1 Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever.
2 Oh give thanks unto the God of gods; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever.
3 Oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
5 To him that by understanding made the heavens; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
6 To him that spread forth the earth above the waters; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
7 To him that made great lights; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
10 To him that smote Egypt in their first-born; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
13 To him that divided the Red Sea in sunder; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
16 To him that led his people through the wilderness; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
17 To him that smote great kings; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
18 And slew famous kings; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites; For his lovingkindness `endureth' forever;
20 And Og king of Bashan; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
21 And gave their land for a heritage; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
22 Even a heritage unto Israel his servant; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
23 Who remembered us in our low estate; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;
24 And hath delivered us from our adversaries; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever:
25 Who giveth food to all flesh; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever.
26 Oh give thanks unto the God of heaven; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 136
Commentary on Psalms 136 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 136
The scope of this psalm is the same with that of the foregoing psalm, but there is something very singular in the composition of it; for the latter half of each verse is the same, repeated throughout the psalm, "for his mercy endureth for ever,' and yet no vain repetition. It is allowed that such burdens, or "keepings,' as we call them, add very much to the beauty of a song, and help to make it moving and affecting; nor can any verse contain more weighty matter, or more worthy to be thus repeated, than this, that God's mercy endureth for ever; and the repetition of it here twenty-six times intimates,
Psa 136:1-9
The duty we are here again and again called to is to give thanks, to offer the sacrifice of praise continually, not the fruits of our ground or cattle, but the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name, Heb. 13:15. We are never so earnestly called upon to pray and repent as to give thanks; for it is the will of God that we should abound most in the most pleasant exercises of religion, in that which is the work of heaven. Now here observe,
Psa 136:10-22
The great things God for Israel, when he first formed them into a people, and set up his kingdom among them, are here mentioned, as often elsewhere in the psalms, as instances both of the power of God and of the particular kindness he had for Israel. See Ps. 135:8, etc.
Psa 136:23-26
God's everlasting mercy is here celebrated,