Original Meaning
Call to Confess Yahweh (136:1–3)
PSALM 136 OPENS WITH A CALL FOR ISRAEL to confess that Yahweh is good—a claim appearing in Psalm 135:3 as well. The reference to the divine name in verse 1 is the only appearance of the term in the psalm. Other appellations are used in referring to Yahweh, most notably in the first strophe (vv. 2–3) and in the last verse. In verse 2 the psalmist refers to Yahweh as the “God of gods” (’elohim), and in the subsequent verse as the “Lord of lords.” The repetition of a term in a construct relationship (“X of X”) typically expresses the superlative. The only other text where these two titles (“God of gods” and “Lord of lords”) occur together is Deuteronomy 10:17. In that text the writer also refers to God as the God of the heavens (v. 14), a title repeated in the final verse of Psalm 136. Together the appellations that frame this psalm in verses 2–3 and verse 26 reinforce a central claim of Psalm 136: Yahweh is supreme over all other gods (i.e., “God of gods”)—a claim similarly made in Psalm 135:5.
Bridging Contexts
DIVINE KINGSHIP
. In the center of Book 4 of the Psalter, Psalms 93 and 95–99 draw attention to the kingship of Yahweh. These psalms, frequently labeled as Yahweh malak (“the LORD reigns”) psalms, announce the kingship of Yahweh in clear and unequivocal terms.24
Four of the psalms begin with the declaration Yahweh malak or include it within the body of the psalm (Pss 93; 96; 97; 99), and other psalms in this collection simply refer to Yahweh as “king” (Pss 95; 98; 99). Some of the language and imagery reflects the metaphor of kingship: “throne” (Ps 97:2); “footstool” (Ps 99:5); “bow down” (Ps 95:6); judge of the world (Ps 96:13). Beyond these overt references to kingship, the psalms in this small collection affirm that Yahweh rules over the gods (Ps 95:3) and that all other gods must acquiesce to his authority as the one true God over all creation (Ps 97:7, 9). Moreover, these psalms declare that God stands over creation and that the “earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Ps 97:4b–5a). Even more, as king over creation Yahweh holds in check the chaotic waters that threaten the stability of the world (Ps 93:3–4). As king, Yahweh will execute justice in behalf of his people, thus thwarting the ways of the wicked (Pss 97:10; 99:4). And the Yahweh malak psalms refer to God’s reign over the nations and the peoples of the world (Pss 96:10; 97:9b; 99:2); even more, Yahweh will “consume his foes on every side” (Ps 97:3b).
While Psalm 136 does not contain the more overt references to kingship (e.g., thrones and footstools), the psalm does include many of the themes present in the Yahweh malak psalms. To say so is not to suggest that Psalm 136 was derived from the Yahweh malak psalms—only that the themes related to divine kingship, evident most clearly in the Yahweh malak psalms, provide a helpful lens through which to view Psalm 136. According to verses 2–3, Yahweh is greater than all other gods—he is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” As Divine King, he fashioned creation and ordered it (vv. 4–9), and he even controls the menacing waters (v. 13–14). In the final strophe the psalmist refers to the Divine King’s willingness to execute justice for the lowly. Most notably for Psalm 136, Yahweh as Divine King reigns over the nations (vv. 10–22) and will strike those who seek to threaten his covenant people (vv. 10; 17).
His love endures forever. The repeated refrain in Psalm 136 serves as a bedrock confession of the people of God: God’s hesed is without end. Israel’s history cannot be understood apart from God’s commitment to his covenantal relationship with his people. If the governing verb for Psalm 136, hodu, is indeed understood as “to confess” or “to proclaim,” then the claims made by the priest in the first part of each verse, as well as the refrain uttered by the people in the second half, function as confession. The speaker confesses the work of God and the people confess the faithfulness of God. The two cannot be easily separated, nor should they be. One informs the other. God’s faithfulness is made evident in his activity, and his activity demonstrates his faithfulness.
Contemporary Significance
MODERN READERS MAY WORRY that the language that dominates Psalm 136 smacks of nationalistic rhetoric, or worse yet, political propaganda. To read the psalm in this highly reductionistic manner, however, is to miss the larger theological confession altogether. The rhetoric of Psalm 136 does not point to Israel, nor to Israel’s own strength as a nation; rather, the rhetoric points to the Divine King to which all Scripture testifies. The confession that Yahweh is King “involves a vision of reality that is the theological center of the Psalter,” and indeed, the center of all Scripture.25
This vision of reality is rooted in God’s hesed (“steadfast love”) toward all creation. Creation is ordered properly (vv. 4–9) because of Yahweh’s hesed. God acts to redeem and deliver his people because of that same hesed. And out of his hesed he cares for the lowly (v. 23). Repeatedly, Scripture confesses that this God is the one who takes down the mighty only to lift up the humble (e.g., 1 Sam 2; Luke 1). Yet the next-to-last verse of the psalm returns to God’s larger commitment to creation. To all his creation he grants provisions out of his hesed (cf. Ps 145:14–16). This truth is the vision of reality at work in Psalm 136, the vision of a world rightly ordered. This work is indeed the work of the God of heaven, the God of gods and Lord of lords.
