FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER (Psalm 136)

I am going to do something today that I never do. I will read a lengthy psalm. In fact, I want you to get your Bible and follow along if you can do that.

Typically, I do not read an entire psalm if it is lengthy. Today’s selection, Psalm 136, is 26 verses long. But I am going to read it slowly and meditatively, on purpose, and I want you to read it and think through each verse with me.

This psalm does not need a lot of commentary. Instead, it needs a lot of meditation. It has one primary truth, one big idea. If you can get that fixed in your mind, it will help you on this day and every day.

Psalm 136 is a historical psalm set in the period when the children of Israel bring the Ark of the Covenant into the temple and begin to reflect on all the goodness and blessing of God in their nation and in their individual lives.

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.

“O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth forever.

“O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth forever:

“The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth forever:

“The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth forever:

“And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth forever:

“With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth forever:

“And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth forever:

“But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth forever.

“To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth forever:

“And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth forever:

“Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth forever:

“And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth forever:

“And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth forever:

“Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth forever.

“Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth forever:

“And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth forever.

“Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth forever.

“O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth forever.”

Let me ask you a question. What do you think is the big idea of Psalm 136?

Someone might say, “That is a lot of repetition.” God does not repeat something because He forgot He said it. He does it because He does not want us to forget what He said.

“For his mercy endureth forever.” What an amazing truth. What an amazing God.

Mercy is who God is, what God does, and what God gives. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.

If His mercy did not endure forever, I would not be sharing this with you today, and you would not be reading it. We would not have the privilege of studying this psalm except for the mercy of God.

Many things do not last, but His mercy does. People come and go, circumstances change, and you and I do not always feel the same. But “his mercy endureth forever.” If you only remember one thing you read today, let it be that.

This is one of the great truths of the psalms, but this passage gives it concentrated emphasis. If you walk through the psalm, you will see a beautiful progression.

Who He Is

At first, we see that “his mercy endureth forever” because of who He is. It is His character. He is the God of mercy, so we give Him praise and glory for that.

His Creation

Next, we see it because of His creation. Did you see where the psalmist started with the list of what God did? He went all the way back to where the heavens and the planets were made, with the land and water under the sun by day and the stars by night. His mercy did not start in the New Testament; we can read about it in the first chapter of the Bible. In fact, His mercy is at work from eternity past to eternity future.

Israel

More examples of His mercy are given here with regard to Israel. There are historical references to how the Lord delivered His people and conquered their enemies. We praise Him for that.

But at the end of the psalm, it becomes deeply personal for us. Verse 23 states that He “remembered us in our low estate.” According to verse 24, He “redeemed us from our enemies.” It is not just about Israel. We are reminded in Romans 5:8 that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Are you one of the Lord’s redeemed? If so, it is because of His mercy. It is never due to our merit. It is always His mercy.

Then there is the clear evidence that His mercy is for everyone. Verse 25 says that He “giveth food to all flesh.” If you are alive today, it is because of the mercy of God.

He is giving the entire world space to repent. He gives His good gifts to everyone so they can acknowledge from whence those gifts came. Would you pause today and consider that?

This is why the psalm ends this way: “O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth forever.” The intent is to draw your attention to the God of all mercy.

I think this psalm of repetition and reminder is appropriate because we are in the Deuteronomy Psalms. Deuteronomy is the book of the Second Law, where God had to remind His people of certain truths and rehearse certain things with them so they would not forget.

The psalmist is doing the same thing for us in Psalm 136. He is saying, “Let’s rehearse the mercy of God and not forget how merciful He has been to every one of us. Let’s pause and be reminded of this.”

We all need divine reminders. Today, it is this: “his mercy endureth forever.” Think on it, repeat it to yourself today, and share it with someone else.