Psalm 136:6 - His Loving Faithfulness Endures Forever

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Context

His Loving Faithfulness Endures Forever
…5By His insight He made the heavens. His loving devotion endures forever. 6He spread out the earth upon the waters. His loving devotion endures forever. 7He made the great lights—His loving devotion endures forever.…

Cross References

Genesis 1:9-10
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. / God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.Exodus 14:21-22
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, / and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.Job 26:10
He has inscribed a horizon on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.Isaiah 51:10
Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?Jeremiah 31:35
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name:Nehemiah 9:11
You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.Psalm 33:7
He piles up the waters of the sea; He puts the depths into storehouses.Psalm 104:6-9
You covered it with the deep like a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. / At Your rebuke the waters fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away— / the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them— ...Proverbs 8:29
when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.Jonah 1:9
“I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”Matthew 8:27
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”Mark 4:39-41
Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. / “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” / Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”Luke 8:24-25
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. / “Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”John 1:3
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.John 1:10
He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

Psalm 24:2
For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

Psalm 104:2,3
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: …

Genesis 1:9
And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

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Psalm 136

He spread out the earth upon the waters.
This phrase reflects the creation narrative found in Genesis 1:9-10, where God commands the waters to be gathered so that dry land appears. The imagery of spreading the earth upon the waters suggests God's sovereign power in establishing the world. In ancient Near Eastern cosmology, water often symbolized chaos, and God's act of spreading the earth signifies His control over chaos, bringing order and stability. This act of creation is a demonstration of God's authority and wisdom, as seen in other scriptures like Job 38:4-11, where God questions Job about the foundations of the earth. The phrase also connects to the Flood narrative in Genesis 6-9, where God again demonstrates His power over the waters. Theologically, this act can be seen as a type of Christ, who brings order and peace to the chaos of sin and death, as reflected in the calming of the storm in Mark 4:39.

His loving devotion endures forever.
This refrain is repeated throughout Psalm 136, emphasizing the steadfastness and eternal nature of God's love, often translated as "hesed" in Hebrew. This covenantal love is a central theme in the Old Testament, highlighting God's faithfulness to His promises and His people. The enduring nature of God's loving devotion is seen in His continuous acts of salvation and provision, from the deliverance of Israel from Egypt to the establishment of the Davidic covenant. This phrase assures believers of God's unchanging character, as echoed in Lamentations 3:22-23, where His mercies are described as new every morning. In the New Testament, this enduring love is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, whose sacrificial death and resurrection provide eternal life for believers, as seen in John 3:16. The phrase serves as a reminder of the eternal security found in God's love, encouraging trust and worship among His people.

Persons / Places / Events

1. God (Yahweh)
The Creator and Sustainer of the universe, whose loving devotion is eternal.

2. The Earth
The physical world that God created and spread out upon the waters.

3. The Waters
Refers to the primordial waters over which God established the earth, symbolizing chaos subdued by divine order.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty in Creation
God’s act of spreading out the earth upon the waters demonstrates His supreme authority and control over creation. Believers can trust in His power and plan for the world.

Enduring Loving Devotion
The phrase "His loving devotion endures forever" reminds us of God's unchanging love and faithfulness. This assurance should encourage believers to rely on His promises.

Order from Chaos
The imagery of God spreading the earth over the waters symbolizes bringing order from chaos. In our lives, God can bring peace and structure to our chaotic situations.

Creation as a Testament to God's Character
The natural world reflects God's attributes, such as His creativity, power, and care. Observing creation can lead us to worship and reverence for the Creator.

Stewardship of Creation
Recognizing God as the Creator should inspire us to care for the earth responsibly, honoring His work and maintaining the balance He established.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 136What are the earth's depths?What is the Bible's view on prosperity?(Psalm 24:2) How can the earth be literally 'founded on the seas' when modern science shows it is not supported by water?Psalm 136:5-6 mentions God creating the heavens and earth; how does this align with scientific theories of cosmology and evolution?

(6) While this section in many points recalls the account of creation in Genesis, it employs terms from other parts of Scripture.

Stretched out.--A word and idea peculiar to Isaiah and this psalm (Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24); properly to beat out with the feet, then to overlay with a plate of metal (Isaiah 40:12). The earth is regarded as a flat plate that has been beaten out and spread on the face of the waters, whereas in Genesis it is pictured as emerging out of the waters.

Verse 6. - To him that stretched out the earth above the waters (comp. Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24; Psalm 24:2). For his mercy, etc. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

He spread out
לְרֹקַ֣ע (lə·rō·qa‘)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7554: To pound the earth, to expand, to overlay

the earth
הָ֭אָרֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

upon
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the waters.
הַמָּ֑יִם (ham·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

His loving devotion
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ (ḥas·dōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2617: Kindness, piety, reproof, beauty

endures forever.
לְעוֹלָ֣ם (lə·‘ō·w·lām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5769: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always

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Psalm 136:6 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Psalm 136:6 To him who spread out the earth (Psalm Ps Psa.)