As suggested in the introduction to the comments on this poem, Psalm 136 is hortatory in nature. It exhorts us to confess what we know to be true about this God. We do more than simply recall a story—we confess a truth and lean into a vision. God’s faithfulness to us in the past compels us to hope in a future in which God’s vision of reality continues to unfold, a future in which God’s hesed shapes us and the world. Because of that past, because of that hope, we have much to confess, much to proclaim.
Original Meaning
Yahweh’s Mighty Works in Creation (136:4–9)
FOLLOWING THE OPENING CALL for the people to “confess” their faith in Yahweh, in the second strophe the psalmist turns to consider Yahweh’s work as Creator. The focus of the strophe is not cosmological in nature (i.e., how the universe came to be), but decidedly theological. What does the creative work of God reveal concerning Israel’s covenantal partner? In rehearsing Yahweh’s role as Creator of all, the psalmist declares concomitantly that Yahweh is the Divine King.
Who alone does great wonders. Three of the six verses in this strophe begin with the participial form of the verb ‘asah, often translated as “to make” or “to do.” The verb appears frequently as a synonym of bara’, “to create,” and clearly carries that connotation in this strophe: God “made” or “created” great works (v. 4); God “made” or “created” the heavens (v. 5); and God “made” or “created” the great lights (v. 7). A fourth verb is invoked, and it too carries associations with creation. In verse 6 the psalmist declares that Yahweh “spread out the earth upon the waters.” The verb raqa‘ means “to beat” or “to hammer out.” In several texts the verb refers to the “hammering out” or “spreading out” of the earth (Isa 42:5; 44:24) or the heavens (Job 37:18). The word “firmament,” found in Genesis 1, comes from this same root.
The word nipla’ot, “wonders,” appears frequently in Old Testament texts that refer to Yahweh’s creating, liberating, and redeeming work in behalf of Israel.11
Admittedly, many of these texts have the exodus event in view, but other texts (e.g., Ps 89:5) associate the larger theme of redemption with the work of God in creation. In this strophe the psalmist makes a similar move by associating nipla’ot with creation. He also echoes the earlier claims of Yahweh’s supremacy (Ps 136:2–3) by declaring that Yahweh “alone” has created the world; the reputed creator gods of the other nations proved powerless, as Yahweh “alone” performed his wonders (nipla’ot) in creation.
Made the heavens . . . spread out the earth. As suggested above, the language in this strophe has close associations with the language found in Genesis 1.12
Psalm 136 mentions the creation of the heavens and the earth but also alludes to the sun, moon, and stars. According to the psalmist, these are the bodies that “govern” (from the root mshl, “to rule”) the day and night. In Genesis 1 these celestial bodies were not identified by name; instead, they were called the “greater light” and the “lesser light.” Babylonian religion had deified these celestial bodies and attributed to them power over the created world. Their deification perhaps explains why the writer of Gen 1 opted to omit their particular names and preferred, instead, more generalized terms. Apparently, and particularly given the claims about God in verses 2–3, the psalmist no longer shared this concern and felt liberated to use the more specific terms associated with each heavenly body. No celestial body could “govern” the world that was created by Israel’s God, the Divine King; to the contrary, it was God who exercised his power in bringing them into existence.
Bridging Contexts
DIVINE KINGSHIP
. In the center of Book 4 of the Psalter, Psalms 93 and 95–99 draw attention to the kingship of Yahweh. These psalms, frequently labeled as Yahweh malak (“the LORD reigns”) psalms, announce the kingship of Yahweh in clear and unequivocal terms.24
Four of the psalms begin with the declaration Yahweh malak or include it within the body of the psalm (Pss 93; 96; 97; 99), and other psalms in this collection simply refer to Yahweh as “king” (Pss 95; 98; 99). Some of the language and imagery reflects the metaphor of kingship: “throne” (Ps 97:2); “footstool” (Ps 99:5); “bow down” (Ps 95:6); judge of the world (Ps 96:13). Beyond these overt references to kingship, the psalms in this small collection affirm that Yahweh rules over the gods (Ps 95:3) and that all other gods must acquiesce to his authority as the one true God over all creation (Ps 97:7, 9). Moreover, these psalms declare that God stands over creation and that the “earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Ps 97:4b–5a). Even more, as king over creation Yahweh holds in check the chaotic waters that threaten the stability of the world (Ps 93:3–4). As king, Yahweh will execute justice in behalf of his people, thus thwarting the ways of the wicked (Pss 97:10; 99:4). And the Yahweh malak psalms refer to God’s reign over the nations and the peoples of the world (Pss 96:10; 97:9b; 99:2); even more, Yahweh will “consume his foes on every side” (Ps 97:3b).
