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Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

Psalms 136:2

O give thanks unto the God of gods - See Deuteronomy 10:17. The supreme God; the God superior to all that is called God, or that is adored by the nations of the earth; above all to whom the name God is ever applied.

For his mercy... - The ground of praise here is, that it is a characteristic of the supreme God that he is a merciful Being; that there is blended in his character eternal mercy with infinite power. Mere power might fill us with dread; power mingled with mercy, and able to carry out the purposes of mercy, must lay the foundation for praise.

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See also Psalms 136:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 136:2. _THE GOD OF GODS_] לאדני האדנים _ladonai haadonim_. As _adonai_ signifies _director_, c., it may apply here, not to _idols_, for God is not their god but to the priests and spirit...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 136 His Mercy Endureth Forever This is a historical Psalm of praise, as His grateful people Israel think of all He has done. Twenty-six times we read “His mercy endureth forever.” The Psalm b...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXXXVI. A LONG HYMN OF PRAISE FOR YAHWEH'S POWER AND HIS CARE OF HIS PEOPLE FROM EGYPT TILL THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN. Psalms 136:1 based on Genesis 1. Yahweh the Maker of all. Psalms 136:6. For the wat...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    O GIVE THANKS. Note the Figures of speech _Coenotes_ and _Anaphora_ (App-6) in verses: Psalms 136:1; Psalms 136:2; Psalms 136:3. GOD OF GODS. Hebrew. _Elohim._ of the elohim. App-4. GODS. Heb

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    A call to thanksgiving....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    O give thanks unto the God of praises (Psalms 22:3), for &c....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 136 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Second Call to Temple-Worship, with Responses Inserted. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 136:1-3, A Threefold Call for Thanks, based on the three leading Divine Names. Stan...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE GOD OF GODS ... O GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD OF LORDS - from . The thrice repeated "O give thanks" points t...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A song of praise to God ever merciful. It is sometimes known as the great Hallel, although the Talmud includes also Psalms 120-135 under this title. It differs from all other Pss. in the Psalter in th...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ THE *KIND LOVE OF THE *LORD PSALMS 136 THE GREAT *HALLEL Jesus said, "This is how God loved the world" ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    GOD OF GODS... LORD OF LORDS. — From Deuteronomy 10:17....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֹ֭ודוּ לֵֽ אלֹהֵ֣י הָ אֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 136:1 THIS psalm is evidently intended for liturgic use. It contains reminiscences of many parts, of Scripture, and is especially based on the previous psalm, which it follows closely in Psalms...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

      A REVIEW OF GOD'S MERCIES Psalms 136:1-12 An antiphonal psalm, intended to be sung by two choirs or by a soloist and the Temple choir. This avowal of the eternity of God's mercy, amid all the fluc...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is a song of the age-abiding mercy of Jehovah. It opens and closes with a call to praise, and in its main movements sets forth the reason for such praise. In the opening call the three great name...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Willow. With which the Euphrates was lined, Isaias xv. 7. It passed through the city, which was adored with trees, and contained extensive tracts of land for cultivation. (Calmet) --- Babylon may also...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    In these verses the Psalmist is calling for praise to Jehovah from his numberless acts of goodness in the wisdom of creation. From the great works of God, the formation of the heavens, the earth, the...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS PSALMS 135 AND 136. Psalms 135 and 136 celebrate Jehovah, who has delivered Israel and now dwells in Jerusalem, and give thanks to Him whose mercy has endured for ever...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    O GIVE THANKS UNTO THE GOD OF GODS,.... Not only of the gods of the Gentiles, who are by name and not by nature gods; or of civil magistrates, who are so called, and seem to be designed in the next ve...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. Ver. 2. _For his mercy endureth for ever_] This is the foot or burden of the whole song; neither is it any idle repetition, but...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _O give thanks unto the God of gods_ Who is infinitely superior to all that are called _gods_, whether angels, or princes, or idols: the God whom angels adore, from whom magistrates derive their power...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    EXHORTATION TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD. An antiphonal hymn, which takes up the theme of the preceding psalm and was intended to be sung in alternation by the choir and the congregation, the former chantin...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    O give thanks unto the God of gods, the Sovereign, whose creative and providential power is over every rank of government and everything that is worshiped falsely; FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 Forgetful as we are, things must be often repeated to us. By "mercy" we understand the Lord's disposition to save those whom sin has rendered miserable and vile, and all the provision he has made...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE GOD OF GODS; who is infinitely superior to all that are called gods, whether angels, or princes, or idols....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 136:2 thanks H3034 (H8685) God H430 gods H430 mercy H2617 forever H5769 the God - 3's H30082...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Let us make this occasion a time of praise and thanksgiving: let our hearts dance at the name of our God: let our lips give expression thereto, in joyful music. Psalms 136:1. _O give thanks unto the...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 136:1. _O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords for...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This is indeed one of the chief songs of praise which we find even in the Scriptures, and it is not surprising that such a poet as John Milton should have written that version of it that we often sing...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    When the chorus was taken up by the whole of the people, accompanied by a blast of trumpets, this must have been a magnificent hymn of praise. Psalms 136:1. _O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is go...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Call to praise God as the great Benefactor of the whole creation. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: We should give thanks to God, not only for the mercies which are handed out to us here on ear...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm has no title in the Hebrew, and the author is unknown. It is reckoned the grand _Te Deum_ of the Hebrew choir. The repetitions at the end of every verse, have correspondent examples in Gree...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good._ THE ETERNITY OR GOD’S GOODNESS This is a reason for praising Him-- I. In the material universe (Psalms 136:1). When the grandeur of nature overawes yo...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 136:1. This hymn calls on the worshiping congregation to give thanks to the Lord, who has shown his faithfulness throughout the history of God’s people. Each verse in this p...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This Psalm,” says Perowne, “is little more than a variation and repetition of the preceding Psalm. It opens with the same liturgical formula with which the 106th and 118th Psalms open, a...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION A PSALM with a familiar refrain (comp. Psalms 118:1, Psa 118:29; 2 Chronicles 5:13; Ezra 3:11) at the end of each line. In the main...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn now our Bibles to Psalms 136:1-26. Throughout the one-hundred-and-thirty-sixth psalm, we have the repeated phrase, "For His mercy endureth forever." And this is repeated in each of the v...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Chronicles 2:5; Daniel 2:47; Deuteronomy 10:17; Exodus 18:11;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The God of gods — Who is infinitely superior to all that are called gods, whether angels, or princes, or idols....

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