Study

a Bible passage

Click a verse to see commentary

Select a resource above

Psalm 136

God’s Work in Creation and in History

1

O give thanks to the L ord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

2

O give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

3

O give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

4

who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

5

who by understanding made the heavens,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

6

who spread out the earth on the waters,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

7

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

who struck Egypt through their firstborn,

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

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 army in the Red Sea,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

16

who led his people through the wilderness,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

17

who struck down great kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

18

and killed famous 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 his servant Israel,

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

who gives food to all flesh,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

26

O give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

10. Who smote the Egyptians in, their first-born Some read with their first-born, but the other rendering reads better. As we do not mean to sermonize upon the passage, it is unnecessary to detain the reader here with many words, as nothing is mentioned but what has been treated elsewhere. Only we may notice that the Egyptians are well said to have been smitten in their first-born, because they continued in their outrageous obstinacy under the other plagues, though occasionally terrified by them, but were broken and subdued by this last plague, and submitted. As it was not intended to recount all the wonders successively done in Egypt, the whole is summed up in one word when it is said, that he led his people forth from the midst of it with a mighty and a stretched out arm. For pressed down as they were on every side, it was only by a wonderful display of divine power that they could effect an escape. The figure of an outstretched arm is appropriate, for we stretch out the arm when any great effort is required; so that this implies that God put forth an extraordinary and not a common or slight display of his power in redeeming his people. ¹⁷⁵¹⁷⁵ “Dieu en deliverant son peuple n’a point monstre une petite puissance,” etc. — Fr.

¹⁷⁵ “Dieu en deliverant son peuple n’a point monstre une petite puissance,” etc. — Fr.