Psalms 136

Psalm 136 can be seen as the response to the call of the remnant in the previous psalm to praise the LORD (Psa 135:19-20). This call is connected to the reality of Israel’s restoration in the realm of peace. It is as it is prophesied by Jeremiah that we hear “the voice of those who say, “Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting”” (Jer 33:10-12).

We hear that voice in this psalm, which is characterized by the phrase “for His lovingkindness is everlasting”. This expression reflects the unchanging goodness of the LORD toward Israel. It occurs in every verse of this psalm, that is, twenty-six times. It is an echo that will reverberate through eternity.

This psalm has been called the ‘national anthem’ of the people of God in the realm of peace. The Jews call Psalms 113-118 ’the little hallel’, while they call Psalm 136 ‘the great hallel’ – hallel is praise song. It is a retrospective of the creation and the history of God’s people. Every act in creation and in connection with His people is an occasion to sing His lovingkindness.

All that is mentioned are particularities in which the lovingkindness of God is manifest. The psalmist mentions one particular after another and says of each particular that its origin is God’s lovingkindness and that this lovingkindness is everlasting.

We might list all those particulars and then point out in one sentence that they are all proves of God’s lovingkindness. However, the psalmist does not do that. He mentions the origin of each individual act: the lovingkindness of God. This teaches us that we must have an eye for every detail of the many particulars of God’s action in our lives and the lives of all His own, and that we praise Him for it.

The construction of the psalm indicates that when worshiping God, the psalm is sung as a turn on turn song. We can imagine a cantor singing the line that mentions an act of God and the people responding with the words “for His lovingkindness is everlasting” (cf. Ezra 3:11a; Deu 27:14-26).

The lovingkindness of the LORD is the source of all His actions in creation and in the redemption of His people. He acts in this way because He is good. The occasions for praising Him for His lovingkindness are inexhaustible. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a selection of God’s actions has been made by the psalmist to sing of them.

We may add to this our experiences. We will do so for all eternity. The LORD’s lovingkindness to Israel, God’s earthly people, is evident in creation and in their redemption. As God’s heavenly people, we are joined to the Lord Jesus in heaven (Eph 1:3). We may praise Him on the basis of His work on the cross (Eph 1:7). Through this we are joined to Him in the most intimate way imaginable, namely as a body, the church, to the Head, Christ. We are made one with Him in His death, in His resurrection from the dead (Eph 1:20) and in His glorification (Eph 1:21).

The fact that we have occasion to praise Him is in itself a testimony to the fact that His lovingkindness is everlasting. Every step of our pilgrimage on earth, every new challenge, every new struggle, even our weakness or failure, is an occasion to praise and glorify the LORD because of His lovingkindness, for it is everlasting.

Division of the psalm

The division of this psalm is in the form of a reclining pyramid, with the center, or culmination, the inheritance that the LORD gives to His people in the realm of peace (verses 21-22):
A. Call to give thanks by Israel (verses 1-3)
--B. The Creator of the universe (verses 4-9)
----C. The Redeemer in the past (verses 10-20)
------D. The inheritance for Israel (verses 21-22)
----C. The Redeemer in the present (verses 23-24)
--B. The Sustainer of the universe (verse 25)
A. Call to give thanks by all (verse 26)

The psalm begins with three calls to give thanks to God (verses 1-3). To give thanks means to ‘confess’ or ‘acknowledge’. It is a confessing that goes on continuously, without ever stopping. Thereby, the three great Old Testament names of God are mentioned: “LORD”, Yahweh, (verse 1), “God”, Elohim, (verse 2) and “Lord”, Adonai, (verse 3).

The “LORD” is only and alone in His glory. The LORD is to be compared to no one and nothing. “God” and “Lord” are mentioned in comparison with gods and lords. The first name is in connection with Israel, the second in connection with earthly and heavenly rulers, and third in connection with all who are rulers and exercise influence.

