Psalm 138 3

Psalm 138:3 kjv

In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

Psalm 138:3 nkjv

In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

Psalm 138:3 niv

When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.

Psalm 138:3 esv

On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.

Psalm 138:3 nlt

As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength.

Psalm 138 verses

Psalm 138 3 Meaning

Psalm 138:3 expresses the psalmist's personal testimony and praise to God, acknowledging His faithful and immediate response to prayer. When the psalmist cried out in distress, God not only heard and answered but also instilled a profound inner strength and courage within his very being, transforming fear into boldness.

Psalm 138 3 Context

Psalm 138 is a psalm of thanksgiving by David, likely after a significant divine intervention or deliverance. The psalmist expresses deep gratitude to God for His faithfulness and answers to prayer, particularly His steadfast love (chesed) and truth ('emet). The verses immediately preceding (Ps 138:1-2) establish the psalmist's public praise and worship, specifically mentioning bowing before God's holy temple. Verse 3 directly follows this posture of worship, recounting a specific instance of answered prayer, highlighting God's immediate and transformative power. The chapter continues to praise God for His sovereignty, care for the humble, and promises to uphold His covenant, reaffirming the foundation of David's kingship and the future of God's people. Historically, David often faced dire situations, and this psalm reflects the consistent divine support he experienced, reinforcing his trust in God's promises amidst ongoing challenges.

Psalm 138 3 Word analysis

• On the day I called: (Hebrew: B'yom qarati - בְּיוֹם קָרָאתִי).
  • B'yom (בְּיוֹם): "On the day," denotes a specific, opportune, and often immediate moment, rather than a prolonged period. It suggests a critical juncture where divine intervention was desperately sought and directly experienced.
  • Qarati (קָרָאתִי): "I called" or "I cried out," from the root qara (קרא). This verb implies an earnest, fervent, and often desperate plea to God, not just a casual request. It denotes a summoning, an appeal to a higher authority, acknowledging complete dependence. It emphasizes the active initiative of the psalmist in prayer.
• You answered me: (Hebrew: Anitani - עָנִיתָנִי).
  • Anitani (עָנִיתָנִי): "You answered me," from the root anah (ענה). This is a direct, personal, and active verb. It highlights God's responsiveness and attentiveness to His servant's cries. The suffix '-tani' (תָנִי) signifies a direct action by God to me, emphasizing the personal and relational aspect of God's interaction with the psalmist. It denotes effective and immediate divine intervention, not just hearing but providing a solution.
• You made me bold: (Hebrew: Tarhibeni - תַּרְהִיבֵנִי).
  • Tarhibeni (תַּרְהִיבֵנִי): From the root rachav (רחב), meaning to broaden, enlarge, make spacious. While often translated as "made bold" or "inspired courage," the deeper meaning of rachav suggests the removal of constriction or narrowness. This is a profound transformation. It implies liberation from a state of distress, fear, or anxiety, expanding the inner being and providing an enlarged capacity for confidence and freedom. It's not just a boost of confidence but a fundamental reshaping of one's emotional and spiritual landscape, turning inner crampedness into spaciousness. This echoes concepts like "a broad place" in other psalms (e.g., Ps 18:19).
• with strength: (Hebrew: Be'oz - בְּעֹז).
  • Be'oz (בְּעֹז): "With strength" or "by might," from the root oz (עז). This refers to divine power, might, vigor, or prowess. It specifies the nature of the boldness – it's not a mere psychological trick or self-reliance, but a God-given, divinely-sourced inner fortitude. This strength empowers and capacitates the individual.
• in my soul: (Hebrew: B'nafshi - בְּנַפְשִׁי).
  • B'nafshi (בְּנַפְשִׁי): "In my soul," from nephesh (נפש), referring to the very core of one's being, life, self, spirit, emotions, or inner man. This indicates that the transformation wrought by God was not superficial or external but penetrated the deepest parts of the psalmist's identity. The strength infused by God affected his deepest convictions, courage, and spiritual resilience, providing holistic renewal.

Words-group analysis:

• "On the day I called, You answered me": This phrase establishes a direct causal link between the act of calling in prayer and God's immediate and personal response. It highlights the efficacy of sincere prayer and God's readiness to engage with His supplicants. This sequence forms the core testimony of the psalmist's experience.
• "You made me bold with strength in my soul": This part describes the outcome and nature of God's answer. It is a transformative work that instills not just external aid, but an internal shift. The "boldness" rooted in "strength" indicates divine empowerment, leading to inner liberation and spiritual resilience. The emphasis on "in my soul" signifies the depth of this renewal, touching the very essence of the psalmist's being, addressing deep-seated fears and anxieties at their root.

Psalm 138 3 Bonus section

The concept of God "enlarging" or "making spacious" one's soul (implied in Tarhibeni) is a powerful theme in the Psalms, signifying deliverance from affliction and the bestowal of freedom and comfort (e.g., Ps 18:19, 31:8, 118:5). It contrasts with the experience of being "cramped" or "distressed" (e.g., Ps 25:17). This divine action directly addresses inner turmoil, showing God's concern for our psychological and spiritual well-being, not just physical safety. Furthermore, the psalmist's boldness in public worship and praise in the opening verses is a direct outflow of this inner strengthening experience described in verse 3. His ability to praise God before kings and gods (Ps 138:1) is enabled by the deep, personal empowerment received from God in prayer.

Psalm 138 3 Commentary

Psalm 138:3 is a profound statement of personal encounter with God's faithfulness and transforming power. It testifies to the reality that prayer is not merely a human utterance into the void, but a direct appeal to a God who actively listens and responds. The psalmist's testimony of crying out and God's immediate answer ("On the day I called, You answered me") serves as a bedrock of assurance for all who pray. What makes God's answer so impactful here is its internal effect: "You made me bold with strength in my soul." This isn't just about external circumstances changing, but a radical internal shift. The original Hebrew word for "bold" (related to rachav, to enlarge) conveys a spiritual liberation from distress, a widening of the inner being that banishes fear and infuses divine courage. This "strength" is not self-generated human fortitude, but God-given might (oz), directly imparted to the "soul" (nephesh), affecting one's deepest core. The verse therefore describes a holistic transformation—from a state of constriction, anxiety, or weakness to one of expansive confidence and courage, all initiated and sustained by the Living God. It teaches us that God’s answers to prayer often include empowering us inwardly to face challenges rather than just removing them.

Examples of practical usage:

• A believer facing an intimidating situation at work or in ministry can lean on this verse, praying for God to instill "strength in their soul" rather than just asking for the situation to disappear.
• When struggling with internal fear or doubt, recalling this verse can be a reminder that God can replace those anxieties with profound, God-given boldness and inner peace.
• It serves as encouragement in times of earnest prayer that even when the external solution is not immediately apparent, God is working within, building resilience and courage.