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Psalm 136 English Standard Version (ESV)

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;

17 to him who struck down great kings,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to Israel his servant,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
  for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 he who gives food to all flesh,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.

Reflection

• Many scholars believe that the Israelites sang this psalm at Passover when they celebrated the Exodus. This psalm is unique because it repeats the same refrain in each verse. The Israelites probably sang this song antiphonally, with the leaders singing the first part of each verse and the people responding with the refrain. With this song, the Israelites praised God for His great acts and His loyal love that endures forever. It is a good one to read when we need to be reminded of God’s mercy.
• Do it with your family, or your cell group. Choose one person to read (or sing) the first part of each verse, and the rest of the people responding with the refrain, “for his steadfast love endures forever”.
• What do you think of praising God together like this?
• How did you feel when you were praising God with the others in this way?

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Psalm 135 English Standard Version (ESV)

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
  give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 who stand in the house of the Lord,
  in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
  sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
  Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great,
  and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
  in heaven and on earth,
  in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
  who makes lightnings for the rain
  and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
  both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
  sent signs and wonders
  against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
  and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
  and Og, king of Bashan,
  and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
  a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
  your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
  and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
  the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
  they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
  nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
  so do all who trust in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
  O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
  You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
  he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!

Reflection

• The psalmist began by expressing his wonder that God should have chosen the Hebrew people to be his own. As the entire Old Testament testifies, this was a sovereign choice, not based on Israel’s merits. God, “who does whatever pleases him,” selected Israel simply because he wanted to.
• How good to know that God’s choice of you and me is also an expression of his free will. God loves us because he wants to, not because we deserve to be loved.
• God’s love counts. He, unlike the pagan’s idols, is able to act for us in the real world. No wonder Israel was moved to praise! God wrested Israel from slavery, struck down many nations, and gave his people their land as an inheritance.
• God demonstrates his sovereignty in nature and history. Truly there is no other God like Him.
• Can you think of a song to praise God’s sovereignty in nature and history – your history or that of another’s?

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Psalm 134 English Standard Version (ESV)

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

134 Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
  who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
  and bless the Lord!

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
  he who made heaven and earth!

Reflection

• This last pilgrim psalm called on the priests who served God at the temple to praise Him, and it called on God to bless them.
• Priests were on duty 24 hours a day at the temple. They served as guards, and they also offered sacrifices and carried out other sacerdotal functions during the daylight hours. The psalmist called on them to praise God even at night. Lifting up the hands in prayer was a common posture that symbolized the petitioners offering praise up to God and receiving blessings from Him. The pilgrim then asked God to bless these special servants of His.
• Pray for pastors and leaders of the church that they will “lift up their hands and bless the Lord”. And also be blessed by the great God who made heaven and earth!

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Psalm 133 English Standard Version (ESV)

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

133 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
  when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
  running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
  running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
  which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
  life forevermore.

Reflection

• The psalmist called the Israelites to consider the beauty of the unity of brethren. He said it is essentially good and it is a pleasant condition. This was an appropriate thought for pilgrims to entertain as they anticipated meeting other worshippers in Jerusalem shortly.
• If the oil of anointing that saturated Aaron’s beard and priestly robes was so precious and sanctifying (v. 2; Ex 29:7; Lev 21:10), what does that say about harmony running its course through the fellowship of God’s people?
• Have you experienced the good, pleasant and sacred “brothers dwell in unity”? How can you help to bring it into existence in your cell group, your church and other places?