BROADCASTS.com

b'When you read Psalm 136, you might see why I\\u2019ve called it a psalm of\\nthanksgiving. The first three verses say, \\u201cGive thanks.\\u201d This Psalm was\\nwritten to be a group song of thanks, meaning that one person or part of\\nthe group would sing the first line, then the majority of the group would\\nsing back, \\u201cHis love endures forever.\\u201d\\nBut what exactly is the psalm\\u2014or song\\u2014thanking God for? Each verse thanks\\nHim for a specific thing in Israel\\u2019s history. The verses can be grouped\\ntogether to find four main themes about God\\u2019s actions and character that\\nthe singers were thanking Him for.\\nFirst, in verses 1-9, they thank God for what He has made: the heavens, the\\nwaters, and the light. These verses praise God for being the Creator.\\nSecond, in verses 10-16, they thank God for saving Israel from slavery in\\nEgypt by striking down the firstborn, dividing the Red Sea, and leading the\\nIsraelites (along with many other people, see Exodus 12:38) through the\\nwilderness. By saving them from slavery, God revealed that He is the\\nRedeemer.\\nThird, in verses 17-22, they thank God for striking down their enemies so\\nthat Israel could live in the land that He had promised them as their\\ninheritance. Israel praises God for being the great Conqueror.\\nFourth, in verses 23-26, they thank God for remembering them, for freeing\\nthem from captivity, and for feeding all living creatures. They praise God\\nfor being the Deliverer.\\nGod is not only the Creator, Redeemer, Conqueror, and Deliver for the\\npeople who sang this psalm many years ago; He is also all these things for\\nus today! He created us and everything around us. Through dying on the\\ncross and rising from the dead for us, Jesus\\u2014God the Son\\u2014redeemed us from\\nsin, delivered us from death, and conquered all evil, and He will one day\\nreturn to deliver all of creation from captivity to decay, brokenness, and\\ndeath. What a thing to be able to thank Him for! \\u2022 Kimberly Brokish\\n\\u2022 Have you seen God acting as the Creator, Redeemer, Conqueror, or\\nDeliverer\\u2014either in Scripture, in your own life, or in someone else\\u2019s life?\\nConsider taking some time to thank God for who He is and what He has done.\\n\\u2022 How could it be helpful to look back on your own life to remember the\\nthings God has done for you?\\nGive thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:26\\n(NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nPs.136'