Psalms 138:7

7 When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me.

Psalms 138:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 138:7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble
Trouble attends the best of men; both outward and inward trouble, from sin, Satan, and the world; yea, they are in the midst of it, surrounded with it; and it is a way in which they walk through this world, and enter the kingdom of heaven; it is continued unto them; it is a long walk, and yet will have an end; see ( Psalms 23:4 ) ;

thou wilt revive me;
preserve his life amidst all his troubles, support him under them, make him cheerful and fearless; revive his work of grace in him, quicken him to the lively exercise of grace, and fervent discharge of duty: this the Lord does by his gracious presence, by the discoveries of his love, and by the application of precious promises;

thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies;
to stop and restrain it; which he can easily do, when most violent and outrageous, ( Psalms 76:10 ) . Or, "against the nose of mine enemies" F23; strike them on the nose, as men do unruly horses to stop them: or give a slap on their face with the left hand, as Arama observes, the right being after mentioned;

and thy right hand shall save me;
for that has saving strength in it, ( Psalms 20:6 ) . This may be understood of Christ, who is not only the man of his right hand, but is the right hand of his righteousness; by whom he saves his people with a spiritual and eternal salvation, as well as with a temporal one, ( Isaiah 41:10 ) ( Hosea 1:7 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (ybya Pa le) "super nasum inimicorum meorum", Montanus, Tigurine version; so Gussetius; "in faciem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Psalms 138:7 In-Context

5 They'll sing of what you've done: "How great the glory of God!"
6 And here's why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.
7 When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, With your other hand save me.
8 Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal - don't quit on me now.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.