Psalms 136:17-26

17 To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures forever;

18 And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever--

19 Sihon king of the Amorites, For His mercy endures forever;

20 And Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever--

21 And gave their land as a heritage, For His mercy endures forever;

22 A heritage to Israel His servant, For His mercy endures forever.

23 Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures forever;

24 And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever;

25 Who gives food to all flesh, For His mercy endures forever.

26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.

Psalms 136:17-26 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.