Psalm 138

"thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name"

There’s a curious line in Psalm 138:2. A literal rendering of the Hebrew, given above in the KJV, suggests that God’s word is magnified over God’s name. This seems awkward, and perhaps theologically suspect. Consequently, most modern translations insert an “and” (which isn’t in the Hebrew) between “word” and “name.” This leads to a translation like this in the ESV: “for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” As you can see, an “and” is inserted between “name” and “word” causing them to be exalted together, rather than word being exalted over name.

There are some scholars, though, who defend the more literal reading, that the poet really did intend to say that God’s word is greater than His name. Specifically, Psalm 138 is a song of praise for God’s faithfulness and steadfast love. The opening of the song:

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.

In light of this praise, it has been suggested that the singer is saying, in the more literal reading, that God’s promises (God’s word) exceed God’s reputation (God’s name). The idea here is that God’s actions are what constitute God’s name and reputation. God keeping God’s promises is what gives God’s name its reputational status and authority.

A more speculative line of interpretation is that God’s fidelity is greater than we can imagine. We have heard God’s name. We know God’s reputation. But God’s word is greater than our conceptions. An apophatic note is being sounded here. We have in our minds God’s name and God’s reputation. God is a representation in our minds. An idea, a concept. But God’s word, God’s living, active vitality, always exceeds, surprises, and interrupts our prior conceptions. 

And that is the good news of Psalm 138, that when God acts, it always surpasses what we had imagined or conceived.