What does Psalm chapter 136 mean?
This is commonly referred to as "The Great Hallel," sometimes in combination with Psalm 135. Psalms 135 and 136 follow the same basic order of topics. The song became associated with holy days such as Passover. Each verse in this psalm ends with the phrase translated as, "For his steadfast love endures forever," or "for his lovingkindness is everlasting." This uses the Hebrew root word hesed: a forgiving, constant, loyal, kind love.God is to be praised with gratitude, on account of His absolute goodness (Psalm 34:8; 86:5). He alone is supreme, far above all other real or imaginary beings (Deuteronomy 4:35). Titles such as "Lord of lords" and "God of gods" are structured the same way in Hebrew as in English (Deuteronomy 10:17); they imply that God is as far above those others as they are thought to be above ordinary men (Psalm 136:1–3).
A key aspect of God's supreme nature is His role as Creator (Genesis 1:1). Nature gives the most obvious evidence of His work (Romans 1:18–20; Psalm 19:1). This psalm echoes the steps of creation expressed in the early chapters of Genesis (Genesis 1:14–17). The Lord created all things and arranged them according to His nature, which includes His eternal love (Psalm 136:4–9).
The Lord has also demonstrated Himself through miracles. God killed the firstborn of Egypt (Exodus 12:29–30) to free Israel from slavery (Exodus 12:41). He protected the nation from the Egyptian army at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:27–29). When the people needed food or water, He miraculously gave it to them (Exodus 16:35; 17:6). Eventually, through His power, the people were enabled to arrive at the borders of the Promised Land (Psalm 136:10–16).
Once Israel began to conquer Canaan, God's power was still on display. He was the power behind Israel's victories (Deuteronomy 7:7–8; 8:17–18). Among the first defeated were the kings of Bashan and the Amorites (Numbers 21:23–25, 33–35). The Lord's presence continued as Israel moved further into the Promised Land. However, their own sin created a cycle (Judges 2:16–19) of oppression and rebellion (Psalm 136:17–22).
During the era of the judges, the Lord continued to rescue Israel from oppressive enemies (Judges 3:9–10, 14–15, 30; 4:1–2, 23–24; 6:1; 8:28). Even after He allowed Israel to suffer defeat and exile (2 Chronicles 36:17–21), He kept the nation alive and eventually brought them back to the Promised Land (Ezra 2:1). God's love is seen in His mercy and salvation. It is also seen in His provision for all life on earth (Colossians 1:17). For all these reasons, the people are called to praise their Creator (Psalm 136:23–26).
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
This psalm is sometimes called "The Great Hallel." Psalms 113—118 are often called the "Hallel Psalms" or the "Egyptian Hallel." These are found in the section of Psalms which contains the Hebrew word halelu-yāh, though Psalm 136 itself does not. This song follows nearly the same order of subjects as Psalm 135. Each verse ends by repeating the same phrase. This was probably used for call-and-response: a leader speaks unique words and the congregation responds with a repeated sentence (Ezra 3:11). The refrain uses the root word hesed, indicating a constant, loyal, steady love.
