Psalms 136

Ps 136 This is the last of the Great Hallel psalms (Pss 120–136). It distinctively repeats the refrain His faithful love endures forever in every verse. The hymn is framed by a call to praise (136:1-3, 26). It proclaims the Lord as the Creator of all and the Redeemer of Israel, both in the distant (136:10-22) and in the recent past (136:23-24).136:1-3 The psalmist invites the community to praise the Lord, who is good and full of love, the true Lord of humanity. Verse 1 alludes to the poetic expression in 2 Chr 5:13.

136:10-22 The psalmist recounts the early history of Israel’s redemption.

136:23-24 The psalmist relates the recent history of Israel’s redemption, although the circumstances are not specified.

136:25 The Lord provides for all of his creatures.

136:26 The phrase God of heaven is an exilic and postexilic designation for the Lord; it is found in Ezra (Ezra 1:2; 5:11, 12; 6:9, 10; 7:12; etc.), Nehemiah (Neh 1:5; 2:4, 20; etc.), and Daniel (Dan 2:18, 19, 37, 44).