I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
King David thanks the Lord for His steadfast love and faithfulness in answering his prayer. The Lord brought him the help and encouragement he needed at just the right time. David knew that he, or anyone else who had faith in the Lord can be assured that He will answer them and give them peace and strength. The Lord looks down upon the weak and oppressed and lifts them up. He walks with them in the midst of all their crises and tribulations and protects them from all evil.
In response to what the Lord had done for him, David promised Him that He would offer praise in the Temple and before the “gods” which perhaps refers to the idols that others surrounding him worshipped particularly the foreign kings and princes that he had to deal with, all of whom were pagan idolaters. He promised that he would tell them of the greatness and the love of Yahweh who is infinitely superior to any god people worship because he is real and he exists and so he is capable of acting. All other so-called “gods” are either non-existent or else they are rooted in demons and fallen angels who cannot bless, reward or love as Yahweh does. In fact, these other gods are dangerous because, as they are demonic in origin, serve only to destroy the works of the Lord and deceive humans into rejecting God. Our duty as believers is not only to stand up in face of these false idols including those of materialism, wealth, politics, woke ideologies, and power but also to proclaim the glories of Yahweh in the midst of a pagan people so they may worship Him alone.