A Psalm of Thanksgiving — (Psalm 136)
Notes
Transcript
Turn with me to Psalm 136.
*prep about the What He’s Done prompt
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
This summer, Pastor Sanders and I had the opportunity to backpack the Wonderland Trail around Mount Ranier. Each day was amazing. Each angle of the mountain brought with it different terrain, different sights, and views. It is honestly one of the most breath-taking places I’ve ever been. Now every time I see Mount Ranier I shout out, like a kid, I’ve hiked around that!
I took a lot of pictures throughout the five days we were in the backcountry. And every time I look at them or show them to someone else I have to share this caveat — It looks way better in person. The pictures don’t do the mountain justice. It’s beauty is unable to be fully captured.
How many of you have ever had a similar situation?
In Psalm 136 we have a similar dilemma. Look with me at verse 1.
Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.”
In our translation of Scripture in the English language, we read about God’s character trait of mercy. But in the original Hebrew, a Jewish reader would have understood so much more about what the author was intending to communicate about God.
26 times in 26 verses of Psalm 136, the author uses the Hebrew word — Hesed — to describe the character of God.
The term ḥesed, steadfast love, is the most basic characteristic of God toward his people and is variously translated: love, mercy, grace, kindness, fidelity, loyalty. It implies a pledge, a covenant love, love that is boundless, love that loves no matter what the circumstance or response [Steadfast].
11 James H. Waltner, Psalms, Believers Church Bible Commentary (Scottdale, PA; Waterloo, ON: Herald Press, 2006), 647.
In this Psalm we are continually confronted with this refrain concerning Hesed — for his mercy (hesed) endureth forever. This is meant to be a reminder to God’s people that his love and mercy extends into eternity.
But the argument of the Psalm is deeper than merely assenting to God’s steadfast love and mercy.
We can praise God for his never-ending mercy/hesed.
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.
The Psalmist gives three evidences/proofs that God’s mercy indeed endures forever.
We can praise God for his never-ending mercy because of…
Who He is. (Psalm 136:1-4)
What He’s done. (Psalm 136:5-25)
What He continues to do. (Psalm 136:23-25)
Evidence #1: Because of Who He Is. (Psalm 136:1-4)
Evidence #1: Because of Who He Is. (Psalm 136:1-4)
Let’s read this Psalm the way it was probably originally read. I’ll the read the first part of the verse and you all can read the refrain of each verse.
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever. 2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: For his mercy endureth for ever. 3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: For his mercy endureth for ever. 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: For his mercy endureth for ever.
These first four verses are the foundation on which the rest of the Psalm stands on. These are the qualifications if you will.
*Youtube video street interview illustration. How would you describe God?
The very first description of God is that He is good.
God is Good.
God is Good.
In my church back home, we had this little phrase that we would say almost every service. My pastor would say, “God is good.” And the congregation would answer back, “all the time.” And then we would reverse it.
Do you believe this about God? Can you truly say that you believe God is good all the time?
Earlier in the Psalms, David invites us to experience God’s goodness.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
In Psalm 100, we find this descriptor of God as an anchor for praise.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.
Here’s the question, Do you recognize God’s goodness in your life? It’s not a matter of whether or not God’s been good to you, it’s a matter of if you recognize it in your life.
This is a calm assurance because God is good, we can be confident that forever He will extend His goodness towards us. He cannot act in opposition to His character.
His mercy endures forever, because God is good.
God is Sovereign.
God is Sovereign.
And by sovereign I mean, He is the only King.
The Psalmist describes our God as the God of little-g gods, and the Lord of little-l lords.
This is exciting. God has never been elected. His throne has never been threatened. His rule extends through the whole universe. There is no challenge to his rule and reign.
Looking back God has been King since the beginning.
Deuteronomy 10:17 “For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:”
And looking forward, he will continue to be King of the Universe forever.
Revelation 19:16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
God is the Sovereign King of the Universe who rules with goodness, mercy, and love. As King, His hesed extends to all his subjects.
But the Psalmist even goes on to indicate (which we’ll see in our next point), that our God is the only one who can perform great wonders. We’ll see those wonders in a second.
It reminds me of the powerful song that we sing entitled, Behold Our God. The chorus states: Behold our God, seated on his throne come, let us adore him.
Behold our king, nothing can compare, come, let us adore him.
No one can compare to our God.
Because our God is the Sovereign King of the universe, we can be confident that His mercy (hesed) will extend to us forever resulting in our praise of Him.
God’s mercy endures forever, because He is the only sovereign King.
Because God is Sovereign, the past, present, or future will not end His mercy.
