Psalm 136

This psalm is sometimes characterized as a thanksgiving psalm. “In Jewish tradition this psalm is often known as the Great Hallel (‘the Great Psalm of Praise’)” Kinder, 457. “The text is unique in the Hebrew Psalter because of its refrain in each verse” NICOT, 948. “A similar liturgical structure can be observed in a form of Psalm 145 included in the Dead Sea scroll 11QPs. Each verse of the psalm is followed by the refrain, ‘Blessed is God and blessed is His name forever’” NICOT, 951.

“Each verse of Psalm 136 follows a format: a call to praise or worship, followed by a refrain which states the reason for praise: because for all time is the LORD’s hesed” NICOT, 948. “Pardoxically, there is danger of overlooking the psalm’s most dominant feature, the regular heartbeat of the congregational refrain” Allen, 234. 

“Any construal of God’s will is misguided if it fails to take into account God’s love for the whole creation (vv. 5-9) and God’s intention to provide for ‘all flesh’ (v. 25).” McCann, 1225. 

136:1-3 God of all gods

136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good- 34:8; 135:3; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; I Chron. 5:13; 7:3; 20:21; Ezra 3:11. “Give thanks is not the whole meaning of this word (which introduces not only each of the first three verses and the final one, but also, unheard, every verse or sequence in the psalm): it basically means ‘confess’ or ‘acknowledge’ (cf., e.g. Lev. 5:5; Prov. 28:13, in a less happy context), and therefore calls us to thoughtful, grateful worship, spelling out what we know or have found of God’s glory and His deeds” Kidner, 457. 

136:4-9 God’s lovingkindness is shown in creation

136:10-15 God’s lovingkindness is shown in the Exodus

136:16-22 God’s lovingkindness is shown in the wanderings and the conquest

136:23-26 God’s lovingkindness comes to the writer’s time

Jesus fulfills Psalm 136