Psalm 136—The Steadfast Love of the Lord Endures Forever

Psalm 136 includes twenty-six verses and uses the phrase, “…for his steadfast love endures forever,” twenty-six times. Repetition is a powerful literary tool. The psalmist has made his point. In fact, my healing journey through The Psalms has caused me to consider this simple phrase as the constant theme that surfaces repeatedly in the times of great praise and great pain. His steadfast love is our constant promise upon which we can depend in all circumstances.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good… Give thanks to the God of gods…Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever…” Psalm 136:1-3

The psalmist begins with thanksgiving. Profuse gratitude. In three verses he finds three ways to say, “Give thanks.” Why? Because the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

In verses four through nine, the psalmist reports that God does great wonders, made the heavens, spread out earth, and made the great lights—both the sun and moon. In short, he is the Creator of heaven and earth because his steadfast love endures forever.

In verses ten through twenty-two, the psalmist describes how the Lord struck down the firstborn of Egypt and brought Israel from their midst. Yet another sign of his steadfast love. He stretched his arm out and divided the Red Sea and gave Israel passage. Upon their safe arrival on the other side, God overthrew Pharoah and his hosts in the same water from which he had protected Israel. God led his people through the wilderness. God struck down kings and killed mighty kings and gave the land to Israel as a heritage. All because his steadfast love is unstoppable. It persists unabated.

It bears repeating—the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.

“It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever…” Psalm 136:23

Then, the psalmist brings the macro-story down to our micro-stories. God remembers us in our lowly estate. We are told to be humble and meek. And we are told to be humble for good reason. Psalm 62:9 reminds, “Those of low estate are but a breath…” Robert Grant exclaims in his hymn, “O Worship the King,” “Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail…” And so, indeed, we are a people of low estate.

Yet, he remembers us. The majestic God of the world remembers us. David asks in Psalm 8:4, “…what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” This is enduring steadfast love at its best. The transcendent God is mindful of us.

And the transcendent God has also rescued us.

“…and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever…” Psalm 136:24

Words like rescue, redemption, and purchased should evoke gratitude from our hearts. Our majestic God rescues us. He has reached down, remembering our low estate, and delivered us. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:13-14, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Such good news convinces us that his steadfast love endures forever. It never ceases.

Celebrate this truth again—the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.

Sparrows have no need beyond his reach (Matthew 10:29). These beings stand as a reminder that he cares about the details of provision. The prayer in Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread,” stands as a reminder of his steadfast love.

His steadfast love endures forever. Therefore, give thanks to our great God of heaven.

“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26