16 To him who took his people through the waste land: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
But God took the people round by the waste land near the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up in fighting order out of the land of Egypt.
Then Moses took Israel forward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the waste land of Shur; and for three days they were in the waste land where there was no water.
You were guiding your people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the House, then the children of Israel went journeying on; and in the place where the cloud came to rest, there the children of Israel put up their tents. At the order of the Lord the children of Israel went forward, and at the order of the Lord they put up their tents: as long as the cloud was resting on the House, they did not go away from that place. When the cloud was resting on the House for a long time the children of Israel, waiting for the order of the Lord, did not go on. Sometimes the cloud was resting on the House for two or three days; then, by the order of the Lord, they kept their tents in that place, and when the Lord gave the order they went on. And sometimes the cloud was there only from evening to morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning they went on their journey again: or if it was resting there by day and by night, whenever the cloud was taken up they went forward. Or if the cloud came to rest on the House for two days or a month or a year without moving, the children of Israel went on waiting there and did not go on; but whenever it was taken up they went forward on their journey.
And you went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way they were to go.
Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the waste land: the pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go.
Then the early days came to their minds, the days of Moses his servant: and they said, Where is he who made the keeper of his flock come up from the sea? where is he who put his holy spirit among them, He who made the arm of his glory go at the right hand of Moses, by whom the waters were parted before them, to make himself an eternal name; He who made them go through the deep waters, like a horse in the waste land? Like the cattle which go down into the valley, they went without falling, the spirit of the Lord guiding them: so you went before your people, to make yourself a great name.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 136
Commentary on Psalms 136 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 136
Ps 136:1-26. The theme is the same as that of Psalm 135. God should be praised for His works of creation and providence, His deliverance and care of His people, and judgments on their enemies, and His goodness to all. The chorus to every verse is in terms of that of Ps 106:1; 118:1-4, and was perhaps used as the Amen by the people, in worship (compare 1Ch 16:36; Ps 105:45).
1-3. The divine titles denote supremacy.
4. alone—excluding all help.
5, 6. by wisdom—or, "in wisdom" (Ps 104:24).
made—literally, "maker of."
above the waters—or, "higher than the waters" (Ps 24:2).
12. Compare similar expressions (Ex 3:20; De 4:34, &c.).
15. overthrew—literally, "shook off," as in Ex 14:27, as a contemptuous rejection of a reptile.
23. remembered us—or, "for us" (Ps 132:1).
our low estate—that is, captivity.
24. And hath redeemed us—or, literally, "snatched us"—alluding to the sudden deliverance effected by the overthrow of Babylon.
25. To the special favors to His people is added the record of God's goodness to all His creatures (compare Mt 6:30).
26. God of heaven—occurs but once (Jon 1:9) before the captivity. It is used by the later writers as specially distinguishing God from idols.