Psalms 136:13-23

13 To Him cutting the sea of Suph into parts, For to the age [is] His kindness,

14 And caused Israel to pass through its midst, For to the age [is] His kindness,

15 And shook out Pharaoh and his force in the sea of Suph, For to the age [is] His kindness.

16 To Him leading His people in a wilderness, For to the age [is] His kindness.

17 To Him smiting great kings, For to the age [is] His kindness.

18 Yea, He doth slay honourable kings, For to the age [is] His kindness.

19 Even Sihon king of the Amorite, For to the age [is] His kindness.

20 And Og king of Bashan, For to the age [is] His kindness.

21 And He gave their land for inheritance, For to the age [is] His kindness.

22 An inheritance to Israel His servant, For to the age [is] His kindness.

23 Who in our lowliness hath remembered us, For to the age [is] His kindness.

Psalms 136:13-23 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.