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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 136

Psalm 136 is read especially through the theme of thanksgiving, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

ThanksgivingKingshipCreation
Old Testament

Psalm 136

1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

2Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever.

3Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever;

4to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever;

5to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever;

6to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever;

7to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever;

8the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever;

9the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever;

10to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever;

11and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever;

12with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever;

13to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever;

14and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;

15but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever;

16to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever;

17to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

18and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;

19Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;

20Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever;

21and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever;

22even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever;

23who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever;

24and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever;

25who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever.

26Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 136

Psalm 136 is read especially through the theme of thanksgiving, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Thanksgiving, Kingship, Creation. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 136

Psalm 136 contains 26 verses and about 345 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 26 closes: “Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include loving, kindness, endures, forever, give, thanks. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 136

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 136:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes thanksgiving, with related themes of Thanksgiving, Kingship, Creation. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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