While Psalm 136 does not contain the more overt references to kingship (e.g., thrones and footstools), the psalm does include many of the themes present in the Yahweh malak psalms. To say so is not to suggest that Psalm 136 was derived from the Yahweh malak psalms—only that the themes related to divine kingship, evident most clearly in the Yahweh malak psalms, provide a helpful lens through which to view Psalm 136. According to verses 2–3, Yahweh is greater than all other gods—he is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” As Divine King, he fashioned creation and ordered it (vv. 4–9), and he even controls the menacing waters (v. 13–14). In the final strophe the psalmist refers to the Divine King’s willingness to execute justice for the lowly. Most notably for Psalm 136, Yahweh as Divine King reigns over the nations (vv. 10–22) and will strike those who seek to threaten his covenant people (vv. 10; 17).
His love endures forever. The repeated refrain in Psalm 136 serves as a bedrock confession of the people of God: God’s hesed is without end. Israel’s history cannot be understood apart from God’s commitment to his covenantal relationship with his people. If the governing verb for Psalm 136, hodu, is indeed understood as “to confess” or “to proclaim,” then the claims made by the priest in the first part of each verse, as well as the refrain uttered by the people in the second half, function as confession. The speaker confesses the work of God and the people confess the faithfulness of God. The two cannot be easily separated, nor should they be. One informs the other. God’s faithfulness is made evident in his activity, and his activity demonstrates his faithfulness.
Contemporary Significance
MODERN READERS MAY WORRY that the language that dominates Psalm 136 smacks of nationalistic rhetoric, or worse yet, political propaganda. To read the psalm in this highly reductionistic manner, however, is to miss the larger theological confession altogether. The rhetoric of Psalm 136 does not point to Israel, nor to Israel’s own strength as a nation; rather, the rhetoric points to the Divine King to which all Scripture testifies. The confession that Yahweh is King “involves a vision of reality that is the theological center of the Psalter,” and indeed, the center of all Scripture.25
This vision of reality is rooted in God’s hesed (“steadfast love”) toward all creation. Creation is ordered properly (vv. 4–9) because of Yahweh’s hesed. God acts to redeem and deliver his people because of that same hesed. And out of his hesed he cares for the lowly (v. 23). Repeatedly, Scripture confesses that this God is the one who takes down the mighty only to lift up the humble (e.g., 1 Sam 2; Luke 1). Yet the next-to-last verse of the psalm returns to God’s larger commitment to creation. To all his creation he grants provisions out of his hesed (cf. Ps 145:14–16). This truth is the vision of reality at work in Psalm 136, the vision of a world rightly ordered. This work is indeed the work of the God of heaven, the God of gods and Lord of lords.
As suggested in the introduction to the comments on this poem, Psalm 136 is hortatory in nature. It exhorts us to confess what we know to be true about this God. We do more than simply recall a story—we confess a truth and lean into a vision. God’s faithfulness to us in the past compels us to hope in a future in which God’s vision of reality continues to unfold, a future in which God’s hesed shapes us and the world. Because of that past, because of that hope, we have much to confess, much to proclaim.
Original Meaning
Yahweh’s Victory of the Powers of Egypt (136:10–15)
IN THE THIRD STROPHE THE PSALMIST turns to God’s demonstration of power against the Egyptians. Similar to the psalmist’s appropriation of the Genesis 1 text, verses 10–15 follow closely the language and imagery of the Pentateuchal tradition. Susan Gillingham has identified the core elements of the exodus tradition as rehearsed in the literature within the Old Testament.13
She suggests that, at minimum, the exodus tradition consists of three component parts: (1) the escape from Egypt; (2) the role of Moses in leading the people out of Egypt; and (3) the crossing of the Red Sea. While these components typically appear together, other references to other events may appear as well, including the sojourn in Egypt, the plagues, the death of the firstborn, and the wilderness wanderings, among others.14
In Psalm 136 the poet refers to the smiting of the firstborn in Egypt (v. 10), the coming out of Egypt (v. 11), and the crossing of the Red Sea (vv. 13–14)—all constituent elements within the exodus tradition. In verse 15, the final reference to this tradition, the psalmist praises Yahweh for having “swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.”
