This week, I’ve been consciously looking for reasons to give thanks. I decided to read Psalm 138:1-3 from The Message, because I love how this version of the Bible interprets these three verses regarding praise and thanksgiving. Since the tongue has the power of life and death, I want to fill my mouth with thanksgiving to the author of life. He is always worthy of praise!
The New Living Translation puts Psalm 138:3 this way: As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.
Isn’t that a good reason to be thankful today?
The original Hebrew for the word “embolden” in our declaration is taken from verse three. The NIV actually uses the word “embolden” in verse three. “When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.”
The NLT translates the word as “encourage” and The Message has the phrase “make my life large”.
The Hebrew word is râhab, which is a verb that means to act stormily, boisterously, arrogantly.
How interesting! Plenty of other scriptures teach us that God does not honor pride and arrogance. But he wants us to be confident in him. God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of POWER. The boldness expressed in the promise from Psalm 138:3 could lead people to assume that we are so confident, so secure, so firm in our access to God’s mighty strength that we come across as arrogant. Boldness is not arrogance. Don’t let the devil fool you. He wants you to back down and be wimpy. But God wants to greatly embolden you.
Be thankful, even when you are backed into a corner. Kneel before God and stand tall in the face of lies, knowing that God hears you the moment you call out. He steps in and makes your life large with strength.
This week's scripture: Psalm 138:1-3
 
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