Psalms 136:6-16

6 To him by whom the earth was stretched out over the waters: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
7 To him who made great lights: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
8 The sun to have rule by day: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
9 The moon and the stars to have rule by night: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
10 To him who put to death the first-fruits of Egypt: for his mercy is unchanging for ever:
11 And took out Israel from among them: for his mercy is unchanging for ever:
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
13 To him who made a way through the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever:
14 And let Israel go through it: for his mercy is unchanging for ever:
15 By him Pharaoh and his army were overturned in the Red Sea: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
16 To him who took his people through the waste land: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.

Psalms 136:6-16 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.

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