To him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt. The opening line in the third strophe highlights the nature of the encounter between Yahweh and Pharaoh. Because the verb “to strike down” (nakah) is frequently found in texts that recount battles between political powers, the psalmist understands the exodus event as the routing of one power by another power.15
The decisive act in this battle between human kingship and divine kingship occurred with the tenth plague. By striking down the firstborn of Egypt, Yahweh demonstrated the potency of his power versus the power apparatus of the Egyptians.16
The psalmist also references the power of God in verses 11–12. Both verses use language associated with Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. The verb “to bring out” (v. 11) appears repeatedly in referring to Israel’s departure from the land (Exod 12:17, 51), and the reference to a “mighty hand and an outstretched arm” in verse 12 suggests the active role Yahweh played in delivering Israel. The pairing of the hand and the arm with the verb “to bring out” occurs repeatedly in the book of Deuteronomy, where it highlights God’s role in securing the deliverance of his people.17
To him who divided the Red Sea asunder. The psalmist follows the Pentateuchal tradition in explaining that God’s power was on display in the crossing of the Red Sea. The language of verse 13, however, suggests that the psalmist may have incorporated another tradition from the ancient Near Eastern world. Commentators have noted that the verb gazar, “to divide asunder,” in Psalm 136:13 also appears in the Ras Shamra texts in recounting the battle waged against the “dragon” in Ugaritic literature.18
As Ruth Scoralick has contended, this language of cutting into pieces “carries mythological overtones of the warring enforcement of Yahweh against the sea, suggesting the powerful enforcement of Yahweh not only against the nations, but against all powers.”19
For the psalmist, the confession that Yahweh cut the Sea in two is indicative of the comprehensive scope of his power against all forces in creation, both human (Pharaoh) and non-human (chaos).
Bridging Contexts
DIVINE KINGSHIP
. In the center of Book 4 of the Psalter, Psalms 93 and 95–99 draw attention to the kingship of Yahweh. These psalms, frequently labeled as Yahweh malak (“the LORD reigns”) psalms, announce the kingship of Yahweh in clear and unequivocal terms.24
Four of the psalms begin with the declaration Yahweh malak or include it within the body of the psalm (Pss 93; 96; 97; 99), and other psalms in this collection simply refer to Yahweh as “king” (Pss 95; 98; 99). Some of the language and imagery reflects the metaphor of kingship: “throne” (Ps 97:2); “footstool” (Ps 99:5); “bow down” (Ps 95:6); judge of the world (Ps 96:13). Beyond these overt references to kingship, the psalms in this small collection affirm that Yahweh rules over the gods (Ps 95:3) and that all other gods must acquiesce to his authority as the one true God over all creation (Ps 97:7, 9). Moreover, these psalms declare that God stands over creation and that the “earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Ps 97:4b–5a). Even more, as king over creation Yahweh holds in check the chaotic waters that threaten the stability of the world (Ps 93:3–4). As king, Yahweh will execute justice in behalf of his people, thus thwarting the ways of the wicked (Pss 97:10; 99:4). And the Yahweh malak psalms refer to God’s reign over the nations and the peoples of the world (Pss 96:10; 97:9b; 99:2); even more, Yahweh will “consume his foes on every side” (Ps 97:3b).
While Psalm 136 does not contain the more overt references to kingship (e.g., thrones and footstools), the psalm does include many of the themes present in the Yahweh malak psalms. To say so is not to suggest that Psalm 136 was derived from the Yahweh malak psalms—only that the themes related to divine kingship, evident most clearly in the Yahweh malak psalms, provide a helpful lens through which to view Psalm 136. According to verses 2–3, Yahweh is greater than all other gods—he is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” As Divine King, he fashioned creation and ordered it (vv. 4–9), and he even controls the menacing waters (v. 13–14). In the final strophe the psalmist refers to the Divine King’s willingness to execute justice for the lowly. Most notably for Psalm 136, Yahweh as Divine King reigns over the nations (vv. 10–22) and will strike those who seek to threaten his covenant people (vv. 10; 17).
His love endures forever. The repeated refrain in Psalm 136 serves as a bedrock confession of the people of God: God’s hesed is without end. Israel’s history cannot be understood apart from God’s commitment to his covenantal relationship with his people. If the governing verb for Psalm 136, hodu, is indeed understood as “to confess” or “to proclaim,” then the claims made by the priest in the first part of each verse, as well as the refrain uttered by the people in the second half, function as confession. The speaker confesses the work of God and the people confess the faithfulness of God. The two cannot be easily separated, nor should they be. One informs the other. God’s faithfulness is made evident in his activity, and his activity demonstrates his faithfulness.
Contemporary Significance
MODERN READERS MAY WORRY that the language that dominates Psalm 136 smacks of nationalistic rhetoric, or worse yet, political propaganda. To read the psalm in this highly reductionistic manner, however, is to miss the larger theological confession altogether. The rhetoric of Psalm 136 does not point to Israel, nor to Israel’s own strength as a nation; rather, the rhetoric points to the Divine King to which all Scripture testifies. The confession that Yahweh is King “involves a vision of reality that is the theological center of the Psalter,” and indeed, the center of all Scripture.25
This vision of reality is rooted in God’s hesed (“steadfast love”) toward all creation. Creation is ordered properly (vv. 4–9) because of Yahweh’s hesed. God acts to redeem and deliver his people because of that same hesed. And out of his hesed he cares for the lowly (v. 23). Repeatedly, Scripture confesses that this God is the one who takes down the mighty only to lift up the humble (e.g., 1 Sam 2; Luke 1). Yet the next-to-last verse of the psalm returns to God’s larger commitment to creation. To all his creation he grants provisions out of his hesed (cf. Ps 145:14–16). This truth is the vision of reality at work in Psalm 136, the vision of a world rightly ordered. This work is indeed the work of the God of heaven, the God of gods and Lord of lords.
