Psalms 136:13

The redemption of the mystical Israel of God is by a mighty Redeemer, the Lord of hosts; who has redeemed them out of the hands of their enemies, that were stronger than they, and too strong for them: the conversion of them is by the power of the grace of God, even by the exceeding greatness of his power, and yet both acts of grace and mercy; for his mercy [endureth] for ever; it was mercy put the Lord on stretching out his arm, and showing the strength of his right hand, in delivering Israel out of Egypt; and in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, Isaiah 63:9. It is owing to the tender mercies of our God, and is a performing the mercy promised to the fathers, that Christ, the dayspring from on high, was sent to visit and redeem us, Luke 1:68; and the regeneration, quickening, and conversion of sinners, are acts of mercy as well as of power, Ephesians 2:4. Psalms 136:13 Ver. 13. To him which divided the Red sea into parts,.... Into two parts, so that the waters of it stood as a wall on the right and left hand of the Israelites, as they passed through; this was done by means of a strong east wind, Exodus 14:21.

136:10-22 The great things God did for Israel, when he brought them out of Egypt, were mercies which endured long to them; and our redemption by Christ, which was typified thereby, endures for ever. It is good to enter into the history of God's favours, and in each to observe, and own, that his mercy endureth for ever. He put them in possession of a good land; it was a figure of the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To him which divided the Red sea into parts,.... Into two parts, so that the waters of it stood as a wall on the right and left hand of the Israelites, as they passed through; this was done by means of a strong east wind, Exodus 14:21 . The Jews have a tradition, which Jarchi, Kimchi, and Arama, make mention of, that the sea was divided into twelve parts, according to the twelve tribes of Israel, and every tribe had a path by itself to walk in; but for this there is no foundation: however, the dividing it into parts was a wonderful work, and a rich display of mercy to Israel; for his mercy endureth for ever; the children of Israel were encompassed about, and in the utmost distress: the rocks were on each side, Pharaoh and his host behind them, the Red sea before them; and so no visible way of escape; but the Lord cut a way for them through the sea, and saved them. The sea is an emblem of this world, which is like a tempestuous troubled sea; where everything is restless, fluctuating, and passing away; where the people of God are tossed with tempests; and where afflictions, like the waves and billows of the sea, come over them one after another; and through which they must pass and enter the kingdom: and God, that wills, orders, and appoints them, sets these proud waves of the sea their bounds, or makes them a calm; and, sooner or later, makes a way through them and out of them, which is owing to his enduring mercy, 1 Corinthians 10:13.

To him which divided the Red sea into parts - More literally, "Parted it into parts;" made parts of that which before was unbroken and a whole. It was actually divided into two parts, so that the Hebrews passed between them: Exodus 14:21-22 . For his mercy ... - This, too, was an exercise of mercy, or a manifestation of benevolence toward them and toward the world, to be measured by all the good which would result from it in itself, and by all the power which was put forth to effect it.

Up to this point it is God the absolute in general, the Creator of all things, to the celebration of whose praise they are summoned; and from this point onwards the God of the history of salvation. In Psalm 136:13 גּזר (instead of בּקע, Psalm 78:13 ; Exodus 14:21 ; Nehemiah 9:11 ) of the dividing of the Red Sea is peculiar; גּזרים ( Genesis 15:17 , side by side with בּתרים) are the pieces or parts of a thing that is cut up into pieces. נער is a favourite word taken from Exodus 14:27 . With reference to the name of the Egyptian ruler Pharaoh (Herodotus also, ii. 111, calls the Pharaoh of the Exodus the son of Sesostris-Rameses Miumun, not Μενόφθας, as he is properly called, but absolutely Φερῶν), vid., on Psalm 73:22 . After the God to whom the praise is to be ascribed has been introduced with ל by always fresh attributes, the ל before the names of Sihon and of Og is perplexing. The words are taken over, as are the six lines of Psalm 136:17-22 in the main, from Psalm 135:10-12 , with only a slight alteration in the expression. In Psalm 136:23 the continued influence of the construction הודוּ ל is at an end. The connection by means of שׁ (cf. Psalm 135:8 , Psalm 135:10 ) therefore has reference to the preceding "for His goodness endureth for ever." The language here has the stamp of the latest period.

It is true זכר with Lamed of the object is used even in the earliest Hebrew, but שׁפל is only authenticated by Ecclesiastes 10:6 , and פּרק, to break loose equals to rescue (the customary Aramaic word for redemption), by Lamentations 5:8 , just as in the closing verse, which recurs to the beginning, "God of heaven" is a name for God belonging to the latest literature, Nehemiah 1:4 ; Nehemiah 2:4 . In Psalm 136:23 the praise changes suddenly to that which has been experienced very recently. The attribute in Psalm 136:25 (cf. Psalm 147:9 ; Psalm 145:15 ) leads one to look back to a time in which famine befell them together with slavery.

[Hymns] 13 The sea he cut in two; For his grace lasteth still. 14 And through its midst to go Made his own Israel: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 15 But overwhelm'd and lost Was proud king Pharaoh, With all his mighty host, And chariots there also: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 16 To him who pow'rfully His chosen people led, Ev'n through the desert dry, And in that place them fed: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 17 To him great kings who smote; For his grace hath no bound. 18 Who slew, and spared not Kings famous and renown'd: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 19 Sihon the Am'rites' king; For his grace lasteth ever: 20 Og also, who did reign The land of Bashan over: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 21 Their land by lot he gave; For his grace faileth never, 22 That Isr'el might it have In heritage for ever: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 23 Who hath remembered Us in our low estate; 24 And us delivered From foes which did us hate: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. 25 Who to all flesh gives food; For his grace faileth never. 26 Give thanks to God most good, The God of heav'n, for ever: For certainly His mercies dure Most firm and sure Eternally. Psalm 137 1 By Babel's streams we sat and wept, when Sion we thought on. 2 In midst thereof we hang'd our harps the willow-trees upon.