Evidence #2: Because of What He’s Done (Psalm 136:5-22)
Evidence #2: Because of What He’s Done (Psalm 136:5-22)
Can we take a moment to corporately praise God for the mercy He has extended to us in the past? Does anyone have a testimony to share of God’s mercy in their lives?
In this next section of Psalm 136, the psalmist reflects on what God had done in the past.
First we see, Creation bears witness to the never-ending mercy of God.
CREATION (vs. 5-9)
CREATION (vs. 5-9)
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: For his mercy endureth for ever. 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: For his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: For his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: For his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Do you remember the adjective that Genesis uses to describe creation? Genesis 1:3–4 “3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”
Creation bears witness to the character of God and also gives glimpses of the glory of God.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork.
“The psalm looks at the story of Creation from an original point of view, when it rolls out in chorus, after each stage of that work, that its motive lay in the eternal lovingkindness of Jehovah. Creation is an act of Divine love.” (Maclaren)
Many of us will recall this verse:
22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
What is our psalm saying? From sunrise to sunset, rain or shine, mountain peak to floor of the ocean, from the tiniest insect to the largest mammal, the depths of the solar system to the nucleus of an atom, each part of Creation is bearing witness to the hesed of God. Creation proclaims the act of Divine Love.
Do you take this for granted? Each morning you wake up is a gift from God. Each breath we take is an act of the mercy of God in our lives. God’s mercies, His hesed surround us each and every day. Take time to praise Him for His never-ending mercies.
Transition to next point:
Transition to next point:
But the psalmist continues on.
10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: For his mercy endureth for ever: 11 And brought out Israel from among them: For his mercy endureth for ever: 12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: For his mercy endureth for ever. 13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: For his mercy endureth for ever: 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: For his mercy endureth for ever: 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: For his mercy endureth for ever.
The refrain claims that the origin and history of Israel and of the world are inextricably tied to the love of God.
11 James H. Waltner, Psalms, Believers Church Bible Commentary (Scottdale, PA; Waterloo, ON: Herald Press, 2006), 647.
This congregational call and response psalm was meant to provoke the Jewish people to remember their history. Remember how they were redeemed out of Israel.
REDEMPTION (vs. 10-15)
REDEMPTION (vs. 10-15)
6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
This section of the psalm is a call to remember the redemption of the people of Israel, one of the greatest displays of hesed in Scripture.
As the Israelites remembered the redemption of their people from the hand of the Israelites, the expected response was one of thanksgiving and praise. They could praise God because His never-ending mercy had been displayed to them in their history as a people.
I hope you see the dots beginning to connect.
The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) translate Hesed as Eleos — mercy. And we find it used in Ephesians 2 which reads.
Ephesians 2:1–7 (KJV 1900)
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
The greatest act of hesed or God’s mercy ever was Christ’s death on the cross for sinners. If you are a believer in this room, you have experienced God’s never-ending mercy. He’s redeemed you!
Yes, God’s redeeming acts towards his chosen are for ever the favourite themes of praise. Many of us know what redemption means. Let us not refuse our sonnets of thanksgiving. Glory be to God, we have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ; our shackles of guilt have been broken off, we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God. We can look back to the source of that redemption in the council chambers of eternity where the plan was first ordained and settled: we can look forward to the results of that redemption, and antedate the period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Even now by faith we wave the palm branch and wrap ourselves about with the fair white linen which is to be our everlasting array, and shall we not this day give thanks to the name of the Lord whose redeeming “mercy endureth for ever”? Child of God, canst thou be silent ? Shall there be one dumb soul here this morning? Awake, awake, ye heritors of glory, and lead your captivity captive, as ye cry with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” — Spurgeon
We can praise God for His never-ending mercy we’ve experienced through redemption!
Provision and Protection (vs. 16-22)
Provision and Protection (vs. 16-22)
16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: For his mercy endureth for ever. 17 To him which smote great kings: For his mercy endureth for ever: 18 And slew famous kings: For his mercy endureth for ever: 19 Sihon king of the Amorites: For his mercy endureth for ever: 20 And Og the king of Bashan: For his mercy endureth for ever: 21 And gave their land for an heritage: For his mercy endureth for ever: 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Imagine with me the Israelites. They’d been miraculously redeemed from captivity in Egypt, yet quickly fell into complaining and griping, murmurings and disputings. If you were God, would your hesed reach down to them?
Even in the wilderness wanderings, the Israelites felt the hesed of God as He miraculously provided for their needs through manna, quail, water from a rock, and ultimately the gift of the land (vs .21-22).
Maybe you can remember times where it is only because of God’s mercy that you made it.
