Psalm 136

Psalm 136 belongs to Book Five of the Psalms. The preceding psalm, Psalm 135, also praises God by recalling creation, the Exodus, and the victories over Sihon and Og; Psalm 136 retells the same history in refrain form.

Outline

• Verses 1–3: A call to give thanks to the LORD, the God of gods, and the Lord of lords.
• Verses 4–9: A celebration of creation. God made the heavens and the earth and gave the sun, moon, and stars rule over day and night.
• Verses 10–16: A celebration of the Exodus. God struck the firstborn of Egypt, divided the Red Sea, overthrew Pharaoh's army, and led his people through the wilderness.
• Verses 17–22: God struck great kings, namely Sihon and Og, and gave their land to Israel as a heritage.
• Verses 23–26: God remembered "us" in our low estate and redeemed us from our enemies; the psalm closes by calling for thanks to the God of heaven, who gives food to all flesh.

Key Verses

• Psalm 136:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." This verse states the theme of the entire psalm.
• Psalm 136:23 "Who remembered us in our low estate." Here the song of ancient history becomes the confession of the community now singing it.
• Psalm 136:25 "Who giveth food to all flesh." Having sung of Israel's history, the psalm widens its view to God's provision of food for every living thing.

People and Places

• Egypt: The land where Israel was enslaved.
• Pharaoh: The king of Egypt.
• Sihon: King of the Amorites, defeated by Israel east of the Jordan (Numbers 21).
• Og: King of Bashan, likewise defeated east of the Jordan.
• The wilderness: The region through which Israel passed after the Exodus (the forty years in the wilderness).

Points for Reflection

The word "mercy" in the refrain translates the Hebrew hesed, which denotes love that is faithful to the covenant.

Many interpreters hold that the psalm was sung antiphonally, with one person singing the first part of each verse and the congregation responding with the refrain. The same refrain also appears in Psalm 118, 2 Chronicles 7, and Ezra 3. In Jewish tradition this psalm is reportedly called the "Great Hallel" (great praise).

The expression "God of gods" (v. 2) is commonly understood as a comparative expression emphasizing that God is incomparably great.

Interpretations differ on the verses that cite even the slaying of kings as a reason for thanksgiving. Some read them as expressing the faithfulness of God, who keeps his covenant; others read them as reflecting ancient Israel's understanding of its own history.

The psalm is not directly quoted in the New Testament.

In the Korean Church

Because its theme is thanksgiving, it is one of the passages frequently read at Thanksgiving and at Midyear Thanksgiving (the Feast of Harvest). Verse 1 is also widely used in the lyrics of thanksgiving songs.