# Psalms 136.1

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Psalms](/codex/psalms/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> **1. Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; For he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.**
>
> 2. Oh give thanks unto the God of gods; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. 3. Oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: (Psalms 136:1-3, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> **1. Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever.**
>
> 2. Give thanks to the God of gods; for his loving kindness endures forever. 3. Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for his loving kindness endures forever: (Psalms 136:1-3, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> **1. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.**
>
> 2. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 3. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalms 136:1-3, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> **1. Give ye thanks to Jehovah, For good, for to the age [is] His kindness.**
>
> 2. Give ye thanks to the God of gods, For to the age [is] His kindness. 3. Give ye thanks to the Lord of lords, For to the age [is] His kindness. (Psalms 136:1-3, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** various (David majority; Asaph, Korah, Moses, Solomon, anonymous)
- **Audience:** worshipping Israel (corporate + individual devotion)
- **Location:** Israel, various periods
- **Time period:** composition spans c. 1400 BC (Moses, Ps 90), c. 400 BC; principal Davidic composition c. 1000 BC

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [H2617 - hesed](/codex/h2617-hesed/), *hesed* (Strong's H2617). Also appears in: [Genesis 19](/codex/genesis-19/), [Exodus 20.1-17](/codex/exodus-20-1-17/), [Exodus 34.5-6](/codex/exodus-34-5-6/).
- [H2896 - tov](/codex/h2896-tov/), *tov* (Strong's H2896). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.14-19](/codex/genesis-1-14-19/), [Genesis 1.21](/codex/genesis-1-21/), [Genesis 1.24-28](/codex/genesis-1-24-28/).
- [H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/), *YHWH* (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: [Genesis 2.4](/codex/genesis-2-4/), [Genesis 2.7](/codex/genesis-2-7/), [Genesis 2.16-17](/codex/genesis-2-16-17/).
- [H5769 - olam](/codex/h5769-olam/), *olam* (Strong's H5769). Also appears in: [Genesis 3](/codex/genesis-3/), [Genesis 6](/codex/genesis-6/), [Genesis 6.4](/codex/genesis-6-4/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [100 Verses of Compassion and God's Goodness](/codex/100-verses-of-compassion-and-gods-goodness/)

**Lexicon:**

- [H5769 - olam](/codex/h5769-olam/)

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