Psalms 136:7-17

7 Which made great lights. (Who made the great lights.)

8 The sun into the power of the day. (The sun to have power over the day.)

9 The moon and the stars into power of the night. (The moon and the stars to have power over the night.)

10 Which smote Egypt with the first engendered things of them. (Who struck down the first-born of the Egyptians.)

11 Which led out Israel from the midst of them. (Who led out Israel from their midst.)

12 In a mighty hand, and in an high arm. (Yea, with a mighty hand, and a powerful arm.)

13 Which parted the Red Sea into partings. (Who divided the Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds, in two.)

14 And led out Israel through the midst thereof.

15 And he cast adown Pharaoh and his power, or virtue, in the Red Sea. (And he threw down Pharaoh, and his host, or his army, into the Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds.)

16 Which led over his people through desert. (Who led his people through the wilderness.)

17 Which smote great kings. (Who struck down great kings.)

Psalms 136:7-17 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.