As suggested in the introduction to the comments on this poem, Psalm 136 is hortatory in nature. It exhorts us to confess what we know to be true about this God. We do more than simply recall a story—we confess a truth and lean into a vision. God’s faithfulness to us in the past compels us to hope in a future in which God’s vision of reality continues to unfold, a future in which God’s hesed shapes us and the world. Because of that past, because of that hope, we have much to confess, much to proclaim.
Original Meaning
Yahweh’s Defeat of the Kings (136:16–22)
THE FOURTH STROPHE BEGINS WITH ISRAEL’S departure from Egypt and culminates in their arrival in the land. The principle focus, however, is not on the journey itself but on the demonstration of Yahweh’s power in defeating the kings who threatened Israel’s entrance into the land.
Who led his people through the wilderness. Verse 16 provides a notably truncated account of the wilderness period. The brevity of this report, however, should not be construed as lack of access to that tradition in Israel’s history. In Psalm 136 the brief reference to the wilderness tradition has a rhetorical function—it serves principally as a bridge between the accounts of Yahweh’s battle with human power in Egypt and his battle with human power in Canaan. Despite the brevity of the verse, the focus on kingship is suggested by the choice of verb. The psalmist explains that Yahweh “led” his people through the wilderness. The verb for “led” is a
hiphil participle from the root hlk, “to go out.” The participial form is molik, which shares the same consonants with the Hebrew word for king, melek. Yahweh leads his people out (molik) as he prepares to defeat the kings (melakim of Canaan (vv. 17–20).
To him who struck down great kings. In staccato fashion the psalmist reports Yahweh’s victory over the kings east of the Jordan by using a fourfold structure: great kings, mighty kings, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan. Joshua 12:24b records that, in total, thirty-one kings were killed in the settlement of the land—a number that is somewhat obscured by the fourfold list in Psalm 136. Obviously, the list in the psalm is not meant to be comprehensive, as verses 17–18 suggest, but those on the list do function as “exemplary prototypes of enemies in Israel’s history,” perhaps with an eye to the great kings of Babylon and Persia faced more recently by Israel.20
All kings, whether great Pharaohs of Egypt, those ruling east of the Jordan, or presumably even the monarchs of the empires presently standing (Persia), will be struck down (nakah) by Yahweh (vv. 10, 17).
Gave their land as an inheritance. The giving of the land as an “inheritance” or “possession” (nahalah) to Israel may seem only tangentially related to the claims of Yahweh’s power as Divine King. Yet the giving of “their land” (i.e., the land of the kings) to his servants reinforces Israel’s confession of the sovereignty of Yahweh in international history. As the Divine King, Yahweh is sovereign over all nations, and his victory over “great kings” and “mighty kings” validates his claim of supremacy. Further, as the Divine King Yahweh has the right to parcel out a possession or inheritance to his servants, namely, those with whom he stands in a covenantal relationship (cf. Ps 123).
Bridging Contexts
DIVINE KINGSHIP
. In the center of Book 4 of the Psalter, Psalms 93 and 95–99 draw attention to the kingship of Yahweh. These psalms, frequently labeled as Yahweh malak (“the LORD reigns”) psalms, announce the kingship of Yahweh in clear and unequivocal terms.24
Four of the psalms begin with the declaration Yahweh malak or include it within the body of the psalm (Pss 93; 96; 97; 99), and other psalms in this collection simply refer to Yahweh as “king” (Pss 95; 98; 99). Some of the language and imagery reflects the metaphor of kingship: “throne” (Ps 97:2); “footstool” (Ps 99:5); “bow down” (Ps 95:6); judge of the world (Ps 96:13). Beyond these overt references to kingship, the psalms in this small collection affirm that Yahweh rules over the gods (Ps 95:3) and that all other gods must acquiesce to his authority as the one true God over all creation (Ps 97:7, 9). Moreover, these psalms declare that God stands over creation and that the “earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Ps 97:4b–5a). Even more, as king over creation Yahweh holds in check the chaotic waters that threaten the stability of the world (Ps 93:3–4). As king, Yahweh will execute justice in behalf of his people, thus thwarting the ways of the wicked (Pss 97:10; 99:4). And the Yahweh malak psalms refer to God’s reign over the nations and the peoples of the world (Pss 96:10; 97:9b; 99:2); even more, Yahweh will “consume his foes on every side” (Ps 97:3b).
