All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh, for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Parallel Translations
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All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh, for they have heard the words of your mouth.
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All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
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All the kings of the earth shall give Thee thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of Thy mouth.
Cross-references (13)
Passages linked to Psalms 138:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 102:15 So the nations will fear Yahweh’s name, all the kings of the earth your glory.
- Psalms 72:11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him.
- Psalms 22:22 I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
- Psalms 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
- Psalms 102:22 when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.
- Isaiah 49:23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Yahweh; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed.”
- Isaiah 60:3-5 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather themselves together. They come to you. Your sons will come from far away, and your daughters will be carried in arms. Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you.
- Isaiah 60:16 You will also drink the milk of the nations, and will nurse from royal breasts. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
- Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
- Revelation 21:24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
- Psalms 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.
- Psalms 69:30-32 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. It will please Yahweh better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs. The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.
- Psalms 71:18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (15 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 4. Let all kings of the earth praise thee…
4. Let all kings of the earth praise thee Here he declares that the goodness he had experienced would be extensively known, and the report of it spread over all the world. In saying that even kings had heard the words of God’s mouth, he does not mean to aver that they had been taught in the true religion so as to be prepared for becoming members of the Church, but only that it would be well known everywhere that the reason of his having been preserved in such a wonderful manner was God’s having anointed him king by his commandment. “Sed hoc ubique fore notum, non alia de causa mirabiliter servatum fuisse a Deo, nisi quod ejus mandate unctus fuerat in Regem.” — Lat.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain All the world shall confess that thou hast wonderfully…
All the world shall confess that thou hast wonderfully preserved me, and performed thy promise.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall…
Psa 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
Ver. 4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee] Such of them as shall read these psalms of my composing; or otherwise shall hear of thy gracious dealing with me, according to thy promise. Such also as shall hereafter be converted to the faith; for though "Not many mighty, not many noble, are called," 1Co 1:26, yet some are, and these shine in the Church like stars of the first magnitude.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain 1. All neighbouring kings; or,
Either,
1. All neighbouring kings; or,
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2. The generality of kings and princes upon earth. And so this is a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, which seems to be confirmed by the next verse, which expresseth their extraordinary joy; and an eminent advancement of God’s glory, which agrees much better to this great occasion, than to that of David’s exaltation to the throne, wherein the other kings of the earth were not much concerned.
The words of thy mouth; either,
1. Thy promises declared unto them by me; or,
2. The gospel preached among them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain All the kings of the earth shall praise thee,…
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord,.... Or "let them confess", or "praise thee" (s); a wish or prayer. Not only the kings known to David, as Kimchi limits it; or that lived in his days, as Hiram and others; but in the latter day, when they shall come to Zion, the church, and be nursing fathers to it, and shall serve and worship the King Messiah, Isa 49:23;
when they hear the words of thy mouth; either the promises of it fulfilled not only with respect to David; but the Messiah, and his church and people, in the latter day, even the glorious things spoken thereof: or the doctrines of the Gospel, which are the words of his mouth, and more desirable than thousands of gold and silver; and which, when kings shall hear so as to understand, they will praise the Lord for them; see Isa 52:15. The Targum is,
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"the words of thy praise.''
