In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.## Introduction - In Plain Language: When I cried out to God, He answered me and filled my inner being with strength. - Big idea: God hears honest cries and gives inner strength that goes beyond outward help. - Key points: - The psalmist remembers a moment of distress when God answered his cry. - God’s help is not only external rescue but strengthening at the soul level. - This verse connects personal prayer with deep inner renewal and public praise. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Psalm 138 is a short song of thanksgiving (commonly ascribed to David) that praises God for answered prayer and faithfulness. Verse 3 is the personal heart of the psalm: a testimony that God responded in a crisis and empowered the speaker from within. - Story timeline: Traditionally placed in the period of the united monarchy or David’s life; audience is the worshiping community and future readers of the psalms. The speaker is the psalmist (likely David), recalling a time of need and God’s faithful response. - Surrounding passage: - Verses before (vv. 1–2): The psalmist vows wholehearted praise in the temple, celebrating God’s steadfast love and faithfulness and exalting God’s name. - Verse 3 (focus): He recalls crying out and God answering and strengthening his soul. - Verses after (vv. 4–6): Nations and kings will praise God; the Lord attends to the lowly, preserves the psalmist in trouble, and saves by His right hand. Verse 8 closes with trust that the Lord will complete His purpose. ## Explanation - Quick take: This verse is a simple, powerful testimony—when I called, God answered; and the help I received strengthened my inner life, not just my situation. - In Depth: - The phrase “In the day when I cried” pictures a specific moment of distress or urgent prayer. In Hebrew, the verb for “cried” often means calling out for help—intense, personal prayer, not a casual request. - “Thou answeredst me” highlights God’s responsiveness. The psalmist testifies that God responds to sincere cries. This counters any idea that God is remote or uncaring. - “Strengthenedst me with strength in my soul” points to an inner empowerment. The help given is not merely a fix to an external problem but a renewal of the psalmist’s inner resources—courage, hope, endurance. The doubling of the idea (strength + soul) emphasizes that the power reached the core of the person. - The verse links to the psalm’s bigger move from private prayer to public praise: because God answered and strengthened him, the psalmist can confidently praise God before others and trust God’s purposes going forward. - Theologically, it affirms both God’s attentiveness to individual pleas and God’s tendency to work inwardly—shaping faith, resilience, and trust—so that believers can stand when challenged. ## Key Words - yom (יוֹם) — “day”: a phrase marking a memorable moment, often a crisis or turning point. - qaraʾ (קָרָא) — “to call”/“cry”: calling out to God for help; urgent prayer. - ʿānâ (עָנָה) — “to answer/respond”: God’s action of replying or intervening on behalf of the petitioner. - ʿōz (עֹז) / nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) — “strength” / “soul”: ʿōz = power or might; nephesh = the inner self, life, or heart—so strength of core being. ## Background - Cultural/historical note: In ancient Israel, public worship in the temple and private prayer were closely linked. Testimonies of God’s past help were common ways to encourage personal and communal trust. Claiming that God answered a prayer and strengthened the soul fits the pattern of psalms used in worship and personal devotion. - Literary note: Psalm 138 is a thanksgiving psalm that mixes private testimony and public affirmation. It fits the psalm tradition of calling to remember God’s past faithfulness as grounds for praise and hope. - Practical note: The image of being strengthened “in my soul” reflects a worldview where emotional and spiritual well-being are as real and important as physical circumstances. ## Theology - God is attentive and responsive to genuine cries for help. - God’s help often includes inner strengthening—renewing courage, faith, and endurance—not only external deliverance. - Personal testimony of answered prayer leads naturally to public praise and trust in God’s ongoing purposes. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: When stress or setbacks overwhelm you, remember that asking God for help can bring inner steadiness to keep making wise decisions and to persevere. - For parents: Kids watch how you respond in crisis. Sharing how God has strengthened you inwardly models reliance on God more than mere problem-solving. - For leaders: Leadership isn’t only about fixing problems; it’s about being sustained inwardly so you can lead patiently and justly. - For seekers/anxious people: This verse is an invitation to bring honest, urgent prayer to God and to expect not just solutions but a renewed inner calm and strength. - Reflection questions: 1. When have you experienced inner strength after turning to God in a hard moment? 