Psalms 136:2-12

2 Give thanks to the 1God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the 2Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
4 To Him who 3alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
5 To Him who 4made the heavens 5with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
6 To Him who 6spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
7 To Him who 7made the great lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
8 The 8sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
9 The 9moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
10 To Him who 10smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
11 And 11brought Israel out from their midst, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
12 With a 12strong hand and an 13outstretched arm, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalms 136:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 136

This psalm was very probably composed by David, and given to the Levites to sing every day, 1Ch 16:41. Solomon his son followed his example, and made use of them in singing at the dedication of the temple, 2Ch 7:3,6; as Jehoshaphat seems to have done when he went out to war against his enemies, 2Ch 20:21. The subject of it is much the same with the preceding psalm; its composition is very singular; the half of every verse: in it is, "for his mercy endureth for ever"; this is the burden of the song; and the design of it is to show, that all blessings of every kind flow from the grace, goodness, and mercy of God, which is constant and perpetual; and to impress a sense of it upon the minds of men: the inscription of the Syriac version is,

``it is said of Moses and Israel praising the Lord for those who were delivered; and concerning the deliverance of souls out of hell from Pharaoh, the devil, by Christ our Saviour, the Redeemer of them.''

R. Obadiah says it is an exhortation to the children of God in the days of the Messiah to praise the Lord.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Deuteronomy 10:17
  • 2. Deuteronomy 10:17
  • 3. Deuteronomy 6:22; Job 9:10; Psalms 72:18
  • 4. Genesis 1:1
  • 5. Psalms 104:24; Proverbs 3:19; Jeremiah 10:12; Jeremiah 51:15
  • 6. Gen 1:2, 6, 9; Psalms 24:2; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24; Jeremiah 10:12
  • 7. Genesis 1:14-18; Psalms 74:16
  • 8. Genesis 1:16
  • 9. Genesis 1:16
  • 10. Exodus 12:29; Psalms 78:51; Psalms 135:8
  • 11. Exodus 12:51; Exodus 13:3; Psalms 105:43
  • 12. Exodus 6:1; Exodus 13:9; 1 Kings 8:42; Nehemiah 1:10; Psalms 44:3; Jeremiah 32:21
  • 13. Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 5:15; Deuteronomy 7:19; Deuteronomy 9:29; Deuteronomy 11:2; 2 Kings 17:36; 2 Chronicles 6:32; Jeremiah 32:17

Footnotes 5

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