Talk with Bob Hilt long enough and he’ll tell you some miraculous stories of provision in his life. Bob Hilt recognizes what this psalm teaches.
When we look back on our life, we can see the never-ending mercy of God all throughout. Beginning at our inception/creation, through redemption, and even provision.
God’s mercies never end.
But once the people of the Israel entered the Promised Land, they had different problems. They needed protection, and God’s mercies were evident even there.
God’s love for His people was on display as He yielded His omnipotence for protection of Israel.
He slew the mighty kings of Canaan.
*story about Logan and gestational diabetes.
Over and over in each of our lives, God has proved that His mercy endures forever.
Transition to last point:
Transition to last point:
In October, I heard about this phenomena called the “Infinite Money Glitch.” Has anyone ever heard about this? Sounds intriguing. I don’t know about you but I like infinite money.
The "infinite money glitch" was a technical issue with JPMorgan Chase ATMs that allowed customers to deposit counterfeit checks and withdraw the money before the checks bounced. The bank has filed lawsuits against customers who took advantage of the glitch, seeking to recoup the stolen money, interest, overdraft fees, legal fees, and in some cases punitive damages.
The total across the four cases is more than $661,000. One customer allegedly withdrew $290,939.47 after an accomplice deposited a counterfeit check for $335,000.
This is a case where one person experienced a really good thing and tried to take advantage of it before his luck ran out.
Sometimes, I believe we view God this way. Yeah sure, He bestowed his never-ending mercies toward us in redemption, but that won’t necessarily continue will it? Life gets hard, his mercies may come and go. I can’t depend on them.
If we’re honest, I believe we all had thoughts like this.
Yet the psalmist goes to great lengths to teach, convince, and reassure us that his mercies endure forever. The love of God never runs out.
We’ve seen that we can praise God for His never-ending mercy because He’s proved it in…
Who He is.
What He’s done.
and lastly…
What He will do.
Evidence #3: Because of What He will Do. (Psalm 136:23-24)
Evidence #3: Because of What He will Do. (Psalm 136:23-24)
23 Who remembered us in our low estate: For his mercy endureth for ever: 24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: For his mercy endureth for ever.
The song makes a sharp yet skillful transition from God’s great wonders of the past to His faithful help in the present. It is good for us to look to the past for evidence that His mercy endures forever, but even better for us to see the evidence in our own day.
Deliverance (vs. 23-24)
Deliverance (vs. 23-24)
Commentators believe that verses 23-24 are referencing the Babylonian captivity. Israel’s sin had caused them to be taken into captivity by many nations. Hence the reference here to their low estate.
Their location had changed but the mercy of God remained. Their actions were against God, but the mercy of God was for them. As we sang tonight, their sins were many, but God’s mercy is more.
Friends, the devil wants you to feel guilt, shame, alienation. He wants you to think that God will never rescue you from your sin. He wants you to despair and believe that you are unloved. His desire is that you feel you aren’t capable of being rescued from your sin.
But God’s mercy, His hesed extends to you even when you’re in the depths of sin. In your lowest estate, God’s mercy extends even there.
When we’re in our low estate, the writer of Hebrews writes — Hebrews 4:16 “16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy (hesed), and find grace to help in time of need.”
In your time of struggle, claim God’s hesed. In your time of need, claim God’s mercy. It’s never-ending. It will never run out.
The ongoing deliverance God gives to His people is just one more proof that God’s mercies endure forever.
But so far, the psalm has seemed to trace the hesed of God through the history of the Israelites. We’ve drawn some application as we’ve gone through that applies specifically to believers, those who are God’s children.
But the second to last verse in the psalm says this —
25 Who giveth food to all flesh: For his mercy endureth for ever.
God’s mercy, as seen in the provision of food, is extended to all flesh. Unbeliever, the very fact that you had lunch today, or took a breath this morning, or have a roof over your head is a proof that God loves you and extends (in part) His mercies towards you.
You may be sitting here and may not be aware of what redemption means, who Jesus is, or what mercy even indicates. But you have benefited from the mercy of God.
My invitation to you is that you except the greatest display of love and mercy ever known to man. Jesus died on the cross so that you could benefit from the divine hesed of God.
In a couple moments, we’re going to have an invitation, and if you would like to talk someone about what it means to be a Christian, we would love to open the Bible with you and show you how to be saved.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Psalm 136 has proven that God’s mercies endure forever. It’s proven it to us through Who God is, What He’s done, and What He’s going to do.
Now what’s our response. It’s simple really and we find it in the first and last verse of the psalm.
1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.
26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Our response to God’s never-ending mercy (hesed) is thanksgiving. It’s praise and adoration.
