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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.

7. Who made the great lights, etc. — Moses calls the sun and moon the two great lights, and there is little doubt that the Psalmist here borrows the same phraseology. What is immediately added about the stars, is, as it were, accessory to the others. It is true, that the other planets are larger than the moon, but it is stated as second in order on account of its visible effects. The Holy Spirit had no intention to teach astronomy; and, in proposing instruction meant to be common to the simplest and most uneducated persons, he made use by Moses and the other Prophets of popular language, that none might shelter himself under the pretext of obscurity, as we will see men sometimes very readily pretended an incapacity to understand, when anything deep or recondite is submitted to their notice. Accordingly, as Saturn though bigger than the moon is not so to the eye owing to his greater distance, the Holy Spirit would rather speak childishly than unintelligibly to the humble and unlearned. The same remark may be made upon what the Psalmist adds regarding God’s having assigned the sun and moon their respective parts, making the one to rule the day, and the other to rule the night, by which we are not to understand that they exercise any government, but that the administrative power of God is very manifest in this distribution. The sun in illuminating the earth through the day, and the, moon and stars by night, may be said to yield a reverential homage to God.