Psalm 136
Let us take a look at Psalm 136, which is the Psalm for this Sunday.
Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/gw/psalms/136.html>
That is the first verse, and it is repeated over and over throughout the passage. Verses two through nine continues:
Give thanks to the God of gods because his mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords because his mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the only one who does miraculous things– because his mercy endures forever.
to the one who made the heavens by his understanding– because his mercy endures forever.
to the one who spread out the earth on the water– because his mercy endures forever.
to the one who made the great lights– because his mercy endures forever.
the sun to rule the day– because his mercy endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule the night– because his mercy endures forever.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/gw/psalms/136.html>
When we read verse ten, the tone shocks our twenty-first century sensibilities:
Give thanks to the one who killed the firstborn males in Egypt– because his mercy endures forever.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/gw/psalms/136.html>
And more:
He swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea– because his mercy endures forever.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/gw/psalms/136.html>
Give thanks to the one who defeated powerful kings– because his mercy endures forever.
He killed mighty kings– because his mercy endures forever.
King Sihon of the Amorites– because his mercy endures forever.
and King Og of Bashan– because his mercy endures forever.
He gave their land as an inheritance– because his mercy endures forever.
as an inheritance for his servant Israel– because his mercy endures forever.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/gw/psalms/136.html>
“Give thanks to the one who killed…” Those are some jolting words! What should we make of them? The key comes from the words that allude to the creation account:
he one who made the heavens
he one who spread out the earth on the water
to the one who made the great lights
the sun to rule the day and the moon and stars to rule the night
The Psalmist paints a word picture to bring us back to Genesis, and God’s words to Adam:
The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/genesis/2.html>
You recall the rest of the account, Adam ate from the tree and God killed Adam at that very moment as he said he would. By no means! (as St Paul would say.) No, God in his mercy put off his judgement of Adam and all humanity. Why? As St Paul writes to the Romans:
Do you suppose, O man–you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself–that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/romans/2.html>
Paul further writes to the Thessalonians:
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
From <https://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/1-thessalonians/5.html>
God’s kindness (mercy) is meant to lead to repentance. Jesus took the wrath of God upon himself on the cross, “Father, forgive them… It is finished.” Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
Trust the Promises,
Steve Skiver
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