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Christian prayer

Psalm 136

Psalm 136 in its original text and with its meaning, a biblical song of thanksgiving for God's enduring love.

  • 26 verses
  • About 1 minute to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  2. 2

    ה֭וֹדוּ לֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  3. 3

    ה֭וֹדוּ לַאֲדֹנֵ֣י הָאֲדֹנִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  4. 4

    לְעֹ֘שֵׂ֤ה נִפְלָא֣וֹת גְּדֹל֣וֹת לְבַדּ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  5. 5

    לְעֹשֵׂ֣ה הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  6. 6

    לְרֹקַ֣ע הָ֭אָרֶץ עַל־הַמָּ֑יִם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  7. 7

    לְ֭עֹשֵׂה אוֹרִ֣ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  8. 8

    אֶת־הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת בַּיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  9. 9

    אֶת־הַיָּרֵ֣חַ וְ֭כוֹכָבִים לְמֶמְשְׁל֣וֹת בַּלָּ֑יְלָה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  10. 10

    לְמַכֵּ֣ה מִ֭צְרַיִם בִּבְכוֹרֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  11. 11

    וַיּוֹצֵ֣א יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל מִתּוֹכָ֑ם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  12. 12

    בְּיָ֣ד חֲ֭זָקָה וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  13. 13

    לְגֹזֵ֣ר יַם־ס֭וּף לִגְזָרִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  14. 14

    וְהֶעֱבִ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל בְּתוֹכ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  15. 15

    וְנִ֘עֵ֤ר פַּרְעֹ֣ה וְחֵיל֣וֹ בְיַם־ס֑וּף כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  16. 16

    לְמוֹלִ֣יךְ עַ֭מּוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  17. 17

    לְ֭מַכֵּה מְלָכִ֣ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  18. 18

    וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִ֣ים אַדִּירִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  19. 19

    לְ֭סִיחוֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֑י כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  20. 20

    וּ֭לְעוֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  21. 21

    וְנָתַ֣ן אַרְצָ֣ם לְנַחֲלָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  22. 22

    נַ֭חֲלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדּ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  23. 23

    שֶׁ֭בְּשִׁפְלֵנוּ זָ֣כַר לָ֑נוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

  24. 24

    וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  25. 25

    נֹתֵ֣ן לֶ֭חֶם לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

  26. 26

    ה֭וֹדוּ לְאֵ֣ל הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

    O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians recite Psalm 136 during worship, personal prayer, or times of thanksgiving. In the tradition, its repeated refrain invites people to remember God's enduring love through both creation and the history of Israel. It can also be prayed responsively, with a leader reading and others answering with the refrain.

  • Thanksgiving
  • Shared worship
  • Personal prayer
  • Remembering God's love

Where it comes from

Psalm 136 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible and was originally composed in Hebrew. It belongs to the worship tradition of ancient Israel and is received by Christians as scripture. Its refrain runs throughout the psalm as it recalls creation, deliverance from Egypt, and God's care for his people.

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Questions about Psalm 136

How many verses are in Psalm 136?

Psalm 136 has 26 verses. Each verse includes a repeated refrain about God's enduring love.

What does Psalm 136 mean?

The psalm calls people to give thanks to God for his goodness. It connects God's enduring love with creation, Israel's deliverance, and the provision of food for living creatures.

Who wrote Psalm 136?

The psalm does not name its author. It comes from the worship tradition of ancient Israel.

Why does Psalm 136 repeat the same words?

The refrain keeps God's enduring love at the heart of every act remembered in the psalm. It also lends itself to responsive prayer, allowing a congregation to answer a reader together.

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