While Psalm 136 does not contain the more overt references to kingship (e.g., thrones and footstools), the psalm does include many of the themes present in the Yahweh malak psalms. To say so is not to suggest that Psalm 136 was derived from the Yahweh malak psalms—only that the themes related to divine kingship, evident most clearly in the Yahweh malak psalms, provide a helpful lens through which to view Psalm 136. According to verses 2–3, Yahweh is greater than all other gods—he is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” As Divine King, he fashioned creation and ordered it (vv. 4–9), and he even controls the menacing waters (v. 13–14). In the final strophe the psalmist refers to the Divine King’s willingness to execute justice for the lowly. Most notably for Psalm 136, Yahweh as Divine King reigns over the nations (vv. 10–22) and will strike those who seek to threaten his covenant people (vv. 10; 17).
His love endures forever. The repeated refrain in Psalm 136 serves as a bedrock confession of the people of God: God’s hesed is without end. Israel’s history cannot be understood apart from God’s commitment to his covenantal relationship with his people. If the governing verb for Psalm 136, hodu, is indeed understood as “to confess” or “to proclaim,” then the claims made by the priest in the first part of each verse, as well as the refrain uttered by the people in the second half, function as confession. The speaker confesses the work of God and the people confess the faithfulness of God. The two cannot be easily separated, nor should they be. One informs the other. God’s faithfulness is made evident in his activity, and his activity demonstrates his faithfulness.
Contemporary Significance
MODERN READERS MAY WORRY that the language that dominates Psalm 136 smacks of nationalistic rhetoric, or worse yet, political propaganda. To read the psalm in this highly reductionistic manner, however, is to miss the larger theological confession altogether. The rhetoric of Psalm 136 does not point to Israel, nor to Israel’s own strength as a nation; rather, the rhetoric points to the Divine King to which all Scripture testifies. The confession that Yahweh is King “involves a vision of reality that is the theological center of the Psalter,” and indeed, the center of all Scripture.25
This vision of reality is rooted in God’s hesed (“steadfast love”) toward all creation. Creation is ordered properly (vv. 4–9) because of Yahweh’s hesed. God acts to redeem and deliver his people because of that same hesed. And out of his hesed he cares for the lowly (v. 23). Repeatedly, Scripture confesses that this God is the one who takes down the mighty only to lift up the humble (e.g., 1 Sam 2; Luke 1). Yet the next-to-last verse of the psalm returns to God’s larger commitment to creation. To all his creation he grants provisions out of his hesed (cf. Ps 145:14–16). This truth is the vision of reality at work in Psalm 136, the vision of a world rightly ordered. This work is indeed the work of the God of heaven, the God of gods and Lord of lords.
As suggested in the introduction to the comments on this poem, Psalm 136 is hortatory in nature. It exhorts us to confess what we know to be true about this God. We do more than simply recall a story—we confess a truth and lean into a vision. God’s faithfulness to us in the past compels us to hope in a future in which God’s vision of reality continues to unfold, a future in which God’s hesed shapes us and the world. Because of that past, because of that hope, we have much to confess, much to proclaim.
Original Meaning
God’s Deliverance of the Present Generation (136:23–25)
THE PREVIOUS STROPHES INCLUDED third-person descriptions of Yahweh’s victorious power over human kingship. In the final strophe the psalmist breaks with the previous strophes by introducing first-person plural language (i.e., “our low estate,” “our enemies”). The subtle shift in person and number suggests the hermeneutical move being made by the psalmist. The story of a people plagued by kings and political powers becomes, for the present community, the operative lens through which to view its own history; the story is “not merely of a generation dead and gone, but of ‘us.’ ”21
The connection between past and present, however, extends beyond simply the use of first-person language. The psalmist refers to the community’s most recent threat as “our enemies” (mitsarenu), a term that appears repeatedly in Book 5, beginning with Psalm 107, and one that typically refers to political and military enemies. The term mitsarenu (Ps 136:24) is no doubt a partial homophone with the Hebrew term for Egypt, mitsrayim (v. 10). With the use of mitsarenu, the psalmist connects the most recent oppressive threat with the empire of old.22
But unlike the particularities reported in the previous two strophes (vv. 10–22), the community reports its deliverance without providing specific details.23
These concluding verses affirm that the power of the Divine King, evidenced throughout Israel’s history, remains alive and active with the present generation. Yahweh’s commitment indeed endures forever.
The final verse in this strophe extends God’s care to all creation: “He gives food to every creature.” Because God’s work in behalf of Israel has dominated the entire psalm, such a universal declaration may appear misplaced. Yet prior to the rehearsal of God’s work in Israel’s history (vv. 10–22), the psalmist recounts God’s work for the sake of all creation. Verse 25 returns to this very theme. The theological implications of this confession are considered below in Contemporary Significance.
