Psalms 136
Thanks for the Lord’S Goodness to Israel.
1 [a]Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness (graciousness, mercy, compassion) endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
4 To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
5 To Him who made the heavens with skill,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
6 To Him who stretched out the earth upon the waters,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
7 To Him who made the great lights,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
8 The sun to rule over the day,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
10 To Him who struck the firstborn of Egypt,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
11 And brought Israel out from among them,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
12 With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
13 To Him who divided the [b]Red Sea into parts,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
15 But tossed Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
18 And killed mighty kings,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
20 And Og, king of Bashan,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
21 And gave their land as a heritage,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
22 Even a heritage to Israel His servant,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
23 Who [faithfully] remembered us in our lowly condition,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
24 And has rescued us from our enemies,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
25 Who gives food to all flesh,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For His lovingkindness (graciousness, mercy, compassion) endures forever.
[a] v1: The ancient rabbis said that the twenty-six verses of this Psalm correspond to the twenty-six generations from Adam to Moses. They maintained that since these generations were not given the Torah (Law), they could not earn merit and were sustained only by God’s “lovingkindness.”
[b] v13: Lit Sea of Reeds.