The psalm begins with the call to praise the LORD, Yahweh (verse 1). It is His special Name in connection with His people. The people praise that Name because He is worthy of it, “for He is good”. His goodness is evidenced by His lovingkindness, that is, by His covenant faithfulness. He has not been good just once, or for a certain period of time, no, He is truly, perfectly, completely and eternally good. It is His Being.

His people will experience and acknowledge this perfectly in the realm of peace. They will, while deeply impressed by His goodness, say that “His lovingkindness is everlasting”. It implies that what He does is unchanging, inexhaustible, visible in all His actions, and that the results of His actions endure forever (cf. Ecc 3:14).

The first time the phrase “for His lovingkindness is everlasting” appears in Scripture is in connection with the placing of the ark in the tent that David pitched for it (1Chr 16:1). In response, David gives thanks to the LORD. At the end of that thanksgiving he says, what is written here in verse 1: “O give thanks to the LORD, for [He is] good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting” (1Chr 16:34). The same thing happens when the ark is brought into the temple by Solomon (2Chr 5:4-7,13). And here, in this psalm, it happens when the people have entered into the millennial rest of the promised land and give thanks to the LORD in the new temple (Jer 33:10-11).

God, Elohim, is also due all thanksgiving, for He is “the God of gods” (verse 2). The ‘gods’ are all human powers, good and wrong or false, and all chosen and fallen angels. All those powers were created by Him and are subject to Him. He is far above them. No man or angel can ever challenge His power, let alone ever remove Him from the throne and take away His power. He is the God of gods because His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Giving thanks is also due to the Lord, Adonai (verse 3). He is the sovereign Ruler in the universe He created. He governs and commands all the elements that make up the universe and all life in the universe. There may be many ‘lords’, persons of certain authority, but they are completely subject to Him (cf. 1Cor 8:6; Deu 10:17; Rev 19:16). He governs everything according to His will. He is the origin of all things and brings everything to the destination determined by Him. He does this because His lovingkindness is everlasting.

When the question is asked why God created the heavens and the earth, we read the answer here: because “His lovingkindness is everlasting”. The singing of the wonder of creation begins with the observation that the LORD is the One “who alone does great wonders” (verse 4). No one does and can do that but He “alone” (Psa 72:18).

Everything the LORD does brings the believer to amazement, yes deep amazement. Even as he contemplates creation, the space for man to live (verses 5-6) and the set times (verses 7-9), he recognizes in them the lovingkindness of the LORD.

The LORD does that “alone”. That is not “alone” in the sense of without help from others. Of course, that’s true too. But He does it especially “alone” simply because He is the Only One Who can do it. There is no one else. In addition, the great wonders are not so much an expression of His power, but of His lovingkindness which is everlasting. Power that is based on lovingkindness is not only rare, it is completely unique. Therefore, His lovingkindness is also everlasting.

He is the Only One “who made the heavens with skill” (verse 5). God, in His great wonders concerning creation, demonstrates His skill and wisdom, which He alone possesses (Pro 3:19; 8:24-31; Jer 10:12). When we look to the heavens, we see that His lovingkindness is everlasting. It is an uninterrupted demonstration of His lovingkindness to man, for He has made heaven for man with skill into what he needs.

The same is true of “the earth” which He “spread out … above the water” (verse 6; Gen 1:9; Psa 24:1-2). He caused the earth to emerge from the water as the habitat of man and other creatures. That man and animals feel at home on the earth is the result of the lovingkindness of God. Redeemed man will praise Him for this during the realm of peace.

In verses 7-9, the psalmist turns his attention in particular to the heavens in relation to the earth. He speaks of the “great lights” that God “made” (verse 7; Gen 1:14). Through the great lights, everything on earth is illuminated and man can enjoy all that God has made.

God made “the sun to rule by day” (verse 8; Gen 1:16a) and “the moon and stars to rule by night” (verse 9; Gen 1:16b). These great lights are important to life on earth, both for nature and for orientation. They testify to God’s lovingkindness to all the creatures He has created and especially to His people.

