Bible Commentaries
Psalms 136

Verses 1-26

Psa 136:1-26

Psalms 136

FOR HIS LOVINGKINDNESS ENDURETH FOREVER

This title we have chosen because that line is repeated in every one of the psalm’s 26 verses as a refrain. It is the only psalm in the Psalter where such a thing occurs.

This off-repeated refrain indicates that the composition, as it stands, was used liturgically, that is, as a kind of ritual in the Temple services, with one group, or perhaps even a soloist, singing or reading the first line of each verse, and the congregation responding in the refrain.

"It is called a Hallel Psalm and was sung at the beginning of Passover. It was a favorite Temple song.”

Most of the scholars whose works we consult in this commentary devote very little space to the discussion of this psalm. There is very little, if any new material in it. It follows very closely the preceding Psalms 135. "It follows very closely Psalms 135 in content through verses 10-18 and quotes directly from it in :19-22.”

Psalms 136:1-26

TEXT OF Psalms 136

"Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Oh give thanks unto the God of gods;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Oh give thanks unto the Lord of Lords;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him who alone doeth great wonders;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him that by understanding made the heavens;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him that spread forth the earth above the waters;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him that made great lights;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

The sun to rule by day;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

The moon and stars to rule by night;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him that smote Egypt in their first-born;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And brought out Israel from among them;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him that divided the Red Sea in sunder;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea;

For his loving kindness endureth forever.

To him that led his people through the wilderness;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

To him that smote great kings;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And slew famous kings;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Sihon king of the Amorites;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And Og king of Bashan;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And gave their land for a heritage;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Even a heritage unto Israel his servant;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Who remembered us in our low estate;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

And hath delivered us from our adversaries;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Who giveth food to all flesh;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Oh give thanks unto the God of heaven;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever."

There is nothing in this psalm upon which we have not already written commentary; and there are very few things which we shall cite here.

"The God of gods" (Psalms 136:2). "The word `gods’ here is a secondary use of the term as is found in Psalms 82:6.” (See our comment in chapter introduction for Psalms 82, above.) As Dr. George DeHoff stated it, "God is the God over priests, spiritual rulers, those in power, including kings and magistrates. He is the Ruler over all the rulers of the earth. This does not have reference to idols. God is not their God.”

"To him that spread forth the earth above the waters" (Psalms 136:6). On this verse, Addis referred to Psalms 24:2 and to Genesis 1:6 f, affirming that, "There was a sea below the earth, another on a level with the earth, and a third `ocean’ above the firmament.” Such a view is based upon a misinterpretation of what the scriptures say. The word is not `ocean’ but `waters.’ What a difference! And if one does not believe that the earth is stretched out over the waters, let him explain why men have been digging wells for countless generations, or let him explain the glorious artesian waters of Balmorhea. We appreciate the discernment of McCaw who wrote, "Happily, the earth is spread above the waters.”

We are conscious that Psalms 24:2 states that the earth is stretched out "above the seas," or "upon seas"; but in that reference it is the altitude of the earth which is above the seas, that is, higher than sea level!

This psalm mentions a number of events found in the Five Books of Moses and the Book of Joshua. For extensive comments on all of these events, we refer to our commentaries on those Bible books.

"Remembered our low estate ... delivered us from our adversaries" (Psalms 136:23-24). To this writer, it appears that these lines are a reference to the Babylonian captivity and God’s deliverance from it. This is certainly suggested by the proximity of the psalm to Psalms 137.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 136:1. Giving of thanks is an oral expression of gratitude for favors received. There are two facts mentioned in this verse for which the Psalmist requested that thanks be given to the Lord, one pertaining to his personal character, the other to his treatment of the people. They are the words good and mercy or at least they indicate the two facts. What is significant about the mercy of the Lord is that it is not just occasional or of brief duration, but it endureth for ever. If at any time the Lord’s mercy ceases to be enjoyed by some person, it will not be because that mercy has run out or run its course or worn out. It will be on account of the shortcoming of the person in that he has failed to meet the terms on which divine mercy is offered. This clause about the mercy of the Lord is identical in the last part of each verse of this chapter, hence no further comment will be offered on it.

