For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psa 136

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures for ever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures for ever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures for ever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures for ever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures for ever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures for ever.
7 who made the great lights –
His love endures for ever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures for ever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures for ever.

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures for ever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures for ever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures for ever.

13 to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures for ever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures for ever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures for ever.

16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures for ever.

17 to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures for ever.
18 and killed mighty kings –
His love endures for ever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures for ever.
20 and Og king of Bashan –
His love endures for ever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures for ever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures for ever.

23 He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures for ever.
24 and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures for ever.
25 He gives food to every creature.
His love endures for ever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures for ever.

A. Find Out

1. How is the Lord described? v.1-3
2. What does the refrain throughout declare? all verses
3. What things has God done? v.4-9
4. List the things He did for Israel. v.10-22
5. How are his activities summarised in v.23 & 24?
6. How are they summarised in v.25?

B. Think:

1. How did we previously differentiate between praise and thanks?
2. How are the causes for thanks divided here in this psalm?
3. How might we divide them for ourselves today?

C. Comment:

                Thanks, we said previously, is an expression of gratitude for what has been done as it has affected you. This psalm is a call to thank God and the refrain throughout gives us the basic reason: that God’s love goes on and on and love always expresses goodness.

                The initial call to thanks identifies the Lord as good, as God above any human gods, and Lord and ruler over all other rulers (v.1-3). It doesn’t, at this point, give any further characteristics of Him – e.g. Creator, all-powerful etc. – just that He is greater than any other and He is good.

                It then opens up into things He has done and first of all the psalmist covers His activities as Creator, bringing the heavens and the earth into existence. He is clearly provider of all things (v.4-9).

                From this creative area of activity the psalmist moves on to His activity in redeeming Israel, brining them out of Egypt (v.10-15), leading them through the desert and through other nations (v.16-20) until eventually he gave them the Promised Land (v.21,22)

                Finally, as a form of summary, he is to be thanked because He say Israel in their low state (in Egypt) and set them free (v.23,24) and, even more, He not only provides for Israel but He also provides for every creature throughout the earth who should thank Him (v.25,26).

D. Application:

1. Never take God’s provision for you for granted.
2. Give thanks to Him regularly for all you have.