[Biblemat] S>Series on the Psalms #136

[Jeff S. Smith]

Psalm 136: The Great Hallel
a gospel sermon by J.S. Smith

Introduction
i. Psalm 136 is sometimes called “The Great Hallel,” meaning praise  
and giving us part of the word, “hallelujah,” which adds to its  
praise the name of God as object. Psalm 136 is another hymn of  
thanksgiving like the one before it and finds its way not only into  
Solomon’s temple, but also Jehoshaphat’s army. The fact that the  
mercy refrain repeats in each verse is a unique feature to the song,  
which is otherwise not titled or attributed to any author.
ii. [Read Psalm 136:1-26.]
iii. We might divide the psalm into five sections: three opening  
verses of praise to the Lord (1-3), followed by six notes of praise  
to the Creator (4-9), six more about deliverance from Egypt (10-15),  
and seven concerning the journey through the wilderness and the  
entrance into Canaan (16-22). In the last part of the psalm, we find  
four verses of personal thanksgiving for mercy (23-26).

Discussion
I. The Text
	A. Praise the Lord (1-3)
		1. the early theme of Psalm 136 shows up in the dedication of  
Solomon’s temple and its connection to that amazing event is  
unbreakable (2 Chronicles 6:40-7:3)
		2. it is God’s mercy, or lovingkindness (NASV), that proves to be  
the enduring refrain from this psalm, however, as the writer extols  
God’s history of steadfast love toward his people in Israel

	B. Praise the Creator (4-9)
		1. that lovingkindness is evident throughout his work in nature as  
the one who made everything that was made and spread the earth out  
above the waters and under the stars of heaven
		2. here again the potential to harmonize modern evolution  
hypotheses with the Bible come up short, for no godless explanation  
of the universe would comport with the praise for a Creator here

	C. Deliverance From Egypt (10-15)
		1. the writer blazes through history to the time of Israel’s exodus  
out of Egypt and into Canaan by describing the lovingkindness of the  
Lord in rescuing his people from their persecutors
		2. Stephen and Paul would later retell this same familiar story,  
one that should have inspired the pilgrims to permanent faithfulness  
and one that should always remind us that God’s outstretched arms are  
at once merciful and powerful

	D. Exodus (16-22)
		1. clearly, some of those original pilgrims were less than thrilled  
with the fare of their 40-year wandering journey, but the psalmist is  
able to capture the mercy of God as he preserved the nation and  
prepared them to enter Canaan
		2. perhaps Sihon and Og would argue the point about God’s  
lovingkindness, but only because they tried to get in his way as he  
sought to give his people their heritage land

	E. Thanksgiving (23-26)
		1. the psalm closes with three more reasons to give praise to this  
merciful God – he remembers his people in their low estate, he has  
rescued them from their adversaries and he gives food to all flesh
		2. the instruction of Psalm 136 is to give praise to the Lord, for  
he is good, and surely the minds of every ancient Israelite and  
modern Christian can agree and comply

II. Some Applications
	A. God’s Mercy
		1. the Bible goes to great lengths to portray our God as merciful  
and anyone with knowledge of the atoning death of his own son would  
have trouble disputing that attribute (Exodus 34:6-7)
			a. there are two sides to the mercy coin and here is where  
skeptical people find fault, for they expect God to extend mercy  
universally, arbitrarily and unconditionally
			b. sin, however, is what gets in the way – and not even all sin,  
but only that sin which is maintained against every chastening and  
rebuke
			c. God is thoroughly merciful, gracious, longsuffering and  
abounding in goodness and truth, but it does not follow that he will  
thus reward the wicked in spite of their stubbornness
		2. another psalmist wrote, “Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For  
You render to each one according to his work” (62:12), indicating  
that judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy or  
interest in holiness
			a. even then, God extends an invitation to mercy a bit further,  
coming out to find prodigal children and suffering long that more  
might return home (Luke 15:20-24)
			b. Nehemiah said this, “They refused to obey, And they were not  
mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened  
their necks … But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and  
merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake  
them” (9:17).
		3. as happened in the parable of the prodigal son, sometimes it is  
the ever-faithful older brother who actually finds fault in the  
abundance of divine mercy and celebration of restoration (Luke 15:25-32)
			a. as Christ explains his mercy then, so it has always been and is  
today
			b. it is the unsatisfying lesson that the prophet Jonah had to  
learn, forgetting how the lovingkindness of God rescued him from the  
sea and the fish and even his Ninevite audience (Jonah 4:1-11)
		4. when this mercy is understood and embraced, people proclaim,  
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father  
of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3)

	B. Thankfulness
		1. and when they bless God, they know also to be thankful and to  
express that gratitude in a trusting, confident demeanor (1  
Corinthians 15:56-58)
		2. it is neat how the psalmist closed with an assurance that God  
gives food to all flesh, for food is so much involved in our times of  
thanksgiving
			a. “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be  
refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by  
the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5).
			b. and more importantly, the Lord’s Supper must only be observed  
after a prayer of thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 11:23-27)
		3. Paul wrote, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph  
in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in  
every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
			a. in other words, the disciple appreciates God for leading him  
and using him
			b. everybody wants to feel useful and if he is willing to accept  
divine guidance through the Bible and the church, he can be useful in  
the kingdom
		4. gratitude is the key to happiness and contentment in life (see  
Philippians 4:4-7) and it is also the key to willing, regular worship  
(Hebrews 13:14-16)

	C. The Exodus Lesson
		1. the Exodus of Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan is a journey  
that took 40 years, although the vast caravan actually arrived on the  
threshold of the promised land in only 11 days (Deuteronomy 1:2)
		2. the New Testament writers appeal to that history over and again  
to make a point to Christians about developing unbelief and  
complacency, which prove fatal on the trip to Heaven (Hebrews 3:12-19)
			a. all the complaining and regret was fed by the spies’  
pessimistic outlook so that only Joshua and Caleb survived from the  
original band to lead its second generation into Canaan
			b. disbelief is defined not only by waning faith, but is evidenced  
by obvious disobedience
		3. one of the things written before for our learning is the story  
of that journey (1 Corinthians 10:1-13)

Conclusion
Psalm 136 is a call to praise for all those who acknowledge the  
goodness and mercy of God, but understand that repentance and  
restoration are vitally necessary to the whole process.




JEFF S. SMITH
Evangelist for the Woodmont church of Christ
Publisher of ElectronicGospel
Host of ElectronicGospel Podcast
Director of BYA Buddy Ball

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