Wisdom Books Psalms

His Love Is Eternal

Discover Jesus as: King of Glory Psalms 134-136 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 457 of 730
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INTRO

Today’s chapters have two common themes: name and love. Psalm 134 is the last of the 15 Psalms of Ascent that were sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem for one of the three required feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16).

TEACHING

Psalm 134:1-3: The psalmist mentioned people “who stand in the Lord’s house at night!” One example of this was Anna: “There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers” (Luke 2:36–37). Matthew Henry noted, “Some of them did minister by night in the house of the Lord, to guard the holy things of the temple, that they might not be profaned, and the rich things of the temple, that they might not be plundered. While the ark was in curtains and there was the more need of guards at it. They attended likewise to see that neither the fire on the altar nor the lamps in the candlestick went out.”1

Other verses that describe praying:

1 Timothy 2:8: “Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.”

1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Numbers 6:24–26: “May Yahweh bless you and protect you; may Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may Yahweh look with favor on you and give you peace.”

Psalm 135:1–4: The first verse in each of Psalms 134 and 135 begin similarly, by calling for praise: “Hallelujah! Praise the name of Yahweh. Give praise, you servants of Yahweh” (v. 1).

Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name." The enemy’s power is taken when we come before God with thankful and grateful hearts.

The psalmist declared that Yahweh chose “Jacob for Himself.” While Christians have personalized this statement and made it about how we have been grafted in, God chose Israel. The entire reason we have been grafted in is because God made Israel “His treasured possession” (v. 4).

Psalm 135:5–7: Verse 5 parallels 136:2–3: “Give thanks to the God of gods. His love is eternal. Give thanks to the Lord of Lords. His love is eternal.

Verse 6 parallels 136:4–6: “He alone does great wonders. His love is eternal. He made the heavens skillfully. His love is eternal. He spread the land on the waters. His love is eternal.”

Verse 7 parallels 136:7–9: “He made the great lights: His love is eternal. The sun to rule by day, His love is eternal. The moon and stars to rule by night. His love is eternal.”

Psalm 135:8–12: Verses 8–9 parallels 136:10–12: “He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians; His love is eternal. And brought Israel out from among them; His love is eternal. With a strong hand and outstretched arm. His love is eternal.”

Psalm 135:13: declares: “Yahweh, Your name endures forever, Your reputation, Yahweh, through all generations.”

CLOSING

These chapters use several names for God:

  1. Lord—Adonai, which means “my Lord.”
  2. God—Elohim, which simply means "God."
  3. Lord—or Yahweh meaning I AM, the only name given exclusively to God, creator of Heaven and earth. “Then Moses asked God, ‘If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I tell them?’ God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation” (Exodus 3:13–15).

God's love is eternal. His name endures forever. This all points to a future revelation where the kingdom of God will be fully realized and we will all join together with the Father in Zion. We are going to be with our God and delight in His everlasting love forever!

  1. Matthew Henry, Zondervan NIV Matthew Henry Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) “Psalm 134”. Available at https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/psalms/134.html.

Questions

  1. Psalm 134:2 says to “lift hands in the Sanctuary and bless the Lord.” Do you lift your hands to bless the Lord? Why or why not? Will this type of worship will be done in heaven?
  2. What does Psalm 135:16–18 mean in your own words? Do idols such as these still exist today? What about the ones who made them? Are there possible idols in your own life that need to be forsaken?
  3. What does “His love is eternal” (Psalm 136) mean to you? Take a few minutes to meditate on that phrase and how it affects you.
  4. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Psalms 134—136 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Psalm 136:3–4

“Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His love is eternal. He alone does great wonders. His love is eternal.”

The psalmist reflected on God’s eternal love from the time of creation to when Israel settled in the land of Canaan. God’s eternal love lasted not only through the miraculous moments and times of faithfulness but also through the challenging times and seasons of discipline. Through each high and low of life, the psalmist knew God’s love was eternal, His mercy endured forever, His love never quit.

Today, reflect on the word eternal—something that lasts forever and ever with no beginning and no end. Because God loves you, He sent His Son Jesus to save you from death so you could live eternally with Him—a forever love. Your citizenship now rests in heaven. Even when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord’s love abides with you. His mercies are new each morning. Through your temptations and weaknesses, God’s love remains full of compassion. It is gracious, slow to anger, and rich in faithfulness and truth. His love won’t quit on you. Receive it. Accept it. Rest in it. Child of God, God’s love for you is eternal.

“Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His love is eternal. He alone does great wonders. His love is eternal.”

— Psalm 136:3–4

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Psalm 86:15 — “But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.”
  • John 3:16 — “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
  • Romans 8:35–37 — “Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.”