God's mercy endureth forever! Psalm 136 asserts and insists that all of God's activity in the world is rooted in God's mercy: from the world's creation, to the deliverance of God's people, to the continued care of God's redeemed, the cause and reason of all God does is His mercy. All that God does is an expression of His mercy. All that we discover of God is the disclosing of His rich, abundant, overflowing and endless mercy. ... Joel 2 reminds us of this great mercy: rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, ... . In Advent we cry out, kyrie eleison, and the eternal song of His saints shall be, His mercy endureth forever!
Psalm 136
The One Hundred Thirty Sixth Psalm
Confitemini.
O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious: * and his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of all gods: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O thank the Lord of all lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who only doeth great wonders: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who by his excellent wisdom made the heavens: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who laid out the earth above the waters: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who hath made great lights: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule the day: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
The moon and the stars to govern the night: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who smote Egypt, with their firstborn: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And brought out Israel from among them: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
With a mighty hand and stretched-out arm: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who divided the Red Sea in two parts: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And made Israel to go through the midst of it: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
But as for Pharaoh and his host, he overthrew them in the Red Sea: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who led his people through the wilderness: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who smote great kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
Yea, and slew mighty kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon, king of the Amorites: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And Og, the king of Bashan: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And gave away their land for an heritage: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
Even for an heritage unto Israel his servant: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us when we were in trouble: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And hath delivered us from our enemies: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
JSH+