NOTES for Psa 136

Many acts of God are listed here, many of His wonders are mentioned, and every mention is invariably followed by a refrain about His mercy and His goodness. It follows that all the Lord's deeds spring from mercy and come down to mercy.

It is possible that someone might find the psalmist's perception of God pragmatic and calculating, dictated by the hope of obtaining mercy for himself. But no: mercy emerges here as a foremost attribute of the Creator, quite independently of how much anyone deserves it. Moreover, the psalmist sees mercy as the reason for many of the Lord's actions, from the creation of the world to His care for the nourishment of all flesh—all flesh, not just those who have deserved it!

But someone will object: can we speak of mercy when other figures who suffered defeat are also recalled here? Mercy did not extend to them! Yes, mercy was shown to others, to those whom these defeated people had threatened. Evil that takes possession of people leads to the destruction of those who have agreed to follow it. Precisely because human nature is so permeated by sinfulness, uprooting evil has proved impossible without causing pain to those under its power. But the mercy God shows people is also manifested in the defeat of the forces of evil.