The Meaning of Psalms 138:2 Explained

Psalms 138:2

KJV: 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.

YLT: I 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.

Darby: I 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.

ASV: I 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 138:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 138:1-8 - The Most High Regards The Lowly
This is the first of a cycle of Davidic psalms, based on 2 Samuel 7:1-29. God's promised favors are the theme of devout thanksgiving. No idols could have achieved such generous and great results. Even God had outdone Himself by magnifying His word above His name. Prayer had played its part, for in the day that it was offered it had been answered. Even kings in their various spheres would add their praises, Psalms 138:4. Yet this would be only the beginning of wonders. God can never rest with an incomplete or an unfinished work. When He puts His hand to the salvation of a soul, He pledges Himself to perfect the good work until the day of Jesus Christ, Philippians 1:6. Trust God, amid all disappointment and heartache. He will wipe away all tears, explain all mysteries, and place the topstone on the structure of your life. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 138

1  David praises God for the truth of his word
4  He prophesies that the kings of the earth shall praise God
7  He professes his confidence in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 138:2 mean?

I will worship toward temple Your holy and praise - Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth for You have magnified above all Your name Your word
אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה אֶל־ הֵיכַ֪ל קָדְשְׁךָ֡ וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה אֶת־ שְׁמֶ֗ךָ עַל־ חַסְדְּךָ֥ וְעַל־ אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־ הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל־ כָּל־ שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ

אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה  I  will  worship 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
אֶל־  toward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הֵיכַ֪ל  temple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
קָדְשְׁךָ֡  Your  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה  and  praise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁמֶ֗ךָ  Your  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
חַסְדְּךָ֥  Your  lovingkindness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ  Your  truth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ  You  have  magnified 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
עַל־  above 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שִׁ֝מְךָ֗  Your  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אִמְרָתֶֽךָ  Your  word 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אִמְרָה 
Sense: utterance, speech, word.