Psalms 138:1

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

[ A Psalm] of David. I will give thee thanks with my whole heart: Before the gods will I sing praises unto thee.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ אוֹדְךָ֥ בְכָל־לִבִּ֑י נֶ֖גֶד אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲזַמְּרֶֽךָּ׃

Transliteration

Of Dāwid ׀ I will yādāh you with-all-lēb-my; before ʾĕlōhîm I will zāmar you.

Grammar Details

*Dāwid*: prepositional phrase with lamed prefix - belonging to/of David
*yādāh*: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular with 2nd person masculine suffix - I will praise/thank/acknowledge you
*lēb*: masculine singular construct with first person suffix - my heart/mind/inner being
*ʾĕlōhîm*: masculine plural noun - God/gods/divine beings
*zāmar*: Piel imperfect 1st person singular with 2nd person masculine suffix - I will sing/praise/make music to you

Word Meanings

*Dāwid*: David/for David/by David/dedicated to David
*yādāh*: praise/thank/acknowledge/confess
*lēb*: heart/mind/inner self/will/understanding
*ʾĕlōhîm*: God (as plural of majesty)/gods/divine beings/judges
*zāmar*: make music/sing praise/play instruments

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 111:1 : 1 Praise ye Jehovah. I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my whole heart, In the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
Ps 95:3 : 3 For Jehovah is a great God, And a great King above all gods.
Ps 119:46 : 46 I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings, And shall not be put to shame.
John 10:34-36 : 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot {G3756} be broken), 36 say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am [the] Son of God?
Acts 23:5 : 5 And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.
1 Cor 14:15 : 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Eph 5:19 : 19 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Heb 1:14 : 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?
Exod 22:28 : 28 Thou shalt not revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people.
Ps 9:1 : 1 For the Chief Musician; set to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David. I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works.
Ps 82:1 : 1 A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of God; He judgeth among the gods.
Ps 82:6 : 6 I said, Ye are gods, And all of you sons of the Most High.
Ps 86:12-13 : 12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart; And I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy lovingkindness toward me; And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
Ps 96:4 : 4 For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
Ps 103:1-2 : 1 [ A Psalm of David.] Bless Jehovah, O my soul; And all that is within me, [bless] his holy name. 2 Bless Jehovah, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 9:1-2
2 verses
87%
1For the Chief Musician; set to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David. I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works.
2I will be glad and exult in thee; I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High.
Ps 111:1
85%
1Praise ye Jehovah. I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my whole heart, In the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
Ps 86:12
84%
12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart; And I will glorify thy name for evermore.
Ps 138:2
84%
2I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Ps 108:3
82%
3I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the peoples; And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
Ps 118:28
81%
28Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Ps 108:1
80%
1A Song, a Psalm of David. My heart is fixed, O God; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises, even with my glory.
Ps 57:9
79%
9I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the peoples: I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
Ps 18:49
79%
49Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name.
Ps 109:30
79%
30I will give great thanks unto Jehovah with my mouth; Yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
Ps 35:18
79%
18I will give thee thanks in the great assembly: I will praise thee among much people.
Ps 71:22
79%
22I will also praise thee with the psaltery, [Even] thy truth, O my God: Unto thee will I sing praises with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
Ps 119:7
79%
7I will give thanks unto thee with uprightness of heart, When I learn thy righteous judgments.
Ps 69:30
78%
30I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving.
2 Sam 22:50
78%
50Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name.
Ps 145:1-2
2 verses
78%
1[ A Psalm of praise; of David.] I will extol thee, my God, O King; And I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
2Every day will I bless thee; And I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
Ps 146:1-2
2 verses
77%
1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise Jehovah, O my soul.
2While I live will I praise Jehovah: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Ps 30:12
77%
12To the end that [my] glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Jehovah my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Ps 116:17-18
2 verses
76%
17I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of Jehovah.
18I will pay my vows unto Jehovah, Yea, in the presence of all his people,
Ps 7:17
76%
17I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of Jehovah Most High.
Ps 138:4
76%
4All the kings of the earth shall give thee thanks, O Jehovah, For they have heard the words of thy mouth.
Ps 92:1
75%
1A Psalm, a Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto Jehovah, And to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High;
Ps 22:25
75%
25Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
Ps 26:7
75%
7That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard, And tell of all thy wondrous works.
Ps 75:1
75%
1For the Chief Musician; [set to] Al-tashheth. A Psalm of Asaph, a Song. We give thanks unto thee, O God; We give thanks, for thy name is near: Men tell of thy wondrous works.
Ps 101:1
75%
1A Psalm of David. I will sing of lovingkindness and justice: Unto thee, O Jehovah, will I sing praises.
Ps 150:1-3
3 verses
75%
1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.
2Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp.
Ps 56:12
75%
12Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render thank-offerings unto thee.
Ps 34:1
74%
1[ A Psalm of David; when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.] I will bless Jehovah at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Ps 52:9
74%
9I will give thee thanks for ever, because thou hast done it; And I will hope in thy name, for it is good, in the presence of thy saints.
Ps 118:21
74%
21I will give thanks unto thee; for thou hast answered me, And art become my salvation.
Ps 149:1
74%
1Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints.
Ps 57:7
74%
7My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises.
Ps 56:10
74%
10In God (I will praise [his] word), In Jehovah (I will praise [his] word),
Ps 147:1
74%
1Praise ye Jehovah; For it is good to sing praises unto our God; For it is pleasant, [and] praise is comely.
Ps 144:9
74%
9I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
Ps 104:33
74%
33I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
Ps 147:7
74%
7Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving; Sing praises upon the harp unto our God,
Ps 148:1
73%
1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: Praise him in the heights.
Ps 116:12
73%
12What shall I render unto Jehovah For all his benefits toward me?
Ps 135:1
73%
1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye the name of Jehovah; Praise [him], O ye servants of Jehovah,
Ps 113:1
73%
1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise, O ye servants of Jehovah, Praise the name of Jehovah.
Ps 145:10
73%
10All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; And thy saints shall bless thee.
Ps 43:4
73%
4Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy; And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.