Sabbath, May 10, 2008
Psalm 138:1-5
138:1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord. (ESV)
by Linda Harris
Psalm 138:1 reads in the New International Version, “Before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise.” In other translations, “gods” is not in quotation marks, but it seems appropriate here. The Bible states emphatically that there are no other gods than God Almighty, Yahweh. But people have always had other “gods,” whether physical idols or anything more important than God.
“Do not have other gods besides Me” (Exodus 20:3, HCSB). What has become greater than God in your life? Would you be willing to give it up if God required it? Reaffirm to him today that he is your first priority.
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2008, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service .
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