All of us at one time or another, have probably had to memorize something. One of the best ways to memorize something is to repeat it over and over again, so that it gets stuck in our brain. That is how little children learn their ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, etc. Repetition, over and over again. That is the best way to memorize Scripture verses and chapters. We read the verse over and over again until it is finally in our memory. When someone wants to get their message across to where it finally sinks in, it often has to be repeated over and over again. Parents know that, when they have to tell their children something repeatedly. God knows that about people, as well, that the best way for them to really know and believe a truth is to repeat it over and over again. This is what we find in our psalm today, a truth about the Lord God repeated in every verse, so that there is no escaping it.
There are many parts of the Bible that are repeated several times. God repeats the Ten Commandments twice in Scripture. Many of the parables are repeated several times in the different Gospels, along with portions of the Sermon on the Mount. When God repeats something, it must be important for us to know. Many of His commands and instructions for living a faithful Christian life are repeated over and over throughout the Epistles. Here in Psalm 136, God repeats the phrase “for His mercy endures forever” over and over again, in each and everyone of the 26 verses. This must obviously be something important that He wants us to know, learn, and get firmly into our minds.
Mercy is God withholding or holding back the punishment that we are due and deserving of. It is His forgiveness, and the love and compassion He has upon us as weak and helpless humans. The anonymous writer of this psalm was so grateful of God’s mercy to him and to all of us, that he wanted everyone to be fully aware of this, as well. If we got what we deserved, where would we be? We would be condemned, of course. If God did not have mercy upon us, His righteous judgment would call for instant death and damnation to the pits of hell. However, God does have mercy upon us. He has deep love and compassion for us, so much so that He sent His Son Jesus for our salvation, whose birth we celebrate later this week. He didn’t have to do that, but because He has love and mercy on us, He did.
God doesn’t just show His mercy to us one time, and then that’s it. If we mess up and sin again, He doesn't come down on us like a ton of bricks. No, as we read here over and over again, His mercy endures forever! God’s mercy, love, kindness, and faithfulness will always continue. It flows from a well that will never run dry. God’s love is loyal and faithful, even when His people sin against Him. He is faithful in loving us. Steadfast love is an integral part of the character of God (Exodus 34:6).
This psalm, like so many of the psalms, was probably originally set to music, and was sung antiphonally, sung or recited back and forth with two groups. One group would sing or recite the first half of each verse, and the second group would continually respond with “for His mercy endures forever”. Setting something to music is one way that makes memorizing a bit easier. In the first three verses we see the character and person of God. He is not just any old deity, like the myriads of deities the pagans worshipped. He is the God of gods, the Lord of lords. The pagan gods were false, fake, the constructions of the people’s minds. However, Yahweh is the one, true, all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting God.
In verses 4-9 the writer focuses on God, the Creator. The same God who made everything, promises to love His children forever. When we think of all of creation, all of the wonders on our planet, let alone the vastness of space, why would God even bother with us (Psalm 8:3-4)? Yet He does. He loves us and His mercy towards us endures forever. Verses 10-24 focus on the history of God’s relationship with His people. The psalmist recounts countless times that Yahweh showed His mercy and love for His people. We could, and really should, go through our own lives, and that of our families, and recount the many times God showed us His love and mercy, especially as we come to the close of this year. The final two verses close out the psalm by showing God’s mercy through His provisions. He doesn’t forget us, but provides for and nourishes us.
As we look forward to Christmas in a few days, we can be thankful for that greatest act of love and mercy God showed to all mankind, that of providing us a Savior, who came to take the sins of the world upon Himself, and providing us a way to be reconciled to God. As our psalm repeatedly says, “For His mercy endures forever”!
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