Psalm 136: His Love Endures Forever

Monday, July 24, 2017

Yesterday in Bible Study, we spent some time looking at Psalm 136. So this week I'm going to take a few days to look at some of the treasures we discovered there.

Psalm 136 looks a bit like a responsive reading from our church hymnal. The psalmist states a phrase and the congregation responds with, "His love endures forever." It is my understanding that this psalm is to be a reminder to the Israelites of all the wonders that God had done -- and that they should have an attitude of thankfulness as a result. We'll see this unfold as we look at it this week.

The psalmist begins and ends with the directive to "give thanks" to the Lord. This is something like bookends on a shelf. We should begin everything with thanksgiving to God and end everything the same way. He is, or at least wants to be, involved in every aspect of our lives and our response should be one of thanksgiving.

So according to the psalmist, why should we be thankful?

1. because He is good.
2. because His love endures forever -- no matter what.

(1) You and I might try to be good. But most of the time we come up short. 

God doesn't have to try. He is good. It is one of His characteristics. He is NOT bad -- at all. It's not that He acts good; He is good. Remember that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22) Because God is good, he showers us with goodness. And we should be thankful.

(2) His love endures forever because He is love. His love can never stop. That's just who He is! No matter how good we are (or aren't) or what we do or how we act or how we disappoint Him, He still loves us. And because God is love, he showers us with lovingkindness. And we should be grateful. 

My hope is that as you start your week, you will stop and consider all the ways that God displays his goodness and his love to you. Contemplate them. Thank Him for them. He never tires of our thanksgiving -- in fact I believe that He needs to hear our gratitude. Give it freely to him.

Psalm 136

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

² Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.

³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
⁵ who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
⁶ who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
⁷ who made the great lights— His love endures forever.
⁸ the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
⁹ the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.
¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever.
¹² with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea^[a] asunder His love endures forever.
¹⁴ and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
¹⁵ but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.

¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.

¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings,His love endures forever.
¹⁸ and killed mighty kings— His love endures forever.
¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever.
²⁰ and Og king of Bashan— His love endures forever.
²¹ and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
²² an inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever.

²³ He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.
²⁴ and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever.
²⁵ He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.