Psalm 136:8-18

8 The ¹sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

9 The ²moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

10 To Him who ³smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

11 And ⁴brought Israel out from their midst, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

12 With a ⁵strong hand and an ⁶outstretched arm, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

13 To Him who ⁷divided the Red * Sea asunder, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

14 And ⁸made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

15 But ⁹He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red * Sea, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

16 To Him who ¹⁰led His people through the wilderness, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

17 To Him who ¹¹smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

18 And ¹²slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

Psalm 136:8-18 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. Genesis 1:16
• 2. Genesis 1:16
• 3. Exodus 12:29; Psalms 78:51; Psalms 135:8
• 4. Exodus 12:51; Exodus 13:3; Psalms 105:43
• 5. Exodus 6:1; Exodus 13:9; 1 Kings 8:42; Nehemiah 1:10; Psalms 44:3; Jeremiah 32:21
• 6. 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
• 7. Exodus 14:21; Psalms 66:6; Psalms 78:13
• 8. Exodus 14:22; Psalms 106:9
• 9. Exodus 14:27; Psalms 78:53; Psalms 106:11
• 10. Exodus 13:18; Exodus 15:22; Deuteronomy 8:15; Psalms 78:52
• 11. Psalms 135:10-12; Psalms 136:17-22
• 12. Deuteronomy 29:7

Footnotes

• [a] Or "over the"
• [b] Or "over the"
• [c] Lit "Egypt"
• [d] Lit "Sea of Reeds"
• [e] Lit "in parts"
• [f] Lit "shook off"
• [g] Lit "Sea of Reeds"
• [h] Lit "majestic"