Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good; his love is eternal. Psalm 136:1, GNT

 

Psalm 136 is a very interesting psalm consisting of twenty-six verses and every one of them ends with the same refrain: “his love is eternal”. This psalm was used during religious meetings and has been well-known since ancient times. In 2 Chronicles 7, when the first temple was taken into use, this refrain was already used by the priests and Levites to praise the Lord. Usually, the Levite choruses sang the first part of a verse and the people responded with the refrain. Just listen to the beauty of this refrain – his love is eternal. The NIV translation is even more poetic to me – his love endures for ever.

 

The psalm is made up of three parts with an introductory verse in which the Lord is said to be good. This “goodness” of God is like a well from which flows forth all that the poet of the psalm wants to tell us.

 

In the first part, God is praised for his greatness, as seen in the words, “Give thanks to the greatest of all gods”(Psalm 136:2) and also his creative power, “By his wisdom he made the heavens”. (Psalm 136:5) Everything that he created is emphasised by the refrain that his love is eternal.

 

The second part tells us about his great love for his people, as demonstrated by the exodus from Egypt. The people used this refrain to express their understanding that he did it because his love for them is eternal.

 

In Psalm 136:25, we read about the third part of the psalm, where God is pictured as not only the God of Israel, but the God of the whole creation – “He gives food to every living creature”. God cares for everything on earth because his love for his creation is eternal.

 

If all of the above is true, you and I can also be one hundred percent sure that his love for us endures for ever.

 

Prayer: Father, along with everything that you created, we want to thank you for your love that will never end. Amen

 

 

 

Psalm 136 bestaan uit twee strofes en elkeen van hulle eindig met presies dieselfde refrein: “want vir ewig duur sy troue liefde.” Dit is 'n psalm wat tydens godsdienstige samekomste gebruik is en dit was reeds lankal bekend. In 2 Kronieke 7 by die inwyding van die eerste tempel kom die refrein al voor wanneer die priesters en Leviete die Here prys. Die Levitiese kore het die eerste reël gesing en die volk het telkens geantwoord met die refrein. Wat 'n pragtige refrein is dit nie –vir ewig duur sy troue liefde, of soos die 1983-vertaling dit weergee – "Aan sy liefde is daar geen einde nie."

 

Die psalm val in drie dele uiteen met 'n inleidende eerste vers waar God as “goed” beskryf word. Uit God se “goed wees” vloei dan die res van alles wat die psalmdigter beskryf.

 

Eers word die grootheid van God besing soos wat dit te voorskyn kom in sy heerskappy, byvoorbeeld: ”Prys die Heer van die here” (Psalm 136:3) asook sy groot skeppingsmag: “wat met insig die hemel gemaak het.” (Psalm 136:5) Elkeen van sy skeppingsdade word beklemtoon met die gedagte van sy groot liefde wat geen einde het nie.

 

Die tweede deel handel oor God se groot liefde vir sy volk soos wat dit na vore kom met die uittog uit Egipte. Die volk getuig telkens weer met die refrein dat hulle begryp dat dit uit sy liefde vir hulle gedoen is

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In Psalm 136:25 kom die derde deel na vore wanneer God nie geteken word as net die God van Israel nie, maar ook die Een wat “kos gee aan alles wat leef.” Hy sorg dus vir die hele skepping en hierop volg weer eens die refrein dat sy liefde vir die hele wêreld tot in ewigheid duur.

 

As alles wat ons hierbo gesê het dan waar is, kan ek en jy ook honderd persent seker wees sy liefde vir ons is grensloos.

 

Gebed: Saam met die hele skepping wil ek ook vir U dankie sê dat u liefde vir ons tot in ewigheid duur. Amen