TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 136

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Praise Hashem; for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal.

אהוֹדוּ לַיהֹוָה כִּי־טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

2Praise the God of gods, His steadfast love is eternal.

בהוֹדוּ לֵאלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

3Praise the Lord of lords, His steadfast love is eternal;

גהוֹדוּ לַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים כִּי לְעֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

4Who alone works great marvels, His steadfast love is eternal;

דלְעֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

5Who made the heavens with wisdom, His steadfast love is eternal;

הלְעֹשֵׂה הַשָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

6Who spread the earth over the water, His steadfast love is eternal;

ולְרֹקַע הָאָרֶץ עַל־הַמָּיִם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

7Who made the great lights, His steadfast love is eternal;

זלְעֹשֵׂה אוֹרִים גְּדֹלִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

8the sun to dominate the day, His steadfast love is eternal;

חאֶת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת בַּיּוֹם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

9the moon and the stars to dominate the night, His steadfast love is eternal;

טאֶת־הַיָּרֵחַ וְכוֹכָבִים לְמֶמְשְׁלוֹת בַּלָּיְלָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

10Who struck Egypt through their first-born, His steadfast love is eternal;

ילְמַכֵּה מִצְרַיִם בִּבְכוֹרֵיהֶם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

11and brought Yisrael out of their midst, His steadfast love is eternal;

יאוַיּוֹצֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתּוֹכָם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

12with a strong hand and outstretched arm, His steadfast love is eternal;

יבבְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

13Who split apart the Sea of Reeds, His steadfast love is eternal;

יגלְגֹזֵר יַם־סוּף לִגְזָרִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

14and made Yisrael pass through it, His steadfast love is eternal;

ידוְהֶעֱבִיר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוֹכוֹ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

15Who hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds, His steadfast love is eternal;

טווְנִעֵר פַּרְעֹה וְחֵילוֹ בְיַם־סוּף כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

16Who led His people through the wilderness, His steadfast love is eternal;

טזלְמוֹלִיךְ עַמּוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

17Who struck down great kings, His steadfast love is eternal;

יזלְמַכֵּה מְלָכִים גְּדֹלִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

18and slew mighty kings— His steadfast love is eternal;

יחוַיַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִים אַדִּירִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

19Sihon, king of the Amorites, His steadfast love is eternal;

יטלְסִיחוֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

20Og, king of Bashan— His steadfast love is eternal;

כוּלְעוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

21and gave their land as a heritage, His steadfast love is eternal;

כאוְנָתַן אַרְצָם לְנַחֲלָה כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

22a heritage to His servant Yisrael, His steadfast love is eternal;

כבנַחֲלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדּוֹ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

23Who took note of us in our degradation, His steadfast love is eternal;

she-b'-shif-LAY-nu ZA-khar LA-nu KEE l'-o-LAM khas-DO

כגשֶׁבְּשִׁפְלֵנוּ זָכַר לָנוּ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

136:23   Who took note of us in our degradation

This psalm praises Hashem for the kindness and mercy He has shown to the People of Israel throughout history. Each line praises God for a specific act of grace, and ends with the refrain, “His steadfast love is eternal.” The psalm begins with an account of different aspects of creation, continues with the exodus from Egypt and the travels in the desert, and concludes with the conquest of the lands of the eastern side of the Jordan river. Though it mentions that God gave the lands of Sihon and Og to the People of Israel as an inheritance, the psalm does not contain a line that explicitly praises Him for bequeathing the actual Promised Land to His people. Instead, it speaks of Hashem’s constant presence in their lives, remembering His people even in their “degradation” and delivering them from their enemies. According to some interpretations, this refers to Hashem’s dedication to the people even after they sin and are expelled from the land. It seems that the psalmist takes for granted that God has designated the Land of Israel for His nation. Thus, he sings praises for all the events which led to the acquisition of the land, and about what happened after its settlement , but does not need to mention the actual settling of the land itself..

24and rescued us from our enemies, His steadfast love is eternal;

כדוַיִּפְרְקֵנוּ מִצָּרֵינוּ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

25Who gives food to all flesh, His steadfast love is eternal.

כהנֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל־בָּשָׂר כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃

26Praise the God of heaven, His steadfast love is eternal.

כוהוֹדוּ לְאֵל הַשָּׁמָיִם כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