Read & explore together
His Loving Devotion Endures Forever
Psalm 136 is a thanksgiving song built on one repeated line: “for his loving kindness endures forever.” The poem teaches thanks by listing who God is, what he has done, and how he still cares.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
This psalm stays in the form of poetry and song. It begins with calls to thank Yahweh, then moves through creation, Israel’s rescue and journey, the defeat of named kings, and finishes with present help, food for every creature, and thanks to the God of heaven.
Psalms 136:1–26Main takeaway
Psalm 136 teaches that every reason for giving thanks is tied to God’s enduring loving kindness.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Thanks to the Lord above allThe psalm opens by calling people to thank Yahweh, “the God of gods” and “the Lord of lords”.
Explanation
The psalm opens by calling people to thank Yahweh, “the God of gods” and “the Lord of lords”. The first reason is that “he is good”. The repeated refrain makes his loving kindness the steady answer to each line of praise.
02Creation displays his understandingThe song praises God as the one who “alone does great wonders”. It says he made the heavens “by understanding”, spread out the earth above the waters, and made the great lights.
Explanation
The song praises God as the one who “alone does great wonders”. It says he made the heavens “by understanding”, spread out the earth above the waters, and made the great lights. Day and night are both included under his rule.
03Rescue and judgement are rememberedThe poem then recalls God bringing Israel out from Egypt “with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm”.
Explanation
The poem then recalls God bringing Israel out from Egypt “with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm”. It also states hard acts of judgement: the Egyptian firstborn, the divided Red Sea, Israel passing through, and Pharaoh’s army overthrown.
04From wilderness to daily provisionGod led his people through the wilderness, struck named kings, and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance.
Explanation
God led his people through the wilderness, struck named kings, and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. The final lines turn to “us”: God remembered, delivered, and “gives food to every creature”. The psalm ends with thanks to the God of heaven.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does the same refrain appear after every statement?
It links God’s names, works, rescue, and provision to one repeated truth about his loving kindness.
02What subjects does the psalm move through as it goes on?
Track the order: God’s identity, creation, Egypt and the Red Sea, the wilderness, named kings, inheritance, and present care.
03How do the last verses bring the song into the present?
Notice the words “remembered us”, “has delivered us”, and “gives food to every creature”.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 136:1–26
1Give thanks to Yahweh, 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;
17to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;
18and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;
19Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;
20Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever;
21and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever;
22even a heritage to Israel his servant, 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.