Psalms 136: The Great Hallel: His Mercy Endures Forever

Psalms 136 documents the 'Great Hallel' liturgy, where every single verse concludes with the refrain: 'for his mercy endureth forever.' It articulates God's involvement in the cosmos, the Exodus, the conquest of kings, and the simple provision of 'food to all flesh.' This chapter teaches that the key to understanding all of history—and our own lives—is the persistent, unyielding kindness of the Creator.

  1. v1-9: Mercy in the Creation of the Universe
  2. v10-15: Mercy in the Deliverance from Egypt
  3. v16-22: Mercy in the Wilderness and the Gift of Land
  4. v23-26: Mercy in Our Low Estate and Final Praise

Psalms chapter 136

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Train your mind to see 'mercy' in every event of your life, from the rising sun to your most recent narrow escape. Begin your study with psalms 136 summary.

By repeating the refrain 26 times, the psalm 'beats' the truth of God's mercy into the consciousness, making it the primary lens for reality. The 'Word Secret' is *Chesed*, which occurs in every verse and refers to 'covenant-loyalty' that never gives up. Discover the riches with psalms 136 commentary, containing expert led word study (original greek/hebrew) and passage level analysis.

Unlock the hidden psalms 136 1 meaning and summary by exploring context, analyzing original greek and hebrew words, and studying cross references of each verse.

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2 min read (353 words)