Bridging Contexts
DIVINE KINGSHIP
. In the center of Book 4 of the Psalter, Psalms 93 and 95–99 draw attention to the kingship of Yahweh. These psalms, frequently labeled as Yahweh malak (“the LORD reigns”) psalms, announce the kingship of Yahweh in clear and unequivocal terms.24
Four of the psalms begin with the declaration Yahweh malak or include it within the body of the psalm (Pss 93; 96; 97; 99), and other psalms in this collection simply refer to Yahweh as “king” (Pss 95; 98; 99). Some of the language and imagery reflects the metaphor of kingship: “throne” (Ps 97:2); “footstool” (Ps 99:5); “bow down” (Ps 95:6); judge of the world (Ps 96:13). Beyond these overt references to kingship, the psalms in this small collection affirm that Yahweh rules over the gods (Ps 95:3) and that all other gods must acquiesce to his authority as the one true God over all creation (Ps 97:7, 9). Moreover, these psalms declare that God stands over creation and that the “earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Ps 97:4b–5a). Even more, as king over creation Yahweh holds in check the chaotic waters that threaten the stability of the world (Ps 93:3–4). As king, Yahweh will execute justice in behalf of his people, thus thwarting the ways of the wicked (Pss 97:10; 99:4). And the Yahweh malak psalms refer to God’s reign over the nations and the peoples of the world (Pss 96:10; 97:9b; 99:2); even more, Yahweh will “consume his foes on every side” (Ps 97:3b).
While Psalm 136 does not contain the more overt references to kingship (e.g., thrones and footstools), the psalm does include many of the themes present in the Yahweh malak psalms. To say so is not to suggest that Psalm 136 was derived from the Yahweh malak psalms—only that the themes related to divine kingship, evident most clearly in the Yahweh malak psalms, provide a helpful lens through which to view Psalm 136. According to verses 2–3, Yahweh is greater than all other gods—he is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” As Divine King, he fashioned creation and ordered it (vv. 4–9), and he even controls the menacing waters (v. 13–14). In the final strophe the psalmist refers to the Divine King’s willingness to execute justice for the lowly. Most notably for Psalm 136, Yahweh as Divine King reigns over the nations (vv. 10–22) and will strike those who seek to threaten his covenant people (vv. 10; 17).
His love endures forever. The repeated refrain in Psalm 136 serves as a bedrock confession of the people of God: God’s hesed is without end. Israel’s history cannot be understood apart from God’s commitment to his covenantal relationship with his people. If the governing verb for Psalm 136, hodu, is indeed understood as “to confess” or “to proclaim,” then the claims made by the priest in the first part of each verse, as well as the refrain uttered by the people in the second half, function as confession. The speaker confesses the work of God and the people confess the faithfulness of God. The two cannot be easily separated, nor should they be. One informs the other. God’s faithfulness is made evident in his activity, and his activity demonstrates his faithfulness.
Contemporary Significance
MODERN READERS MAY WORRY that the language that dominates Psalm 136 smacks of nationalistic rhetoric, or worse yet, political propaganda. To read the psalm in this highly reductionistic manner, however, is to miss the larger theological confession altogether. The rhetoric of Psalm 136 does not point to Israel, nor to Israel’s own strength as a nation; rather, the rhetoric points to the Divine King to which all Scripture testifies. The confession that Yahweh is King “involves a vision of reality that is the theological center of the Psalter,” and indeed, the center of all Scripture.25
This vision of reality is rooted in God’s hesed (“steadfast love”) toward all creation. Creation is ordered properly (vv. 4–9) because of Yahweh’s hesed. God acts to redeem and deliver his people because of that same hesed. And out of his hesed he cares for the lowly (v. 23). Repeatedly, Scripture confesses that this God is the one who takes down the mighty only to lift up the humble (e.g., 1 Sam 2; Luke 1). Yet the next-to-last verse of the psalm returns to God’s larger commitment to creation. To all his creation he grants provisions out of his hesed (cf. Ps 145:14–16). This truth is the vision of reality at work in Psalm 136, the vision of a world rightly ordered. This work is indeed the work of the God of heaven, the God of gods and Lord of lords.
As suggested in the introduction to the comments on this poem, Psalm 136 is hortatory in nature. It exhorts us to confess what we know to be true about this God. We do more than simply recall a story—we confess a truth and lean into a vision. God’s faithfulness to us in the past compels us to hope in a future in which God’s vision of reality continues to unfold, a future in which God’s hesed shapes us and the world. Because of that past, because of that hope, we have much to confess, much to proclaim.
Original Meaning
A Concluding Call to Confess Yahweh (136:26)
THE PSALM CONCLUDES BY REPEATING the opening exhortation to give thanks (hodu) to Yahweh. Having rehearsed Israel’s history and recounted Yahweh’s decisive acts in Israel’s behalf, the community can do nothing less than confess or praise this God. That the designation used for God in this verse, “God of heaven,” appears repeatedly in later texts from the Persian period (cf. Ezra 1:2; 5:11; 6:9; 7:12; Neh 1:4; 2:4; 2 Chr 36:23), perhaps suggests a possible setting for this psalm. But this designation is not found in narrative texts alone. The reference to Yahweh’s abode in the heavens or above the heavens also occurs in the Psalter, and with some regularity in Book 5 of the Psalter (e.g., Pss 113:5–6; 115:3; 123:1; 144:5–7). The idea of Yahweh as the God of the heavens emphasizes Yahweh’s role as Divine King and disqualifies any human king’s claim to supremacy.