For the LORD made these great lights and the lesser lights in the first place to serve for His people as fixed times (Gen 1:14; Psa 104:19), that is, to determine for them the times of the various feasts of the LORD (Lev 23:2). They are, as it were, the arrangements for the times of meeting between the LORD and His people.

These verses recall Psalm 135 (Psa 135:8-9). In Psalm 135, these are acts that express God’s Name and glory. These same acts are sung here as proofs of His lovingkindness, with each act resulting in a special praise.

It begins with God “who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn” (verse 10; Exo 12:29). This is a more powerful expression than “He smote the firstborn in Egypt” (Psa 135:8). Here God’s judgment comes emphatically on all the Egyptians. Then their resistance broke and they let Israel go, even with many gifts. What God did to the Egyptians is a proof of His lovingkindness to His people, the result of which is forever unchangeable.

After the judgment on the Egyptians, God did the next act showing His lovingkindness: He led Israel out of the midst of the Egyptians (verse 11). After breaking the power of the oppressors, He delivered His people from their oppressors. The deliverance through the Red Sea is described in detail (verses 11-15), for it is a shadow of the coming deliverance of the faithful remnant from the power of the antichrist (Isa 43:16-21).

The people saw that God used His “strong hand” and His “outstretched arm” against the Egyptians and for them (verse 12; Exo 6:6; Deu 5:15; 7:19; 26:8; Jer 32:21). This display of power in judgment on the Egyptians and in favor of His people comes from His lovingkindness to His people. The result of deliverance can never change, it will never end, for “His lovingkindness is everlasting”.

The proofs of God’s lovingkindness does not stop at deliverance. When it seemed that they were facing an insurmountable obstacle and they would be taken captive again, God divided the Red Sea asunder (verse 13; Exo 14:21). Literally it says that He “cut in pieces” the Red Sea, which makes the power of His act even more apparent.

Then God made “Israel pass through the midst of it” (verse 14; Exo 14:22,29). What seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle became a highway. The waters, by the power of God, stood as walls as Israel passed through the sea. This is another special proof of the goodness of God that is eternal.

The concluding evidence of God’s goodness in regard to the redemption of His people is the definitive extermination of His people’s enemies (verse 15; Exo 14:26-28,30). Here it says that God “overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea”. In the description of this event in the book of Exodus, it is not explicitly stated that Pharaoh drowned in the Red Sea; it is stated here. The word “overthrew” is a word used for a tree that shakes off its leaves. It is an act of God’s judgmental power.

That judgment is an act of lovingkindness will be confirmed by all who hate evil and love justice. When persistent evildoers are judged, it is a benefit to society. No injustice is done to the evildoers, for they get what they deserve.

The leading of His people through the wilderness is also an occasion to sing of His lovingkindness, which is everlasting (verse 16). God has wonderfully led His people through the wilderness with its many dangers, thereby caring for and protecting them. He has been their Guide all the way through that “howling waste of a wilderness” (Deu 32:11-12; 8:15; Jer 2:6; Am 2:10). When they look back on it, they burst into this praise.

In Psalm 135, the psalmist has mentioned that God has defeated nations and slain mighty kings (Psa 135:10-11), which foreshadows victory over hostile nations. As noted above, God’s actions in Psalm 135 are actions that express His Name and glory. These mighty acts of God are mentioned again here, but now each individual act is attributed to His lovingkindness:

That He “smote great kings” is due to His lovingkindness toward His people (verse 17).
That He “slew mighty kings” is due to His lovingkindness toward His people (verse 18).
The first example of this is that He slew “Sihon, king of the Amorites” (verse 19). This His people owe to His lovingkindness toward them.
As a second example of this, it is mentioned that He slew “Og, king of Bashan” (verse 20). This His people owe to His lovingkindness toward them.

