Psalms 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 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 psalmist started at the beginning of time with the creation of the universe, recorded in Genesis 1. The Lord had the wisdom to plan creation and the power to execute that plan, and all He had to do was to speak the Word (33:6–9). Because humanity refused to be thankful for creation, mankind began that terrible descent into ignorance, idolatry, immorality, and ultimate judgment (Rom. 1:18ff.). In the day or the night, whether we look up at the heavens or down at the earth and waters, we should see evidence of the hand of God and realize that a Creator brought it forth from nothing. In this creation is all that we need for life and work, so let us thank Him!

The psalmist wrote nothing about Israel’s years of suffering in Egypt, or the Lord’s judgments against the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12), but focused on the exodus. “Brought out” is a phrase the Jewish people used to describe their deliverance (Deut. 1:27; 4:20, 37; 5:6; 16:1). By the time Israel crossed the Red Sea, the land of Egypt, its firstborn sons, its religion, and its army had been destroyed by the power of God. The exodus marked the birthday of the nation of Israel, and from that time, the Jews looked back each year at Passover and remembered what the Lord had done for them. The exodus is also a picture of the redemption we have in Jesus Christ, the spotless lamb of God who shed His blood to set sinners free (1 Peter 1:18–19; John 1:29; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12). God’s mighty arm was revealed at the exodus (Ex. 15:16), but it was revealed even more at the cross (Isa. 53:1ff.; Luke 1:51).

The Lord brought Israel through the sea (vv. 13–15) and through the wilderness (v. 16). A pillar of cloud guided them by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21–22). He led them to Sinai where they remained for over a year while Moses received and taught the divine law and supervised the construction of the tabernacle. The nation needed the discipline of the law and the delight of worship before they were ready to enter Canaan and take the land. Israel’s unbelief and disobedience at Kadesh Barnea sent them back into the wilderness (Num. 13—14), where that rebellious generation died during the next thirty-eight years of wandering. Moses commanded the new generation to remember those wilderness years and obey the Word of God (Deut. 8). Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ is our Shepherd in this life (23:1; 78:52–55; 80:1; John 10:11–14; Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4) and throughout eternity (Rev. 7:17).

As the forty years drew to a close, Moses led the people back to the gateway into the Promised Land, and on the way, Israel defeated great and mighty kings and took their lands (Num. 21). Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh claimed their inheritance east of the Jordan River (Num. 32; Josh. 18:7), but their men marched with Israel into Canaan and helped to conquer the enemy and claim the land (135:10–12; Josh. 22). The land belonged to the Lord, but He gave it to Israel as their inheritance, and they would enjoy its blessings as long as they obeyed the covenant. Believers today have been delivered from sin through faith in Christ and are now in the “kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1: nkjv). Canaan is not a picture of heaven, for there will be no wars in heaven. It pictures our present inheritance in Jesus Christ, an inheritance that we claim as we walk by faith and defeat Satan and his forces that want to keep us in bondage and spiritual poverty. This is the theme of Hebrews 1—4.

These verses summarize Israel’s failure to serve God and how the Lord brought seven nations into the land to punish them. The record is in the book of Judges. The people would turn to idols and the Lord would chasten them, as He promised He would. Then the situation would become so unbearable that the people would repent and cry out for mercy, and the Lord would “remember them” (see 132:1) and rescue them (Judg. 2:11–23). This was no way to live in the wonderful land God had given them, but it describes many professed believers today. When things are going well, they forget the Lord, but when things grow worse, they turn to Him for help. The mention of food in verse 24 reminds us that the nations that invaded Israel either destroyed the crops or took them, leaving the land impoverished (Judg. 6:1–6). If we are truly thankful for our food, and acknowledge that God provides it, then we are not likely to turn away from Him and worship other gods. The creatures of the earth look to God for what they need and thank the Lord by obeying His will and bringing Him glory (104:10–18).

There is only one way to end a psalm like this: “O give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever” (v. 26 nkjv).