Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

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Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Psalm 136 with John Calvin – His Love Endures Forever His love endures forever (v. 1, etc.). The insertion of this phrase over and over in so many abrupt sentences may seem unnecessary, but repeated choruses are both allowed and admired in secular poetry. Why should we object to repetition here, which is for the best reason of all? People acknowledge that divine goodness is the source and fountain of all their blessings, but although Scripture gives it great emphasis, the graciousness of God’s generosity is far from being fully and sincerely recognized. Who alone does great wonders (v. 4). In saying this, the psalmist imagines all God’s works from the least to the greatest, in order to awaken our admiration of them. For although these works signal God’s inconceivably great wisdom and divine power we tend to undervalue them thoughtlessly. He declares that whatever is worthy of admiration is exclusively made and done by God. We cannot transfer to another being even the smallest portion of the praise he deserves without committing awful blasphemy. There is no sliver of divinity in the whole range of heaven and earth with which it is right to compare him. Throughout the psalm, the psalmist demonstrates how every age receives the same goodness shown to their ancestors, since God helped his people by a continuous string of deliverances. His rescue during times of overwhelming trouble was a greater proof of his mercy than if he had preserved them in stable times. The emergency awakened their attention. Besides, whenever God delivers his people physically, he also forgives their sins.