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Psalm 136

Psalm 136 joins creation, Israel’s deliverance, and daily provision under one repeated claim: God’s loving kindness endures forever.

An unnamed psalmist calls worshipers to thank YHWH, repeating the same refrain after every act of God. The praise begins with God’s rule over all and his making of the heavens and earth. It then recounts Israel’s rescue from Egypt, passage through the Red Sea, and receipt of land after the defeat of kings. The closing verses praise God for remembering his people in their low estate and giving food to every creature.

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1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever;
4to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever;
5to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever;
6to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever;
7to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever;
8the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever;
9the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever;
10to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever;
11and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever;
12with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever;
13to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever;
14and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;
15but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever;
16to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever;
19Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;
21and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever;
23who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever;
24and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever;
25who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever.
26Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.
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Key verses
Psalm 136:1The opening call grounds thanksgiving in God’s goodness and establishes the refrain that shapes every verse.
Psalm 136:5God’s understanding in making the heavens places creation itself among the acts that display his enduring kindness.
Psalm 136:10The death of Egypt’s firstborn begins the account of Israel’s rescue, placing judgment within the psalm’s praise.
Where this chapter reaches

Genesis shares the account of God making the heavens and their lights, while Exodus shares the firstborn judgment and Israel’s passage through the Red Sea. Deuteronomy recounts the defeat of Sihon and Og and the gift of their land; 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles share the thanksgiving refrain.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

How does repeating the refrain change your reading of the acts of God named here?

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Which part of this psalm could shape your thanksgiving, and which part leaves you with questions?

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Questions people ask about Psalm 136

Why does Psalm 136 repeat the same phrase in every verse?

The refrain, “for his loving kindness endures forever,” connects every act named in the psalm to God’s enduring love. Its repetition suits responsive worship, with a leader naming an act and a congregation answering. The text does not specify how singers were arranged or identify the occasion.

Why does Psalm 136 praise God for killing Egypt’s firstborn?

Verse 10 begins the account of Israel’s rescue from Egypt. The psalm treats the death of the firstborn and the overthrow of Pharaoh’s army as God’s judgments through which Israel was delivered. Its refrain celebrates his enduring kindness toward his people within that rescue. The deaths remain part of the account.

What does “God of gods” mean in Psalm 136?

Alongside “Lord of lords,” the title declares God’s supremacy over every claimed divine or ruling power. The next verse names him as the one “who alone does great wonders.” These titles establish the scope of his rule before the psalm recounts his work in creation and Israel’s history.

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What the Bible says about gratitude →What the Bible says about worship →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).