Psalms 136 KJV
God's Love Endures Forever
About This Psalm
His mercy endures forever - repeated 26 times. A responsive liturgy recounting God's acts from creation to conquest.
1 give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
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Did You Know?
The psalm frames acts of cosmic creation and historical conquest as parallel demonstrations of the same divine hesed, presenting Israel's enemies' defeat as an extension of the ordering of primordial chaos waters.
Its antiphonal refrain echoes Second Temple liturgical practice in which a soloist intoned the narrative while the congregation responded with the fixed acclamation, creating a corporate reenactment of salvation history.
By reusing the royal title 'God of gods and Lord of lords' from Deuteronomy 10:17, the psalm subtly subverts Canaanite and Mesopotamian pantheon language while affirming exclusive Yahwistic sovereignty.
The reference to striking down 'famous kings' such as Sihon and Og links the psalm directly to the Transjordanian conquest traditions in Numbers 21 and Deuteronomy 2-3, embedding those specific memories within a larger creed of mercy.
In later Jewish and Christian usage the chapter became the core of the Great Hallel, recited at Passover and adapted into early hymnody, thereby transmitting the Exodus-shaped memory of enduring mercy into new liturgical contexts.