Preaching, Teaching, and Notes

Psalm 136: A psalm of praise for the Lord’s Mercy

Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord;  for He is good:  for His mercy endureth forever.”

In this Psalm, every verse ends with the phrase,  “for His mercy endureth forever”.

He is the God of gods, the Lord of lords,  Who alone does great wonders.

Whose wisdom made the heavens, stretched out the earth above the waters.

Who made the sun to rule by day, and the moon and stars to rule by night.

Who redeemed Israel from Egypt protecting under Blood, their firstborn;  while slaying the firstborn of Egypt.

Who brought them through, dry shod, the Red Sea.  

Yet slew Pharaoh’s army when they followed, bringing the same Sea to drown them.

Who lead them through the wilderness, bringing  them into the Promised land.

Who remembered, and remembers (for it is in the continuing sense) us….and here it takes a personal turn.

There is no personal title before:  Israel, His people, His servant, but no “me, we, us”.

But now, when God’s memory is concerned, the personal “us” is used. (Psalm 136:23-24)

And then the personal “redeemed us” from our enemies, is told.

It is good to see and acknowledge…to praise and extoll God for Who He is, and what He has done.

But it is better to know God remembers me, or us.  And redeems us.

How often we are in need of His mercy.   

Mercy is God’s kindness to sinners.  

There is temporal mercy:  He sends the rain on the just and unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

And there is Spiritual mercy, which is only found in Christ for ”us”.

This redemption which is personal Salvation, guidance, and victory.

Let us acknowledge Who God is, and praise Him for it.

But let us make sure we have a personal interest in Christ Jesus, that He is our Redeemer.

We are ever in His memory…ever before His eyes.  

2 Timothy 1:9-10 “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;

                                 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”

This seal is set on all the circumstances, people, and paths that comes to “us”:   “His mercy endureth forever.”

His mercy reaches us where we are.

His mercy leads us out of bondage.

His mercy delivers us and gives us the promises. 

His mercy remembers us, and in Christ Jesus, our Lord,  brings us before His throne to get what we need. 

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

How much He has for us, if we will but come to Him and get it,  and then with the help of the Holy Spirit within,  use it.

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