Psalms 136 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Assembled for temple worship in the period after the exile, roughly 500 to 400 BC, drawing on Israel's memory of the exodus and the settlement of Canaan
Location
The temple in Jerusalem, where a song leader and the assembled congregation traded lines back and forth
Audience
The whole worshiping assembly of Israel, gathered at the major festivals
Situation
Twenty six short lines run from creation through the exodus, the defeat of Sihon and Og, and the gift of the land, and after every single line the congregation answers with the same phrase about God's loyal love lasting forever.
Key Background
Jewish tradition calls this the Great Hallel, and it was sung at Passover, so it is very likely among the songs Jesus and his followers sang at the last supper. The back and forth structure, called antiphonal singing, let a crowd that could not read still take a full part in worship, since the people only had to remember one repeated line. The Hebrew word behind the refrain, hesed, means committed loyalty inside a relationship rather than warm feeling, closer to keeping a promise than to affection.
Give to — he is good. His
Give thanks to the all gods. His faithful love never ends.
Give thanks to the all masters. His faithful love never ends.
He alone does imagining. His faithful love never ends.
His shaped the skies. His faithful love never ends.
He the out the waters. His faithful love never ends.
He set the burning in the sky. His faithful love never ends.
The sun to the day. His faithful love never ends.
The and to rule the night. His faithful love never ends.
He Egypt down through their firstborn. His faithful love never ends.
He brought out from among them. His faithful love never ends.
With a and an arm. His faithful love never ends.
He the in two. His faithful love never ends.
He led Israel the middle. His faithful love never ends.
He and his army into the sea. His faithful love never ends.
He the wilderness. His faithful love never ends.
He down great kings. His faithful love never ends.
He killed kings. His faithful love never ends.
king of the Amorites. His faithful love never ends.
And king of Bashan. His faithful love never ends.
He gave their land as an inheritance. His faithful love never ends.
An inheritance to Israel, his servant. His faithful love never ends.
He us when we were at lowest. His faithful love never ends.
He us from our enemies. His faithful love never ends.
He gives to every thing. His faithful love never ends.
Give thanks to the of heaven. His faithful love never ends.