Psalm 136
1Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. 2Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever. 3Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever; 4to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever; 5to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever; 6to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever; 7to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever; 8the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever; 9the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever; 10to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever; 11and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever; 12with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever; 13to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever; 14and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever; 15but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever; 16to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever; 17to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever; 18and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever; 19Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever; 20Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever; 21and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever; 22even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever; 23who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever; 24and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever; 25who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever. 26Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.
Introduction
Psalms 136
The scope of this psalm is the same with that of the foregoing psalm, but there is something very singular in the composition of it; for the latter half of each verse is the same, repeated throughout the psalm, "for his mercy endureth for ever," and yet no vain repetition. It is allowed that such burdens, or "keepings," as we call them, add very much to the beauty of a song, and help to make it moving and affecting; nor can any verse contain more weighty matter, or more worthy to be thus repeated, than this, that God's mercy endureth for ever; and the repetition of it here twenty-six times intimates, 1. That God's mercies to his people are thus repeated and drawn, as it were, with a continuando from the beginning to the end, with a progress and advance in infinitum. 2. That in every particular favour we ought to take notice of the mercy of God, and to take favour we ought to take notice of the mercy of God, and to take notice of it as enduring still, the same now that it has been, and enduring for ever, the same always that it is. 3. That the everlasting continuance of the mercy of God is very much his honour and that which he glories in, and very much the saints' comfort and that which they glory in. It is that which therefore our hearts should be full of and greatly affected with, so that the most frequent mention of it, instead of cloying us, should raise us the more, because it will be the subject of our praise to all eternity. This most excellent sentence, that God's mercy endureth for ever, is magnified above all the truths concerning God, not only by the repetition of it here, but by the signal tokens of divine acceptance with which God owned the singing of it, both in Solomon's time (Ch2 5:13, when they sang these words, "for his mercy endureth for ever," the house was filled with a cloud) and in Jehoshaphat's time (when they sang these words, God gave them victory, Ch2 20:21, Ch2 20:22), which should make us love to sing, "His mercies sure do still endure, eternally." We must praise God, I. As great and good in himself (Psa 136:1-3). II. As the Creator of the world (Psa 136:5-9). III. As Israel's God and Saviour (Psa 136:10-22). IV. As our Redeemer (Psa 136:23, Psa 136:24). V. As the great benefactor of the whole creation, and God over all, blessed for evermore (Psa 136:25, Psa 136:26).
Cross-references: 2Chr 5:13 · 2Chr 20:21 · 2Chr 20:22 · Ps 136:1 · Ps 136:5 · Ps 136:10 · Ps 136:23 · Ps 136:24 · Ps 136:25 · Ps 136:26