To him that by wisdom made the heavens . Creation is the work, not only of God's power, bat of his wisdom also. Things were made as they are by the exertion of his forethought and understanding (comp. Proverbs 3:19 ; Ephesians 1:11 ). For his mercy , etc. read more
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters (comp. Isaiah 42:5 ; Isaiah 44:24 ; Psalms 24:2 ). For his mercy , etc. read more
To him that made great lights (see Genesis 1:14-16 ). For his mercy , etc. Psalms 136:8 — The sun to rule by day (comp. Genesis 1:16 ). For his mercy , etc. read more
The moon and stare to rule by night ( Genesis 1:16 , Genesis 1:18 ). For his mercy , etc. read more
To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn. The parallelism with Psalms 135:1-21 , here becomes very close, and so continues till the end of verse 22. Five verses, however, are expanded into thirteen. For his mercy , etc. read more
God's judgments are two-sided. "To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn; … and brought out Israel from among them." Much misapprehension of the Divine dealings follows from fixing attention too exclusively on one side of the Divine judgments. We readily see what they are to those who suffer under them, but we do not sufficiently see what they are to those who are delivered through them. God smote Egypt, but the smiting was a delivering of his people; and if we would understand his doing... read more
From Egypt to Canaan. Almost every reader of Israel's history has seen, as surely it was intended that there should be seen, the pattern and picture of the soul's journey cut of the misery and bondage of sin into the glorious liberty wherewith Christ doth make his people free. It is a long and arduous journey, but blessed are they which take it. These verses imply or state its chief stages. I. THE PREPARATION FOR THIS JOURNEY . This is not stated, but implied. We know the... read more
And brought out Israel from among them (see Exodus 12:51 ; Exodus 14:19-31 ). For his mercy , etc. read more
With a strong hand, and with a stretched-out arm (comp. Exodus 6:6 ; Deuteronomy 7:8 , Deuteronomy 7:14 ; Nehemiah 1:10 , etc.). For his mercy , etc. read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 136:4
Wonders of creative power. "Who alone doeth great wonders." "Jehovah is the great Thaumaturge, the unrivalled Wonder-worker. None can be likened unto him; he is alone in wonderland, the Creator and Worker of true marvels, compared with which all other remarkable things are as child's play. None of the gods or the lords helped Jehovah in creation or in the redemption of his people." As the theme of this psalm is the Divine mercy , we must find the merciful in the wonderful. This psalm... read more