Psalms 136:1-6

1 ¹Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, ²for his steadfast love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to ³the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to ⁴the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone ⁵does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;

5 to him who ⁶by understanding ⁷made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;

6 to him who ⁸spread out the earth ⁹above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Psalms 136:1-6 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

• 1. Psalms 106:1; Psalms 107:1; Psalms 118:1
• 2. See 1 Chronicles 16:41
• 3. Deuteronomy 10:17
• 4. [See ver. 2 above]
• 5. See Psalms 72:18
• 6. Proverbs 3:19; Jeremiah 10:12; Jeremiah 51:15
• 7. See Genesis 1:1
• 8. Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24
• 9. Psalms 24:2