LOVING-KINDNESS OR STEADFAST LOVE OF OUR GREAT GOD  Part 2     PSALM 136

 This delightful psalm repeats the wonder that ‘His mercy endures forever‘ in each of 26 verses.

While there are 468 references in all Scripture to ‘checed’ , yet no Bible chapter or psalm compares with this.    Why is His mercy so impressive?

Solomon captured the marvel of this expression when in 2 Chronicles 7, he said, ’ When all the children of Israel had seen the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshipped and praised the Lord , saying, ‘For He is good, for his mercy endures forever.’   This is repeated in the sixth verse.   God showed His ‘checed’ in not consuming them in   the irrepressible fire of his holiness (as he safe-guarded His 3 faithful servants in the Babylon furnace); and preserving them when His glory radiated in the temple.   It proved a just cause to sing.

C H Spurgeon in his rich Treasury of David divides this psalm   into seven parts.  

In the first three verses, the name of the Lord is given thrice. He is the Lord, the God of gods, and the Lord of lords. Each verse concludes with ’His mercy endures for ever. ’ The three-fold names warrant that the truth will live through.   

Creation marks the following verses ( vv 4-9): ‘He alone does great wonders’; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens; to Him Who laid out the earth above the waters; to Him who made great lights; the sun to rule by day; the moon and the stars to rule by night.’. Each creation truth ends with the declaration that ‘His mercy endures forever. ‘ This wonder-working God displayed His wisdom in His sublime creation: the Holy Spirit ensures that the recorded pattern follows that given in Genesis: the congenial nature of our marvelous created earth and the daily round of sun, moon and stars reveal the ’checed’ of our dear Lord.   Not accidental!   Rather contrived.

The Holy Spirit chose amazing illustrations   from Scripture. The deliverance from Slavery in Egypt; separating Israel, the slaves, from the brutal, Egyptian task masters; using His strong arm and outstretched hand; dividing the Red Sea in two; compelling Israel to pass through; withering   the mighty Pharoah, whose army drowned in the Red Sea; all reveal God’s incomparable ‘checed’, ‘His mercy endures for ever’ recurring in each verse. (vv10-15 )   Each   facet of Israel’s release and   preservation illustrates the mighty salvation from sin and judgment we believers enjoy in our Lord and Saviour.

Forty years   wandering in the stark, drab wilderness provided the sweet overture that ‘His ‘checed’ endures forever.’   This comforts many who suffer for their Lord.   We wrongly view luxuries and prosperity as the only evidence, when our Lord may lead us through tough waters.     ‘He led His people through the wilderness;   He gave victory for He struck down great kings;   He slew famous kings, even Sihon the Amorite king; and gave their land as a heritage( Israel’s possession   is forgotten truth currently);   even a heritage to Israel His servant.‘

 Christ has given victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.   Let’s sing His loving-kindness!

Psalm 136 continues with a high and holy One remembering our lowly estate and rescuing us from all our enemies.   This produces worshipful adoration of Him, Whose mercy endures forever. (vv23,24 ) As the Shepherd rescues the fallen sheep, so our Lord raised us from a deprived, lost estate, even as He elevated Mepibosheth to the king’s table - and bids us come and dine. He conquers all who oppose us, and gives us a new song in our mouth.    ‘Checed!

The seventh part is unexpected; for God is thanked for providing ‘food for all flesh’.   Our son, John, is an agriculturist, who marvels that the Lord provides the top soil of 10 inches or 25 centimeters for all the food produced on our planet.   One day he knelt in our garden, crumbling the soil through his fingers, ‘Dad, our God is a great Creator,’ he exclaimed. ‘Cereals, wheat, barley, oats, rice,   soya, yam, all our vegetables are produced for the billions in that small depth of soil‘.       His perfect creation demonstrates the Father’s loving-kindness.

Then the spotlight of truth rests on the eternal One in the heavens. From corroding soil to eternal   salvation.   From fallen turf to untarnished glory. ‘Oh, give thanks to the God of Heaven!’

The Father is on the throne;   His triumphant Son, bearing marks of his Calvary suffering, is at His right hand. The heavenly orchestra bursts into melodious music, ’For his mercy (checed) endures forever‘.         

Will this be the Hallelujah chorus of heaven?             Lord, tune my voice!