Psalms 136:2. See the comments at Psalms 86:12 for the detailed explanation of the name God. He is the only true object of worship, hence the Psalmist declares him to be above the gods whom the heathen worshiped. There is also something significant in the phrase God of gods. It means not only that the true God is greater than all, but he is also in control of all these objects that are falsely called gods.

Psalms 136:3. Lord of lords will have about the same significance as "God of gods" in the preceding verse. It will be well also again to see comments at Psalms 86:12.

Psalms 136:4. The key word in this verse is alone. It denotes that the Lord is independent of all other beings and does things by his own infinite power.

Psalms 136:5. The thought is not that wisdom was the force by which the heavens were made, but that all of the work of the Lord in forming the heavens was wisely done.

Psalms 136:6. Above is from a Hebrew word that has also been rendered "beside" 17 times, and "against" over 100 times. It is the word for "beside" in Numbers 24:6, in the words "beside the waters." The verse evidently means that God stretched out the earth by the side of or in connection with the waters, and each maintaining its own proper place in the order of things. This suggests the statements in Genesis 1:9-10.

Psalms 136:7. The great lights is a general reference to the heavenly bodies whose creation is recorded in Genesis 1:14-18.

Psalms 136:8. To rule means to regulate or measure the day as to the light. In other words, the daylight was to continue as long as the sun was visible.

Psalms 136:9. The moon and stars were to "rule" the night on the same principle that the sun was to rule the day as explained in the preceding verse.

Psalms 136:10. For comments on this event see those at Psalms 135:8.

Psalms 136:11. Brought out Israel was accomplished on the night of the first passover, when the Egyptians forced the Israelites to leave in haste. (Exodus 12.)

Psalms 136:12. Strong hand would indicate the strength of the Lord, and stretched out arm refers to the long reach of that strength.

Psalms 136:13. The parts of the Red Sea were the walls of ice on each side of the passage. See Exodus 15:8 and the comments at that place for furher information.

Psalms 136:14. Passing through the midst of the sea would indicate that a miracle was performed. An army could travel around a body of water without requiring anything but human strengh or that which would be required in the ordinary walks of life.

Psalms 136:15. Both Pharaoh AND his army were destroyed in the sea. See my comments on this subject at Exodus 14:4 in volume 1 of this Commentary.

Psalms 136:16. This short verse refers to the 40-year journey through the wilderness and the original history is in the books of Exodus and Numbers.

Psalms 136:17-18. Great and famous would mean that the kings were not only great in fact, but that it was generally known among the peoples of the country.

Psalms 136:19-20. The original record of the overthrow of these kings is Numbers 21.

Psalms 136:21. The land taken from the above named kings was in the territory that God had promised to the descendents of Abram (Genesis 15:18), so the children of Israel rightfully obtained it as an inheritance (heritage).

Psalms 136:22. Servants may inherit the property of their master if he so wills it. The passage in Genesis 15:18 shows that such a provision was made for these servants.

Psalms 136:23. By the pronoun us David includes himself with the Israelites who inherited the land having been held by those heathen kings. Low estate refers to the time when the children of Israel were wanderers in the wilderness and exposed to the hostility of the heathen living along their route.

Psalms 136:24. Redeemed has an indefinite application. It first occured to the nation when the Egyptians were forced to let Israel go. And it was done many time afterward, when the heathen people sought to conquer them and hinder their travels.

Psalms 136:25. This is too general to admit of any specific detail. In all the earth, wherever there is a creature that lives on food, the hand of God is the provider of it.

Psalms 136:26. The chapter ends about like it began, with a request for the Lord to be thanked for his goodness to the children of men.