Psalm 136
This is an antiphonal psalm, prepared to be used by a worship leader and a choir, or a worship leader and the congregation, or perhaps two choirs. The rabbis called it "The Great Hallel" (praise). The psalm reviews God's dealings with His people and turns history into theology and theology into worship. If our worship is not based on history—what God had done in this world— then it lacks a theological message and is not true worship at all. The refrain is a familiar one. It was sung at the dedication of Solomon's temple (2 Chron. 7:3, 6) and also by King Jehoshaphat's singers when Judah was attacked by Moab and Ammon (2 Chron. 20:21). (See also 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29.) The divine title "the God of heaven" (v. 26) suggests a postexilic date, for "God of heaven" was a title used frequently in that period (Ezra 1:2; 5:11–12; 6:9–10; 7:12, 21, 23; Neh. 1:4; 2:4; Dan. 2:18, 19, 44). The focus is on giving thanks to God for who He is and what He has done for His people.
The Lord Is Compassionate—He Vindicates His People (vv. 13–14) The name of Jehovah is glorious and renowned; it is everlasting. Few people today think or speak about the gods of the past, but the name of the Lord God is still revered. One poet wrote, "The great god Ra whose shrines once covered acres / Is filler now for crossword puzzle makers." People who take comparative religions courses in school recognize the names of the ancient gods and goddesses, but one does not have to go to university to know the name of Jehovah God or of Jesus. Yet this glorious God, whose name will live forever, has compassion for lost sinners and for His people. Many times during their history, the Israelites were rescued and vindicated by the Lord as He put their enemies to shame. (See 102:12; Ex. 3:15; Deut. 32:26; Heb. 10:30.)
The Creator—He Brings Forth (vv. 1–9) The God of Israel is Jehovah, the God of the covenant, and He is good and merciful. The nations had their gods and lords (1 Cor. 8:5–6), but Jehovah alone is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. The dead gods of the nations (135:15–18) could never do the wonders that the Lord did, nor were they good and full of mercy (lovingkindness, covenant love, steadfast love). The apostle Paul joined mercy and grace in 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, and Titus 1:4, and so did John (2 John 3) and Jude (Jude 2). God in His mercy does not give us what we do deserve, and in His grace, He gives us what we do not deserve, all for the sake of Jesus Christ. No wonder the psalmist gave thanks to the Lord!
The Lord Is the True and Living God—He Cares for Us (vv. 15–18) With minor changes, these verses are quoted from
The psalmist started at the beginning of time with the creation of the universe, recorded in Genesis 1. The