Bridging Contexts
DIVINE KINGSHIP
. In the center of Book 4 of the Psalter, Psalms 93 and 95–99 draw attention to the kingship of Yahweh. These psalms, frequently labeled as Yahweh malak (“the LORD reigns”) psalms, announce the kingship of Yahweh in clear and unequivocal terms.24
Four of the psalms begin with the declaration Yahweh malak or include it within the body of the psalm (Pss 93; 96; 97; 99), and other psalms in this collection simply refer to Yahweh as “king” (Pss 95; 98; 99). Some of the language and imagery reflects the metaphor of kingship: “throne” (Ps 97:2); “footstool” (Ps 99:5); “bow down” (Ps 95:6); judge of the world (Ps 96:13). Beyond these overt references to kingship, the psalms in this small collection affirm that Yahweh rules over the gods (Ps 95:3) and that all other gods must acquiesce to his authority as the one true God over all creation (Ps 97:7, 9). Moreover, these psalms declare that God stands over creation and that the “earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Ps 97:4b–5a). Even more, as king over creation Yahweh holds in check the chaotic waters that threaten the stability of the world (Ps 93:3–4). As king, Yahweh will execute justice in behalf of his people, thus thwarting the ways of the wicked (Pss 97:10; 99:4). And the Yahweh malak psalms refer to God’s reign over the nations and the peoples of the world (Pss 96:10; 97:9b; 99:2); even more, Yahweh will “consume his foes on every side” (Ps 97:3b).
While Psalm 136 does not contain the more overt references to kingship (e.g., thrones and footstools), the psalm does include many of the themes present in the Yahweh malak psalms. To say so is not to suggest that Psalm 136 was derived from the Yahweh malak psalms—only that the themes related to divine kingship, evident most clearly in the Yahweh malak psalms, provide a helpful lens through which to view Psalm 136. According to verses 2–3, Yahweh is greater than all other gods—he is “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” As Divine King, he fashioned creation and ordered it (vv. 4–9), and he even controls the menacing waters (v. 13–14). In the final strophe the psalmist refers to the Divine King’s willingness to execute justice for the lowly. Most notably for Psalm 136, Yahweh as Divine King reigns over the nations (vv. 10–22) and will strike those who seek to threaten his covenant people (vv. 10; 17).
His love endures forever. The repeated refrain in Psalm 136 serves as a bedrock confession of the people of God: God’s hesed is without end. Israel’s history cannot be understood apart from God’s commitment to his covenantal relationship with his people. If the governing verb for Psalm 136, hodu, is indeed understood as “to confess” or “to proclaim,” then the claims made by the priest in the first part of each verse, as well as the refrain uttered by the people in the second half, function as confession. The speaker confesses the work of God and the people confess the faithfulness of God. The two cannot be easily separated, nor should they be. One informs the other. God’s faithfulness is made evident in his activity, and his activity demonstrates his faithfulness.
Contemporary Significance
MODERN READERS MAY WORRY that the language that dominates Psalm 136 smacks of nationalistic rhetoric, or worse yet, political propaganda. To read the psalm in this highly reductionistic manner, however, is to miss the larger theological confession altogether. The rhetoric of Psalm 136 does not point to Israel, nor to Israel’s own strength as a nation; rather, the rhetoric points to the Divine King to which all Scripture testifies. The confession that Yahweh is King “involves a vision of reality that is the theological center of the Psalter,” and indeed, the center of all Scripture.25
This vision of reality is rooted in God’s hesed (“steadfast love”) toward all creation. Creation is ordered properly (vv. 4–9) because of Yahweh’s hesed. God acts to redeem and deliver his people because of that same hesed. And out of his hesed he cares for the lowly (v. 23). Repeatedly, Scripture confesses that this God is the one who takes down the mighty only to lift up the humble (e.g., 1 Sam 2; Luke 1). Yet the next-to-last verse of the psalm returns to God’s larger commitment to creation. To all his creation he grants provisions out of his hesed (cf. Ps 145:14–16). This truth is the vision of reality at work in Psalm 136, the vision of a world rightly ordered. This work is indeed the work of the God of heaven, the God of gods and Lord of lords.
As suggested in the introduction to the comments on this poem, Psalm 136 is hortatory in nature. It exhorts us to confess what we know to be true about this God. We do more than simply recall a story—we confess a truth and lean into a vision. God’s faithfulness to us in the past compels us to hope in a future in which God’s vision of reality continues to unfold, a future in which God’s hesed shapes us and the world. Because of that past, because of that hope, we have much to confess, much to proclaim.
