrew text[22][23] of the Psalm with vowels, alongside theKoine Greek text in theSeptuagint[24] and the English translation from theKing James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and theMasoretic Text come from different textual traditions.[note 1] In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 137.
| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ אוֹדְךָ֥ בְכׇל־לִבִּ֑י נֶ֖גֶד אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲזַמְּרֶֽךָּ׃ | (A Psalm of David.) I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. | Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυΐδ, ᾿Αγγαίου καὶ Ζαχαρίου. - ΕΞΟΜΟΛΟΓΗΣΟΜΑΙ σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, καὶ ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψαλῶ σοι, ὅτι ἤκουσας πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός μου. |
| 2 | אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה אֶל־הֵיכַ֪ל קׇדְשְׁךָ֡ וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה אֶת־שְׁמֶ֗ךָ עַל־חַסְדְּךָ֥ וְעַל־אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל־כׇּל־שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃ | 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. | προσκυνήσω πρὸς ναὸν ἅγιόν σου καὶ ἐξομολογήσομαι τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐπὶ τῷ ἐλέει σου καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου, ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνας ἐπὶ πᾶν τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιόν σου. |
| 3 | בְּי֣וֹם קָ֭רָֽאתִי וַֽתַּעֲנֵ֑נִי תַּרְהִבֵ֖נִי בְנַפְשִׁ֣י עֹֽז׃ | In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. | ἐν ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπικαλέσωμαί σε, ταχὺ ἐπάκουσόν μου· πολυωρήσεις με ἐν ψυχῇ μου δυνάμει σου. |
| 4 | יוֹד֣וּךָ יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־מַלְכֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י שָׁ֝מְע֗וּ אִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃ | All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. | ἐξομολογησάσθωσάν σοι, Κύριε, πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἤκουσαν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός σου. |
| 5 | וְ֭יָשִׁירוּ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּֽי־גָ֝ד֗וֹל כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָֽה׃ | Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. | καὶ ᾀσάτωσαν ἐν ταῖς ᾠδαῖς Κυρίου, ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ δόξα Κυρίου, |
| 6 | כִּי־רָ֣ם יְ֭הֹוָה וְשָׁפָ֣ל יִרְאֶ֑ה וְ֝גָבֹ֗הַּ מִמֶּרְחָ֥ק יְיֵדָֽע׃ | Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. | ὅτι ὑψηλὸς Κύριος καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορᾷ καὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν γινώσκει. |
| 7 | אִם־אֵלֵ֤ךְ ׀ בְּקֶ֥רֶב צָרָ֗ה תְּחַ֫יֵּ֥נִי עַ֤ל אַ֣ף אֹ֭יְבַי תִּשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וְת֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ | Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. | ἐὰν πορευθῶ ἐν μέσῳ θλίψεως, ζήσεις με· ἐπ᾿ ὀργὴν ἐχθρῶν μου ἐξέτεινας χεῖράς σου, καὶ ἔσωσέ με ἡ δεξιά σου. |
| 8 | יְהֹוָה֮ יִגְמֹ֢ר בַּ֫עֲדִ֥י יְ֭הֹוָה חַסְדְּךָ֣ לְעוֹלָ֑ם מַעֲשֵׂ֖י יָדֶ֣יךָ אַל־תֶּֽרֶף׃ | The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. | Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου μὴ παρίδῃς. |
Alexander Kirkpatrick notes that the object of the psalmist's praise is not named, nor is it necessary that the LORD should be named, although in certain "ancient versions", "the Lord" is added.[26] Among modern translations, theNew Revised Standard Version and theModern English Version add "O Lord".[27]
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