2. Do you usually ask God for outward help, inward strength, or both? How might you ask differently? 3. Who could benefit from hearing your testimony of answered prayer? - Short prayer: Lord, when I am overwhelmed, hear my cry and strengthen my heart; help me to stand firm in You. ## Translation Comparison - KJV: “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” - NIV: “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.” - ESV: “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” - NLT: “You heard me when I called to you. You encouraged me and made me strong.” - Why differences matter: Translators must choose how to render words like “strength” and “soul” and how literal to be about the phrase. KJV keeps a formal, doubled phrasing (“strengthenedst me with strength in my soul”), while NIV and NLT paraphrase the effect (bold, encouraged). ESV stays closer to the literal image of increased “strength of soul.” These choices shape whether readers hear a concrete inner power (ESV/KJV) or the practical results—boldness, courage (NIV/NLT). ## FAQs - Q: Does Psalm 138:3 mean God will always answer every prayer the way I want? A: Not necessarily. Psalm 138:3 is a testimony: in one particular moment the psalmist cried out and experienced God’s answer and inner strengthening. The Bible contains many honest examples where God answers differently—sometimes “no,” sometimes “not yet,” sometimes with a changed heart instead of changed circumstances. This verse assures us of God’s attentiveness and his willingness to strengthen the inner life of those who call. It invites trust, not a promise of uniform outcomes. We read it best as encouragement that God listens and can provide the internal resources (hope, courage, perseverance) needed to face life’s trials, even when external situations remain difficult. - Q: What does “strengthened me with strength in my soul” actually mean—was it emotional, spiritual, or physical strength? A: The phrase points primarily to inner strength—what the Bible often calls the soul, heart, or inner life. That includes emotions, will, courage, and spiritual resilience. The help could have emotional effects (less fear), spiritual effects (renewed trust), and even practical effects (energy to act). The emphasis, though, is that God’s help reached the core of the person, not only solving an outside problem. In the psalm literary context, inner strengthening enables the speaker to praise publicly, face enemies, and continue trusting God’s long-term purposes. ## Cross References - Psalm 34:4 — “I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Similar testimony of answered prayer and relief.) - Psalm 18:6 — “In my distress I called to the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice…” (Crying out and God’s attentive rescue.) - Isaiah 40:29 — “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” (God strengthens the weary.) - Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (New Testament reflection on God’s empowering presence.) - Psalm 46:1 — “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (God as reliable source of strength.) ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Most commentators treat Psalm 138 as an individual psalm of thanksgiving that moves from private memory (God answered me) to public confidence (kings will praise, God fulfills his purpose). Verse 3 is read as the turning point: personal reliance on God leads to public proclamation. Themes highlighted by scholars include the temple setting, the idea of God’s exaltation with regard for the lowly, and the interplay of inward strengthening and outward deliverance. - Group study bullets: - Share a personal story of a time you felt inwardly strengthened—what changed afterward? - Compare translations of verse 3 aloud—how does wording affect your understanding? - Discuss: Are you asking God mainly for external solutions or inner strength? What would change if you asked more for the latter? - Pray and then spend two minutes in silence, inviting God to strengthen your soul; share any impressions. ## Related verses (to compare and contrast — and why) - Psalm 34:4 — Compare: both are personal testimonies of God answering prayer; contrast: Psalm 34 emphasizes deliverance from fear, while Psalm 138 highlights inner strengthening. - Psalm 18:6 — Compare: both recall crying out in distress and being heard; contrast: Psalm 18 is more martial and dramatic in rescue imagery; Psalm 138 focuses on inner renewal and public praise. - Isaiah 40:29 — Compare: both speak of God giving strength; contrast: Isaiah addresses God’s strength for the weak broadly, while Psalm 138 is a personal thanksgiving for a specific answered cry. ## Talk to the Bible Try the ‘Talk To The Bible’ feature to explore this verse further. Suggested prompts: - “Show me other psalms where the writer says God strengthened their soul—how do they compare to Psalm 138:3?” - “What does the Hebrew imagery in Psalm 138:3 tell us about the nature of prayer and inner strength?” - “Give a short personal reflection I could share in a small group about how God has strengthened my soul.”
