Pastor John Mochel

March 20

Reading: Psalm 136

1   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

     for his steadfast love endures forever.

2   Give thanks to the God of gods,

     for his steadfast love endures forever.

3   Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

4   to him who alone does great wonders,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

5   to him who by understanding made the heavens,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

6   to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

7   to him who made the great lights,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

8   the sun to rule over the day,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

9   the moon and stars to rule over the night,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

 

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

11 and brought Israel out from among them,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

17 to him who struck down great kings,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

18 and killed mighty kings,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

20 and Og, king of Bashan,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

21 and gave their land as a heritage,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

22 a heritage to Israel his servant,

     for his steadfast love endures forever.

 

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

24 and rescued us from our foes,

     for his steadfast love endures forever;

25 he who gives food to all flesh,

     for his steadfast love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,

     for his steadfast love endures forever.

 

Psalm 136 is a close cousin to Psalm 135.  Both praise the Lord for His goodness.  Both commemorate God’s faithfulness and power in rescuing Israel from Egypt.  Both feature Pharaoh, Sihon, and Og, enemies of Israel.  But stylistically they are very different.  In Psalm 135 the praise of the Lord was set against the worthlessness of idolatry.  In Psalm 136 repetition serves to emphasize the “hesed” of the Lord.

The reader cannot miss the main point of this psalm.  It is repeated 26 times over.  “For His steadfast love endures forever.”  I like to tell people that I have half this psalm memorized.  The words “steadfast love” are a translation of the Hebrew word “hesed.”  This is an extremely important word in the Old Testament.  It is the most common character quality of God mentioned in the Bible.  “Hesed” describes God who is faithful to His covenant promises because He loves those that He has covenanted together with, His treasured possession.  The word refers to God’s covenant fidelity.  It endures forever.

How do we know this?  Here we come to the narrative aspect of this psalm.  We know that God is lovingly faithful to His covenant promises for three great reasons:

  1. Because of His awesome and good creation. (vss. 1-9)
  2. Because of how He rescued Israel from all enemies and gave His people a land of their own. (vss. 10-22)
  3. Because, even now, today, He rescues us and provides for us. (vss. 23-26)

Do you ever think of God’s creation as an expression of God’s love for you and a demonstration of His provision and desire to keep His promises to you?  Think of it like this: God created the earth and the sky and all the universe to tell you that He loves you.  You are the audience for His creative handiwork.

Do you ever think of the Lord’s defeat of your enemies as an expression of God’s love for you and a demonstration of His protection?  In His destruction of this foolish world system, and the people in it who hate God, the Lord shows you that he loves you as He rescues you from it all.

So, “give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever.” (vs. 26)