Psalm 136:10-26 (NKJV)
10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 And gave their land as a heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.
It is always good to recount the salvation of the Lord. The psalmist continues to recall the mighty works God did when He brought Israel out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan. Calling these mighty works to mind would strengthen the Israelites’ faith. Regardless of what was happening on any given day—what hardships were afflicting them—Israel was to remember the Lord’s mercy to them. He brought them out of Egypt with mighty wonders, He brought them through the Red Sea, He brought them victory over heathen kings, and finally, He brought them to the land He had promised long ago to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Israel is to remember that God remembered them in their lowly estate and rescued them from their enemies, bringing them out of Pharaoh’s slavery and making them His special people. Not only did He provide for their spiritual life through His word, He gave food to them and all flesh.
The Old Testament church and its salvation in the exodus may seem distant and remote to us. After all, we aren’t the people whom God brought out of Egypt in such a mighty way. Yet it is good for us to recount the salvation the Lord worked for us in our Lord Jesus Christ. God sent His only-begotten Son into our flesh to earn salvation for all, so that all who believe in Him might become children of God, receive the forgiveness of all their sins, the Holy Spirit, and the promise of eternal life. Christ leads us out from the slavery of sin. He defeats our enemies who rise up against us in temptation and trials. He leads us into the Promised Land of everlasting life. So, while we are not the people whom God brought out of Egypt, we give thanks for that salvation because it was a prototype of the greater redemption He worked for all mankind, which He gives to all who believe these promises. Recounting all that Christ did for us and taught us in His earthly life, we cannot help but join with our Old Testament forefathers and exclaim, “Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever” (26). Let us pray: Keep us mindful of all that Your Son accomplished for us and all that He now works in us by faith, O Lord, that the thankfulness of our hearts might overflow into our lips and lives. Amen.