Psalm 136 says the same thing 26 times: “for his mercy endureth for ever.” In this Sunday message from March 5, 2023, Pastor Linda Reese asked why God would repeat it so often. Maybe because we forget so easily.

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

Psalm 136:1 (KJV)

Mercy that never runs dry

Many times God takes what looks like pure trouble and turns it into good, so when something bad happens, wait for it. His love flows from a well that never runs dry. Parents love the oldest and the youngest alike, and God, with so many children, loves each one of us.

Mercy in creation

Verses 4-9 give thanks for the heavens, the earth, the sun by day and the moon and stars by night. That week, Venus and Jupiter had been shining close together in the evening sky. The sun gives light and warmth; the stars guided travelers, even the wise men. If you ever doubt God’s mercy, step back and look around your own house: work, a home, food on the table, a roof that doesn’t leak. From the Grand Canyon to clouds seen from an airplane window, there’s so much beauty we rush past.

Mercy in rescue

Verses 10-22 tell Israel’s story. At the Passover, families put the lamb’s blood on their doorposts and were protected. Pastor Linda said that changed how she prays: she asks God to apply the blood of Jesus over her home and over the people she prays for. God parted the Red Sea, led Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, and sent manna even while they complained. None of them deserved it, and none of us do.

Mercy for us

He “remembered us in our low estate” (136:23), and that’s why He sent Jesus. Mercy isn’t only something to study. It’s something to receive, and then to show to others. Pastor Linda likes to start each year by writing down everything God did for her the year before. The list is always longer than she expects.

This is the first message in a series on praise and thanks. It continues in Give Thanks to the Lord. You’re welcome any Sunday. Plan your visit.