16 To him which led H3212 his people H5971 through the wilderness: H4057 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever. H5769
But God H430 led H5437 the people H5971 about, H5437 through the way H1870 of the wilderness H4057 of the Red H5488 sea: H3220 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 harnessed H2571 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
So Moses H4872 brought H5265 Israel H3478 from the Red H5488 sea, H3220 and they went out H3318 into the wilderness H4057 of Shur; H7793 and they went H3212 three H7969 days H3117 in the wilderness, H4057 and found H4672 no water. H4325
Thou leddest H5148 thy people H5971 like a flock H6629 by the hand H3027 of Moses H4872 and Aaron. H175
And when H6310 the cloud H6051 was taken up H5927 from the tabernacle, H168 then after H310 that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed: H5265 and in the place H4725 where the cloud H6051 abode, H7931 there the children H1121 of Israel H3478 pitched their tents. H2583 At the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed, H5265 and at the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they pitched: H2583 as long as H3117 the cloud H6051 abode H7931 upon the tabernacle H4908 they rested H2583 in their tents. And when the cloud H6051 tarried long H748 upon the tabernacle H4908 many H7227 days, H3117 then the children H1121 of Israel H3478 kept H8104 the charge H4931 of the LORD, H3068 and journeyed H5265 not. And so it was, H3426 when the cloud H6051 was a few H4557 days H3117 upon the tabernacle; H4908 according to the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they abode H2583 in their tents, and according to the commandment H6310 of the LORD H3068 they journeyed. H5265 And so it was, H3426 when the cloud H6051 abode from even H6153 unto the morning, H1242 and that the cloud H6051 was taken up H5927 in the morning, H1242 then they journeyed: H5265 whether it was by day H3119 or by night H3915 that the cloud H6051 was taken up, H5927 they journeyed. H5265 Or whether it were two days, H3117 or a month, H2320 or a year, H3117 that the cloud H6051 tarried H748 upon the tabernacle, H4908 remaining H7931 thereon, the children H1121 of Israel H3478 abode H2583 in their tents, and journeyed H5265 not: but when it was taken up, H5927 they journeyed. H5265
And thou shalt remember H2142 all the way H1870 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 led H3212 thee these forty H705 years H8141 in the wilderness, H4057 to humble H6031 thee, and to prove H5254 thee, to know H3045 what was in thine heart, H3824 whether thou wouldest keep H8104 his commandments, H4687 or no.
Moreover thou leddest H5148 them in the day H3119 by a cloudy H6051 pillar; H5982 and in the night H3915 by a pillar H5982 of fire, H784 to give them light H215 in the way H1870 wherein they should go. H3212
Yet thou in thy manifold H7227 mercies H7356 forsookest H5800 them not in the wilderness: H4057 the pillar H5982 of the cloud H6051 departed H5493 not from them by day, H3119 to lead H5148 them in the way; H1870 neither the pillar H5982 of fire H784 by night, H3915 to shew them light, H215 and the way H1870 wherein they should go. H3212
Then he remembered H2142 the days H3117 of old, H5769 Moses, H4872 and his people, H5971 saying, Where is he that brought them up H5927 out of the sea H3220 with the shepherd H7462 of his flock? H6629 where is he that put H7760 his holy H6944 Spirit H7307 within H7130 him? That led H3212 them by the right hand H3225 of Moses H4872 with his glorious H8597 arm, H2220 dividing H1234 the water H4325 before H6440 them, to make H6213 himself an everlasting H5769 name? H8034 That led H3212 them through the deep, H8415 as an horse H5483 in the wilderness, H4057 that they should not stumble? H3782 As a beast H929 goeth down H3381 into the valley, H1237 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 caused him to rest: H5117 so didst thou lead H5090 thy people, H5971 to make H6213 thyself a glorious H8597 name. H8034
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 136
Commentary on Psalms 136 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 136
The scope of this psalm is the same with that of the foregoing psalm, but there is something very singular in the composition of it; for the latter half of each verse is the same, repeated throughout the psalm, "for his mercy endureth for ever,' and yet no vain repetition. It is allowed that such burdens, or "keepings,' as we call them, add very much to the beauty of a song, and help to make it moving and affecting; nor can any verse contain more weighty matter, or more worthy to be thus repeated, than this, that God's mercy endureth for ever; and the repetition of it here twenty-six times intimates,
Psa 136:1-9
The duty we are here again and again called to is to give thanks, to offer the sacrifice of praise continually, not the fruits of our ground or cattle, but the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name, Heb. 13:15. We are never so earnestly called upon to pray and repent as to give thanks; for it is the will of God that we should abound most in the most pleasant exercises of religion, in that which is the work of heaven. Now here observe,
Psa 136:10-22
The great things God for Israel, when he first formed them into a people, and set up his kingdom among them, are here mentioned, as often elsewhere in the psalms, as instances both of the power of God and of the particular kindness he had for Israel. See Ps. 135:8, etc.
Psa 136:23-26
God's everlasting mercy is here celebrated,