Whenever I read Psalm 136 (in my flesh), I am tempted to just skip the second half of every verse, and just focus on the first half of each verse instead (because it just repeats), reading it like this…
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
He alone does great wonders.
He made the heavens skillfully.
He spread the land on the waters.
He made the great lights:
the sun to rule by day,
the moon and stars to rule by night.
He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
and brought Israel out from among them
with a strong hand and outstretched arm.
He divided the Red Sea
and led Israel through,
but hurled Pharaoh and his army
into the Red Sea.
He led His people in the wilderness.
He struck down great kings
and slaughtered famous kings —
Sihon king of the Amorites
and Og king of Bashan —
and gave their land as an inheritance,
an inheritance to Israel His servant.
He remembered us in our humiliation
and rescued us from our foes.
He gives food to every creature.
Give thanks to the God of heaven!”
So, what did I take out?
Psalm 136:1b-26b (HCSB)
“His love is eternal.”
Here’s how the Psalm is actually written…
Psalms 136 (HCSB)
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His love is eternal.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love is eternal.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His love is eternal.
He alone does great wonders.
His love is eternal.
He made the heavens skillfully.
His love is eternal.
He spread the land on the waters.
His love is eternal.
He made the great lights:
His love is eternal.
the sun to rule by day,
His love is eternal.
the moon and stars to rule by night.
His love is eternal.
He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians
His love is eternal.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love is eternal.
with a strong hand and outstretched arm.
His love is eternal.
He divided the Red Sea
His love is eternal.
and led Israel through,
His love is eternal.
but hurled Pharaoh and his army
into the Red Sea.
His love is eternal.
He led His people in the wilderness.
His love is eternal.
He struck down great kings
His love is eternal.
and slaughtered famous kings —
His love is eternal.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love is eternal.
and Og king of Bashan —
His love is eternal.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love is eternal.
an inheritance to Israel His servant.
His love is eternal.
He remembered us in our humiliation
His love is eternal.
and rescued us from our foes.
His love is eternal.
He gives food to every creature.
His love is eternal.
Give thanks to the God of heaven!
His love is eternal.”
What we have to remember is that the redundant nature of this Psalm is on purpose. Not only is it on purpose, but it’s important.
Why do I say this?
2 Timothy 3:16a (HCSB)
“All Scripture is inspired by God…”
In other words, read it all because that’s how it’s presented by Him.
Now to McFly…
One of the most well-known scenes, from the first of the three Back to the Future movies, is where the school bully, Biff Tannen, confronts George McFly at the local coffee shop for not yet getting his homework done for him. Of course, McFly is not (at this point in the film) the self assured person he will eventually become later. At this stage, he’s still just another victim of Biff’s bullying.
Upon confronting McFly’s failure to have the homework completed by now, Biff lays into George for not realizing that he needs ample time to recopy the homework into his own handwriting before it’s due (as to not get caught for cheating as a result of just handing in McFly’s written work). The scene is most well known for what Biff says to McFly, as he puts George into a headlock and knocks on his head with his knuckles…
“Hello, Hello, Anybody Home? Hey, Think, McFly, Think!”
This is exactly how I feel when I read Psalm 136. I feel like I’m George McFly, and the psalmist is Biff Tannen. It’s as though the psalmist is saying to me…
“Hello, Hello, Anybody Home? Hey, Think, McFly, Think… HIS LOVE IS ETERNAL!!”
If one ever reads this Psalm, skipping the second half of each verse just because of its redundant nature, one then misses the basis of what is behind what is described in the first half of every verse of the Psalm… that “His love is eternal.”
Is it important to be reminded of what the Psalm says… that we (Christians) ought to thank God, recognize that He is good, that He is Lord of lords and God of gods, that He is the Creator, that He rescued the Israelites, that He defeated their enemies, that He also conquered many other great enemies of Israel, that He remembers His people in their humiliation, and that He gives food to every creature?
Yes!
But, more importantly, we must be reminded that all such things stand upon this one simple notion…
HIS LOVE IS ETERNAL!!
Godspeed, to the brethren!
