Psalm 136

(1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. 
His love endures forever.
(2) Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
(3) Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

(4) to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
(5) who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
(6) who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
(7) who made the great lights-
His love endures forever.
(8) the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
(9) the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

(10) to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
(11) and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
(12) with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

(13) to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures forever.
(14) and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
(15) but swept Pharoah and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

(16) to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.

(17) to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
(18) and killed mighty kings-
His love endures forever.
(19) Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
(20) and Og king of Bashan-
His love endures forever.
(21) and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
(22) an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.

(23) He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
(24) and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
(25) He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

(26) Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
NIV

Wow, isn’t this just a refreshing responsive reading. Can’t you picture this- the priest reading a line and all the people replying in unison, “His love endures forever!”

Psalm 136 is titled, His Steadfast Love Endures Forever (ESV); Thanks for the LORD’s Goodness to Israel (NASB); Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy (NKJV); and I always love the simple titles from the International Children’s Bible, God’s Love Continues Forever.

The saying “His love endures forever!” is found many times in the Old Testament. It seems that this song or saying was a favorite of God’s ancient people.

Psalm 118 echoes these words. After the ark finally came to Jerusalem, and David first appointed Asaph to minister before the ark and within the tent, he sang these words:

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV

With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, "for his love endures forever."
1 Chronicles 16:41 NIV

Then again, when Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord in Jerusalem:

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,
"He is good; his love endures forever."
2 Chronicles 7:1-3 NIV

No one knows for sure when Psalm 136 was written, nor by whom. Maybe at some point, a priest decided to write all the “give thanks” responses down. Maybe all along people just responded this way. When the priest said, “the Lord has done great things!” The people would always just reply, “He is good; his love endures forever.”

Until finally someone wrote it all down.

As Jeremiah stood within the ruined city of Jerusalem, a captive himself of the Babylonian guard, God spoke to him. The city was destroyed. People were dead or taken away. Yet God made a promise then:

"This is what the LORD says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without people or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever."

For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.
Jeremiah 33:10-11 NIV

God doesn’t call us to praise His name only after He has saved us. He calls us to sing these words in the midst of pain and suffering. In the midst of worry. Or grief. Even when we don’t find any good, we don’t see any good, or when don’t feel thankful, God wants us to sing these words.

A reminder that even in the midst of our suffering or disbelief or hopelessness, God is still working. God is still present. God is still good.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1-3 NLT

The psalmist begins by calling the congregation to give thanks to the Lord for who He is. God of gods. Lord of lords. The psalmist calls upon the LORD (in all capital letters) first with His covenant- YHWH. The Jewish people believed that YHWH (Yahweh) was a name too precious and revered to say out loud even. The Great I Am. He is above all, for He created all.

He is good beyond all others: indeed, he alone is good in the highest sense; he is the source of good, the good of all good, the sustainer of good, the perfecter of good, and the rewarder of good. For this he deserves the constant gratitude of his people. For his mercy endureth forever.

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights-
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136:4-9 NLT

Praise the Lord for His creation. Praise the great Creator God. Everything is in its place, and everything points back to its Creator. From the inner working of the nearly invisible atom to the vastness of the known universe and beyond, all has His signature upon it. And it all shows His character, His heart, and His goodness. He is not a God of carelessness or chaos; He is a God of order and goodness whose perfect plan began with a perfect hand and whose hand keeps all in perfect motion.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1 NIV

God is good. His faithful love endures forever!

Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
He brought Israel out of Egypt.
His faithful love endures forever.
He acted with a strong arm.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
He led Israel safely through,
His faithful love endures forever.
but he hurled Pharoah and his army into the Red Sea.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.
His faithful love endures forever.

Reminders of the God who saves. He saved His people from slavery in Egypt. He protected and provided for them during their many years of wandering in the wilderness, and He brought them through their suffering finally to the Promised Land.

Often in the Old Testament, God reminds His people about the Exodus, when He performed mighty miracles and saved them from Pharoah. Why does He do this?

Because we forget, don’t we? We don’t remember how God saved us. How He came through for us when we needed Him most. When we face a new obstacle or a new worry, we forget the times He was there already. We forget and we cry to Him in fear as if He can’t save us or won’t save us or doesn’t hear us.

But He already has been faithful. So, we remember. He calls His children to remember His faithfulness. Talk about His faithfulness. Tell others of His faithfulness. We need to remember His faithful love.

Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings.
His faithful love endures forever.
He killed powerful kings-
His faithful love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites,
His faithful love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan.
His faithful love endures forever.
God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance-
His faithful love endures forever.
a special possession to his servant Israel.
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136:17-22 NLT

God was faithful then. Won’t He be faithful in this new struggle ahead? Remember the times He was faithful. When you feel afraid or hopeless or faithless, remember the times that God was there for you already.

The psalmist reminds the people, as in Psalm 135, when God led Israel to defeat the kings of the Amorites and take possession of their land along the Jordan River (Numbers 21:21-35). The people remember this great victory because these two kings were mighty men- some say giants even. And their armies formidable. The Israelites did not believe they stood a chance and felt they would be destroyed. But God led them to victory.

Remember what the Lord has done. His faithful love endures forever.

God’s use of history in this psalm is important. As in countless other places in the Scriptures, God used His work in the past to give hope, faith, and confidence to His people both for the moment and for the future.

Pastor David Guzik, http://www.enduringword.com

He remembered us in our weakness.
His faithful love endures forever.
He saved us from our enemies.
His faithful love endures forever.
He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136:23-26 NLT

What a beautiful psalm. A reminder of God’s faithfulness. Whatever you face today, God has brought you to this point. He has been faithful. He will be faithful. He will see you through.

His faithful love endures forever.

Father in heaven, you are good and faithful. You have always been faithful. Help us in our faithlessness. Your faithful love truly does endure forever. Help us to say this and to keep saying it. We love you. We thank you. Strengthen us to do your will this day and always. Amen.

HExoxo