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In Psalm 136, the psalmist starts and ends with praise, and he gives thanks to God for

His love for creation (Ps 136:4-9)

His acts of redemption (Ps 136:10-22)

How he presently saves (Ps 136:23-24)

His providential care (Ps 136:25)

Why should we give thanks? Because “his steadfast love endures forever” which is repeated 26 times in this psalm, once in every verse. One commentator noted that Psalm 136 shows us the pure being of Yahweh that is centered in love.

Psalms, Volumes 1 & 2 Bridge

Why did Yahweh create? Love.

Why did he accomplish the exodus? Love.

Why did he give Israel the land at the conquest? Love.

Why should he be praised? Love.

This is the entire basis for our praise! God is good, he is above everything, and he cares for us; he is Israel’s Redeemer, and now ours. We raise our thanksgiving to God not just for what he has done but for who he is! Even his name, Yahweh, is synonymous with the fact that “his steadfast love endures forever” (Exod 34:6; 1 John 4:8).

God in his lovingkindness has not forsaken us. Though the psalmist is likely writing after the exile of Israel and Judah to Babylon and thus he does not know the subsequent events in salvation history, we can still echo his words and see the foreshadowing of Christ to come.

Jesus is part of the trinity and was actively involved in creation (John 1:1-3), thus we praise him.

The deliverance from Egypt was a foreshadowing of how God would deliver us from sin through the death of Christ on the cross (Matt 1:21).

Even now, as we remember the Lord’s supper, we echo the thanksgiving of this psalm as we focus on God’s lovingkindness in the work of his Son. Today, we have a double portion of the blessing and the benefit of reading fulfilled scripture. We know what Christ has done for us and have the Holy Spirit alive within us as a testimony and down payment to what God will continue to do in our lives until Christ returns and creation is fully restored (Eph 1:13-14). Until that time, and ever afterward, our cry should be, “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

How have you seen God’s faithfulness at work in your life? What is your response to God for all he has done, is doing, and will do? Write out a list of blessings for which you should offer thanksgiving and praise.