Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
The Psalmist drums home a hard truth: unless we labor in God's praises, we rob Him of what is justly His due for His benefits. Every benefit He names draws our eye to His mercy, to teach us that everything we possess comes to us freely, by His grace alone, not by our desert.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 136:1-26
Even an heritage unto Israel his servant. Repetitions are effective in poetry, and the more so if there be some little variation in them, bringing out into fuller light some point which else had not been noticed. The lands of the heathen kings were given to "Israel", the name by which the chosen seed is here mentioned for the third time in the Psalm, with...
God singled out the death of the firstborn among all Egypt's plagues because it was the conquering blow. With a strong hand stretched out, He distinguished Israel from the Egyptians and brought them out; that same Red Sea became a path for His people and a grave for Pharaoh's host.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 136:10-22