(s) "confiteantur tibi", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The kings - A prophecy of the calling of…
The kings - A prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles. Hear - The gospel preached among then.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. All the kings of the earth] Of…
Verse 4. All the kings of the earth] Of the land: all the neighbouring nations, seeing what is done for us, and looking in vain to find that any human agency was employed in the work, will immediately see that it was thy hand; and consequently, by confessing that it was thou, will give praise to thy name.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 138:4-5. All the kings of the earth shall…
Psa 138:4-5. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee — All the neighbouring kings; or, rather, this is a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, and so the generality of the kings of the earth are intended, according to the prediction, Psa 72:11; All kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him; when they shall hear the words of thy mouth — The gospel preached among them. Yea, they shall sing in the ways — Or, of, or, because of the ways, of the Lord; that is, his wonderful counsel and gracious providences toward themselves and others. For great is — Or, great shall be, the glory of the Lord — At that time the worship and glory of God shall not be confined to one small land, as now it is, but shall be extended to all parts of the world.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain All the kings of the earth shall praise thee…
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee ... - That is, kings, princes, and rulers shall learn the words of promise; shall be made acquainted with the words which thou hast graciously spoken, and with their fulfillment, and shall be led to praise thee. This refers to a time, of which frequent prophetic mention is made in the Scriptures, when kings and rulers shall be converted to the true religion, and when they shall act an important part, by their example and influence, in maintaining and diffusing it. Compare Psa 68:31-32; Isa 49:23.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4, 5. The kings of the earth shall praise…
4, 5. The kings of the earth shall praise thee—The words give the moral tendency and intent of this wonderful display of divine mercy, and, as a general thing, its ultimate effect—namely, to cause the nations to confess and praise Jehovah. A result to be fully realized only in gospel times through the unfoldings of the great gospel word.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. All the kings of the earth shall give…
4. All the kings of the earth shall give thanks unto thee, Jehovah] When the kings of the nations hear of Jehovah’s promises to Israel and His fulfilment of them, they will join in the Psalmist’s thanksgiving. Cp. Psa_68:29 ff.; Psa_102:15-16.
4–6. Jehovah’s faithfulness to His promises will evoke the homage of the world.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4, 5) The general sense of these verses is…
(4, 5) The general sense of these verses is plain, though there are slightly different ways of understanding the expressions. The psalmist imagines that the word or promise, which has been so abundantly fulfilled, will, by its performance, convince all the kings of the earth, and bring them in confession and praise to Jehovah. For a Hebrew the expression “hear the words of Thy mouth,” referring in this instance immediately back to Psa_138:2, was synonymous with “see Thy wonders,” since for them “God spoke and it was done.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain All the kings of the earth shall praise thee,…
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord. The world shall be converted to thy worship when it is seen how promptly and fully thou answerest prayer. (comp. Psa_68:31, 32 102:15) When they hear the words of thy mouth. The promises that thou makest, and thy performance of them.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 4. All the kings of the earth shall…
Ver. 4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Kings have usually small care to hear the word of the Lord; but King David feels assured that if they do hear it they will feel its power. A little piety goes a long way in courts; but brighter days are coming, in which rulers will become hearers and worshippers: may the advent of such happy times be hastened. What an assembly! "all the kings of the earth!" What a purpose! Gathered to hear the words of Jehovah's mouth. What a preacher! David himself rehearses the words of Jehovah. What praise! when they all in happy union lift up their songs unto the Lord. Kings are as gods below, and they do well when they worship the God above. The way of conversion for kings is the same as for ourselves: faith to them also cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Happy are those who can cause the word of the Lord to penetrate palaces; for the occupants of thrones are usually the last to know the joyful sounds of the gospel. David, the king, cared for kings' souls, and it will be wise for each man to look first after those who are of his own order. He went to his work of testimony with fall assurance of success: he meant to speak only the words of Jehovah's mouth, and he felt sure that the kings would hear and praise Jehovah.
Ver. 4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee. In a sense sufficiently striking this promise was fulfilled to David, and to the nation of Israel, as surrounding monarchs beheld the wonderful dispensations of divine providence which attended their steps (2Sa 5:11 8:10); but in its completest sense, it shall realize its accomplishment in the future conquests of Messiah, when the princes and potentates of the earth receive his word, learn by divine grace to celebrate the glorious methods of his love, and see in the light of faith the greatness of Jehovah's glory as the God of salvation. "All the kings of the earth" shall yet praise the Lord, and shall hasten with their numerous subjects to hail the triumphs of his grace. John Morison.
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Ver. 4.
1. A royal audience.
2. A royal orchestra.
Ver. 4-5.
1. They who hear the words of God will know God.
2. They who know God will praise him, however exalted they may be amongst men: "All the kings, "etc.
3. They who praise God will walk in his ways.
4. They who walk in the ways of the Lord will glorify him, and he will be glorified in them.
G.R.
Psalms 138:5*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 138:4-5 As the Lord’s glory fills the earth, the…
138:4-5 As the Lord’s glory fills the earth, the world’s population must willingly submit to him. Every king (cp. Ps 2) will join the community of praise as they hear the Lord’s ways of truth and love.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.