What is said in these verses is also said in Psalm 135. There it is said in one verse (Psa 135:10), whereas here it is said in two verses because each line of Psalm 135:10 is followed here by the singing of the lovingkindness of God. In verse 21 the emphasis is on the Giver of the heritage and in verse 22 on the recipient of it.

God has taken the land away from the enemies because their land, as well as all the lands of the world, belong to Him (Psa 24:1-2). Therefore, He is free to give a land to whomever He wants, in this case to His people (verse 21). He did not suddenly come up with the idea of giving His people this land, but it has been His purpose from the foundation of the world (Mt 25:34).

Therefore, He has given this land chosen by Him to His people “as a heritage” (verse 22). That people is here called “Israel His servant”. The joy with which He gave the land to His people is expressed here. The purpose also resonates here. He has given the land to His people so that they will serve Him there.

The heritage that the LORD gave to Israel in the past is a foreshadowing of the heritage that the LORD will give them in the future, during the realm of peace. The division of this psalm (see under Introduction) emphasizes that this is its culmination.

In verses 10-20 we read about redemption in the past, while verses 23-24 are about redemption in the present. The LORD is the same yesterday and today and forever. The redemption that the LORD could do in the past, He also can do now.

In verses 23-24 we hear for the first time about the feelings of the psalmist. He speaks of “us” and then does so several more times. He is speaking on behalf of all who belong to God’s covenant people. The psalmist and the people have experienced that the LORD, Who could rescue in the beginning of Israel’s history, can and has done it now. They are impressed with Who God is and what He has done – about which he has written in the preceding verses. He now says as a confession that God “remembered us in our low estate” (verse 23). They had been humbled, disaster had come upon them. But God thought of them and came to them in Christ.

This awareness makes the admiration of God’s lovingkindness that much greater. It does not stop at an impressive description of God in His omnipotence and redemption. That God, Who is so great and has done great wonders, has an eye for the righteous in their “low estate”. This is overwhelming and again an occasion to praise God’s lovingkindness.

In themselves they had no power to deliver themselves from the power of their adversaries (verse 24). But God rescued them from their adversaries. We can think especially of the time of the great tribulation. The adversaries during that time are the antichrist in the land and the king of the North or the Assyrians from abroad. The rescue from those adversaries is a new proof of God’s lovingkindness of which the effects are everlasting and therefore eternally sung about.

What is contained in these verses will be acknowledged by every believer who is aware of his origin and what he has become and received in Christ. He was in the power of sin, the world and the devil, and utterly powerless to free himself from them. Then he was rescued from all those adversaries by the power of God’s love. For that he praises God. Then he was joined to Christ and allowed to share in all the consequences of His work on the cross. For that he also praises God.

Then the psalmist looks around and sees that God’s attention is also on all that lives (verse 25; Psa 104:27-28). He is the One “who gives food to all flesh”. This is also something we can observe every day if we pay attention. He, Who is the Creator (verses 4-9), is also the Sustainer of His creation in this verse (1Tim 4:10). It cannot be otherwise than that when we see Him in this way, we will praise and glorify His lovingkindness. He continues to give that care throughout the time of the realm of peace.

The psalm concludes with the call to “give thanks to the God of heaven” (cf. Gen 24:7). The name “God of heaven” appears frequently in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. These books describe the history of God’s people when God can no longer recognize them as His people. He has had to withdraw into heaven. Even during the time when He is not visibly reigning in a representative on earth, it appears that “His lovingkindness is everlasting”.

In the realm of peace, the God of heaven is also the God of earth. He then fulfills the prayer that His will would be done as it is in heaven, so also on earth (Mt 6:10). Heaven and earth are then in harmony with each other. The blessing of heaven is spread over the earth. Then all who partake of the blessing on earth will say it: “For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

The first three verses of this psalm are a call to the people of Israel to bless. Now, at the end of the psalm, the call to give thanks to God goes out to all people.