Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Psalm 138[a]
Thanksgiving for God’s Favor
1 Of David.
I offer you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;[b]
before the “gods” I sing your praise.
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and I praise your name[c]
for your kindness and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
3 On the day I cried out, you answered me
and granted strength to my spirit.
4 [d]All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord,
when they hear the words of your mouth.
5 They will sing of the ways of the Lord:
“How great is the Lord’s glory!”
6 For though the Lord is exalted, he cares for the lowly,[e]
but he remains far distant from the proud.
7 Although I walk in the midst of hostility,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and with your right hand[f] you deliver me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his plan for me.
Your kindness, O Lord, endures forever;
do not forsake the work of your hands.[g]
15 Thus says the Lord God: On the day it went down to Sheol, I closed the deep over it. I stopped its streams, and its mighty waters were held back. I cast gloom over Lebanon because of it, and all the trees of the countryside began to wither. 16 I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall when I hurled it down to Sheol with those who go down to the abyss. All the trees of Eden, the loveliest and the best of Lebanon, were consoled, all that were well watered. 17 Those who dwelt in its shade, its allies among the nations, went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword.
18 Which among the trees of Eden was your equal in glory and greatness? Yet you have been hurled down with the trees of Eden to the world below. You shall lie in the company of the uncircumcised who have been slain by the sword. Thus, it will be for Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord God.
12 We do not dare to rank ourselves or to compare ourselves with any of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they only demonstrate their ignorance. 13 In contrast, we will not boast beyond the proper limits. Rather, we will measure ourselves according to the standard that God laid down for us, which enabled us to reach out all the way to you.
14 We are not overreaching ourselves as we would be if we had not come to you; indeed, we came to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 Neither are we boasting immoderately of the labors of others. Our hope is rather that, as your faith increases, our influence among you will be greater than ever, 16 so that we may preach the gospel to regions beyond you, rather than boasting about work already done in someone else’s region.
17 If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord.[a] 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is really approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
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