This psalm is liturgical in nature. Traditionally sung at the end of the Jewish Passover meal, it was probably also prayed by Jesus at the Last Supper celebrated with his disciples (Mark 14:26). It is unique in its refrain: ‘His love endures forever.’ The Message translates this phrase as ‘His love never quits’. Thus, God’s ongoing love is the motif that unifies this entire psalm. 

The first verse of the psalm reminds us of something we should never overlook: we worship a God who is good (v 1). He has shown his love in a multitude of ways, beginning with the creation of the world. With his creation, God breaks through disorder and darkness, showing himself in all his goodness and beauty (vs 5–9).

With the Exodus God shows his ‘mighty hand and outstretched arm’ (v 12), overcoming powers that seem invincible (v 15), and providing a home for a people previously in bondage and slavery (v 21). We are reminded of similar ideas in Romans – how God has revealed himself in history and how, in his ever-widening work of grace, he has included the Gentiles to create a people of his own.

Begin today by acknowledging that there is no God but the Lord.

Psalms 135 and 136 go together in the Jewish liturgy as psalms of great praise. God is to be praised because he ‘alone does great wonders’ (v 4). The expressions ‘God of gods’ and ‘Lord of lords’ (vs 1–3) are superlatives that once more recount God’s supremacy – there is nothing greater or higher than the Lord. This alone should be grounds for worship, but to this is added the recognition of God’s goodness (v 1). God is the benevolent Creator who has created heaven and earth (vs 4–9) and every creature (v 25). God’s love and goodness to Israel are revealed especially in his acts of salvation (vs 10–14), protection (vs 17–22) and provision (vs 16,25). These are themes that should inspire the worship of God’s people whenever they meet.

Each of the 26 verses is followed by the refrain ‘His love endures for ever’, alternatively translated as ‘Indeed, his steadfast love is eternal’.¹ This is the repeated response of the people gathered for worship to bless God for his faithfulness to the covenant and the favour they have been shown. It must rank as the most popular worship song in the Old Testament canon. The modern reader might be tempted to skip the refrain after the first few, but repetition speaks of absorption: the people are absorbed in their worship, so much so that they do not feel they have exhausted their expressions of praise.

This is not just a psalm for the good times. Verse 23 recounts that God ‘remembered us in our low estate’ (or ‘in our degradation’)² and this is surely a reference to the exile in Babylon when all Israel’s beliefs in God seemed to have proven false. It was not so, however: God’s steadfast love endures for ever and in all circumstances and will never be overcome.

‘… for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning’.³

¹ See The Jewish Study Bible, Jewish Publication Society, Tanakh Translation  ² See ref 1  ³ Lam 3:22,23