Old Testament · Poetry

Psalm 136

His Love Endures Forever

Twenty-six verses. Twenty-six times the refrain: His steadfast love endures forever. Repetition becomes revelation.

King James Version BSB KJV

Tap any verse number for what that verse means.

1O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

3O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

4To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

5To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

6To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

7To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

8The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

9The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

10To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

11And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

12With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

13To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

14And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

15But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

16To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

17To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

18And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

19Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

20And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

21And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

22Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

23Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

24And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

25Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

26O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Understand This

Psalm 136, explained

What Psalm 136 is saying

Psalm 136, known as the 'Great Hallel,' is a litany of praise with the antiphonal refrain 'for His loving devotion endures forever' repeated in all twenty-six verses. The psalm traces God's chesed through creation, the Exodus, the wilderness, the conquest, and ongoing provision. Its structure—statement of divine act followed by congregational response—reveals its liturgical function.

The background behind it

The Mishnah designates this psalm as the 'Great Hallel,' distinct from the Egyptian Hallel (113–118). According to 2 Chronicles 7:3, the refrain was sung at the dedication of Solomon's Temple. The responsive structure requires two groups—leader/choir and congregation—in antiphonal worship.

Themes running underneath

The relentless repetition of 'His loving devotion endures forever' is not redundancy but theological insistence: every act of God, from creating light to defeating kings to giving food, flows from the same inexhaustible chesed. The psalm presents the entire sweep of redemptive history as a single, continuous expression of covenant love.

Why it still matters

The repetitive structure trains the worshiper to see every dimension of existence—creation, history, daily provision—through the lens of God's steadfast love. It models a way of reading all of life as evidence of divine faithfulness.

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Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.