John Gill Commentary Psalms 136

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he [is] good
In himself, and to all his creatures; and especially to his chosen people, who therefore should give thanks to him daily in the name of Christ, for all blessings temporal and spiritual, in faith and fervency, and in the sincerity of their souls, with their whole heart;

for his mercy [endures] for ever ;
it is the same with his love, which is from everlasting to everlasting; and continues notwithstanding the sins of his people, the hidings of his face from them, and his chastisements of them;

The covenant which is founded on mercy, and all the blessings of it, which are the sure mercies of David, last for ever;

And hence the vessels of mercy shall certainly be saved, and not lost; see (Psalms 106:1) (107:1) .

O give thanks to the God of gods
Not only of the gods of the Gentiles, who are by name and not by nature gods; or of civil magistrates, who are so called, and seem to be designed in the next verse; but the angels, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi. Christ, our Immanuel, is the God of them, the object of their worship and adoration, being their Creator and Preserver, (Psalms 97:7) (Hebrews 1:6Hebrews 1:7) . So the Heathens say

for his mercy [endures] for ever ;
in the preservation of those excellent creatures from apostasy, when many of their species fell; and in the continuance and confirmation of them in the state in which they were created; and in making use of them as ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation; and as a guard about them while they live, and at death to convey their souls to heaven.

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: of the Maker of all things, him you may properly call the God of gods, the Supreme and Best; this title Janus has with them ^F19 ;
• F19: Macrob. Saturnal. l. 1. c. 9.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords
Which is not only the title of the God of Israel, as the former, (Deuteronomy 10:17); but of the Messiah, (Revelation 19:16); who is the Prince of the kings of the earth; under whom they are, by whom they reign, and to whom they are accountable, being higher than they; as nature, so by office, (Revelation 1:5) (Proverbs 8:15Proverbs 8:16) (Psalms 89:27);

for his mercy [endureth] for ever ;
in putting it into the hearts of kings and princes, which he has in his hands, to show favour to his people, even to be their nursing fathers; and in curbing the power, restraining the wrath, of oppressors; and protecting his people from their rage and violence.

To him who alone does great wonders
As in the works of creation at first, having no help from angels or men; so in the works of providence, many of which are unsearchable, and past finding out, and in which he has no assistance from creatures; and in the works of grace, redemption, and salvation, which his own arm has wrought out;

as well as what he did when here on earth in our nature; the miracles then wrought by his omnipotent arm alone; and even all the wonders which Moses and Elijah did under the Old Testament, and the apostles of Christ under the New, were done, not by their power, but by his alone;

who will do still greater wonders, when he shall create all tidings new, raise the dead, and summon all nations before him, and render to everyone according to his works;

for his mercy [endures] for ever :
towards his people, for whose sake all these wonders are wrought.

To him that by wisdom made the heavens
In such a curious manner, in such a proper and delightful situation, with such furniture, and for such uses, (Proverbs 3:19);

for his mercy [endureth] for ever;
Which appears in the continued influences of the heaven; the dew, rain, and snow, that descend from it on the earth to water and make it fruitful, and to produce those rich and valuable blessings called the "precious things of heaven", (Deuteronomy 33:13); and which are of the utmost importance for the service of man and beast: and, besides, God has of his infinite mercy, which continues, provided an inheritance in the heavens, a house eternal in the heavens, mansions of bliss and glory there, which Christ is now preparing for his saints, that they may dwell with him in them for evermore.