God's Miracles of Mercy

As we enter into Psalm 136, we are greeted with a call to praise. We are instructed by the Psalmist to give thanks unto the LORD, unto the God of gods, and unto the Lord of lords. Three distinct titles are ascribed to God in the first three verses, and each is significant.

The title, “God of gods” (v.2) refers to God’s deity, His holiness, and His righteousness. It was by this title that God is described in His work of creation. This is the official title of God, and is actually plural in its Hebrew form (Elohim). Within this title, God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Spirit are reflected.

The Lord of lords (v.3) refers to God’s sovereignty, or His eternal, independent rule over Heaven and Earth. This term means, specifically, “master and owner.” The name Lord refers to His authority over the world as a whole and each individual life he creates.

It is the first title though, that sets the tone for the entire Psalm. The name LORD (v.3), or Jehovah was very significant to the original readers of this Psalm, and most likely, to the Psalmist,himself. When the people of Israel referred to God as LORD, they spoke of the covenant between themselves and their God. It was the most personal and most respected title given for God.

This personal title of God, is also significant for the New Testament believer. It should be understood that the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Jesus of the New Testament. Just as the people of Israel were partakers in a divine covenant, we too are given part in an eternal covenant with the LORD. An adequate understanding of these titles is enough to cause us to give thanks to God. But the Psalmist goes even further. Beginning with verse four, the Psalmist introduces this very God as “Him alone who doeth great wonders.” It is these great wonders that will be the topic for the majority of the Psalm. They are split into thee distinct groups.

The Miracles of Mercy
The first group of these miracles of mercy is creation (v.5-9). In creation, we immediately see God’s power. Out of nothing, He created the Heavens and the Earth. The Psalmist though, desires for us to see more than God’s power in creation; our minds are pointed to His mercy in creation.

The second group of these great wonders shows God’s mercy in His dealings with the nation of Israel (v.11-22). Once again our thoughts are directed towards the mercy of God in His dealings with the Hebrew people. Over and over God delivered His people, and His mercy is evident in their history.

The third and final group shows God’s mercy in a more personal sense. The psalmist begins to use the personal pronoun “we” in verse 24 and continues through verse 25. As we noted before, the author of this Psalm was probably a recipient of much of God’s mercy. He refers to his “low estate.” Each of us go through low estates, and in God’s mercy, He remembers us. Not only does God remember us, He redeems us. Our redemption is a personal matter. Out of God’s love for man, He sent His son to die for us.

The author reminds us to look past the earthly factors of our life, and to see our life through the eyes of God’s mercy. This will truly make a difference in our outlook on life and our love for the Lord. When we understand the miracle of God’s mercy that is extended into creation as a whole, into his chosen people, and into our own lives, we will begin to love the Lord as we ought.