Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20051127.htm

RELISHING THE ESSENCE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
Part II: The Attributes Of God
D. Treasuring The Absolute Truth Of God
(Psalm 138:2 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. Besides being all-knowing (omniscient), besides being present everywhere at the same time (omnipresent) and besides being all powerful (omnipotent), God has marvelously edifying MORAL attributes.
    2. One of His most beloved, priceless and important MORAL attributes is His absolute TRUTH, an attribute David relished and upon which he found great hope for stability in his life (as follows):
  2. Treasuring The Absolute Truth Of God, Psalm 138:2 et al.
    1. The 138th psalm was written following an event or series of events in which David's life had been threatened by mortal enemies, Psalm 138:3a, 7 ESV.
    2. Apparently, the crisis or crises involved had produced great fear in David, but God had emboldened him in the deliverance [cf. Psalm 138:3 where the Hebrew text reads, " . . . You made me bold in my soul with strength," English Standard Version, footnote].
    3. God's deliverance had come in fulfillment of a promise the Lord had given to David, a promise given to him either by a vision or a dream or by a prophet of God or by Israel's high priest, cf. Psalm 138:2c.
    4. Thus, Psalm 138 was David's ode of praise to the Lord for the way God had exalted the reliability of His Word unto David along with all of His other previously revealed infinite divine attributes (as follows):
      1. David claimed He would thank the Lord with his whole heart, Psalm 138:1a.
      2. Indeed, before other false gods or kings (the word, elohim here may mean either one, cf. Bible Knowledge Com., O. T., p. 891), David announced He would sing praise unto the Lord, Psalm 138:1b.
      3. David wrote he would bow in reverence toward the place God had revealed His presence, before the tabernacle, and praise Him for His loyal love (chesed) and reliability (emet ) unto him, Psalm 138:2a; Kittel, Bib. Hebr., p. 1095; Harris, Archer, Waltke, Theol. Wordbook of the O. T., vol. I, p. 305, 52-53.
      4. His REASON for worshiping God with such thanksgiving with his whole heart was that, in a dire crisis (or crises) that had involved a threat (threats) to David's life at the hands of mortal enemies (Psalm 138:8), regardless if he was lowly and his foes arrogant (Psalm 138:6), God had kept His promise to deliver David along with what other attributes God had displayed unto David, Psa. 138:2b:
        1. The phrase, "for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (KJV) or "for you have exalted above all things your name and your word" (NIV, ESV) literally reads from the Hebrew text: " . . . because You have exalted upon ( al) all of Your name -- Your word."
        2. The preposition, al here thus carries the meaning "in excess of," that, in addition to all of the OTHER attributes Lord [as signified in God's name that manifests His Person] that God had revealed unto David in his walk with God, the Lord had ALSO exalted His word by keeping His promise to deliver David from dire trouble! (B. D. B., Hebrew and Engl. Lex. of the O. T., p. 755)
      5. Based on the way God had kept His word and thus exalted its importance and value unto him, David claimed he was sure God would CONTINUE to KEEP His other plans concerning David, including [by way of application] the DAVIDIC COVENANT where God said he would exalt David's kingdom, and complete what God had designed for David's ministry, Psalm 138:8a in light of 2 Samuel 7:5-15.
      6. David then announced God's loyal, steadfast love (chesed) endures forever, Psalm 138:8b, that it applies for future generations without end! (Ibid., Kittel) Thus, God keeps His verbal promises to His people, including those written in Scripture, and that down through all generations, even OURS!
      7. Hence, David closed his psalm by asking God not to forsake the work of His hands. That work would include (a) the words God has written in Scripture that record His promises unto His people and (b) the works those words promise He will perform in behalf of His people!
Lesson: David thanked and praised God for ELEVATING the RELIABILITY of His WORD of PROMISE unto David up right along with all His other infinite divine attributes.

Application: Thus, may we TRUST God to be an INFINITELY TRUSTWORTHY Lord Whose WORD unto us is as INFINITELY SURE as are His OTHER INFINITE divine attributes!