URC Daily Devotion 2 Aug 2026
Psalm 136
Alleluia!
O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the God of gods
for his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his love endures for ever;
who alone has wrought marvelous works,
for his love endures for ever;
whose wisdom it was made the skies,
for his love endures for ever;
who fixed the earth firmly on the seas,
for his love endures for ever.
It was he who made the great lights,
for his love endures for ever;
the sun to rule in the day,
for his love endures for ever;
the moon and the stars in the night,
for his love endures for ever.
The first-born of the Egyptians he smote,
for his love endures for ever.
He brought Israel out from the midst,
for his love endures for ever;
arm outstretched, with power in his hand,
for his love endures for ever.
He divided the Red Sea in two,
for his love endures for ever;
he made Israel pass through the midst,
for his love endures for ever;
he flung Pharaoh and his force in the sea,
for his love endures for ever.
Through the desert his people he led,
for his love endures for ever.
Nations in their greatness he struck,
for his love endures for ever.
Kings in their splendour he slew,
for his love endures for ever.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his love endures for ever;
and Og, the king of Bashan,
for his love endures for ever.
He let Israel inherit their land,
for his love endures for ever.
On his servant their land he bestowed,
for his love endures for ever.
He remembered us in our distress,
for his love endures for ever.
And he snatched us away from our foes,
for his love endures for ever.
He gives food to all living things,
for his love endures for ever.
To the God of heaven give thanks,
for his love endures for ever.
Reflection
One thing we can be fairly sure from this Psalm is that God’s love lasts forever. This refrain seems to indicate it was a Psalm used for public worship
This feels fine when the Psalm tells us that God created the universe and gives good things but it feels more problematic when God ‘smites’ our enemies.
I can just imagine the prayer “Dear God, please kill all the people I don’t like”. What I can’t grasp is a God of love responding to a prayer like that. I want to cling onto an enduring love from an enduring God. I can’t reconcile that with a God of war, vengeance and territorial battles.
So as I read it some of the verses flow easily into the idea of love enduring forever. The correlation between creation and things that to us are permanent, like the sun moon and stars makes sense. Abundant life, that the universe God created provides, feels like a reason to praise God’s love. How can that same life giving God pursue destruction?
The refrain of God’s love enduring forever is repeated 26 times in every one of the 26 verses, and maybe that is the constant to take from this Psalm. Whether it’s praising God for creation, thanking God for rescue and remembering us, being in awe of miracles the writer of this Psalm reminds us that over and above everything the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
There are no limits, no boundaries to God’s unfathomable love. Even enduring or unceasing love doesn’t fully capture the Hebrew word ‘Chesed’ that is used in this Psalm. That’s how hard it is to encapsulate God’s love, mercy and grace.
So how can we respond to Psalm 136’s reminder of the heights, depths and breadth of such love from our God who endures?
Prayer
You are a God of enduring love
may such love inspire us
to love
to endure
to pray
and praise with love
Amen