ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Psalms 136

Book: Psalms · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (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: 4. To him who alone doeth great wonders; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 5. To him that by understanding made the heavens; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 6. To him that spread forth the earth above the waters; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 7. To him that made great lights; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 8. The sun to rule by day; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 9. The moon and stars to rule by night; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 10. To him that smote Egypt in their first-born; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 11. And brought out Israel from among them; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 12. With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 13. To him that divided the Red Sea in sunder; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 14. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 16. To him that led his people through the wilderness; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 17. To him that smote great kings; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 18. And slew famous kings; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 19. Sihon king of the Amorites; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 20. And Og king of Bashan; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 21. And gave their land for a heritage; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 22. Even a heritage unto Israel his servant; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 23. Who remembered us in our low estate; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever; 24. And hath delivered us from our adversaries; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever: 25. Who giveth food to all flesh; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. 26. Oh give thanks unto the God of heaven; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever." (Psalms 136:1-26, ASV)

WEB (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: 4. To him who alone does great wonders; for his loving kindness endures forever: 5. To him who by understanding made the heavens; for his loving kindness endures forever: 6. To him who spread out the earth above the waters; for his loving kindness endures forever: 7. To him who made the great lights; for his loving kindness endures forever: 8. The sun to rule by day; for his loving kindness endures forever; 9. The moon and stars to rule by night; for his loving kindness endures forever: 10. To him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn; for his loving kindness endures forever; 11. And brought out Israel from among them; for his loving kindness endures forever; 12. With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; for his loving kindness endures forever: 13. To him who divided the Red Sea apart; for his loving kindness endures forever; 14. And made Israel to pass through the middle of it; for his loving kindness endures forever; 15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea; for his loving kindness endures forever: 16. To him who led his people through the wilderness; for his loving kindness endures forever: 17. To him who struck great kings; for his loving kindness endures forever; 18. And killed mighty kings; for his loving kindness endures forever: 19. Sihon king of the Amorites; for his loving kindness endures forever; 20. Og king of Bashan; for his loving kindness endures forever; 21. And gave their land as an inheritance; for his loving kindness endures forever; 22. Even a heritage to Israel his servant; for his loving kindness endures forever: 23. Who remembered us in our low estate; for his loving kindness endures forever; 24. And has delivered us from our adversaries; for his loving kindness endures forever: 25. Who gives food to every creature; for his loving kindness endures forever. 26. Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever." (Psalms 136:1-26, WEB)

KJV (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. 4. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 5. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8. The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: to rule: Heb. for the rulings by day 9. The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. 10. To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: 11. And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: 12. With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. 13. To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 14. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. overthrew: Heb. shaked off 16. To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. 17. To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 18. And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 19. Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: 20. And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: 21. And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: 22. Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever. 23. Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: 24. And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. 25. Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 26. O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalms 136:1-26, KJV)

YLT (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. 4. To Him doing great wonders by Himself alone, For to the age [is] His kindness. 5. To Him making the heavens by understanding, For to the age [is] His kindness. 6. To Him spreading the earth over the waters, For to the age [is] His kindness. 7. To Him making great lights, For to the age [is] His kindness. 8. The sun to rule by day, For to the age [is] His kindness. 9. The moon and stars to rule by night, For to the age [is] His kindness. 10. To Him smiting Egypt in their first-born, For to the age [is] His kindness. 11. And bringing forth Israel from their midst, For to the age [is] His kindness. 12. By a strong hand, and a stretched-out-arm, For to the age [is] His kindness. 13. To Him cutting the sea of Suph into parts, For to the age [is] His kindness, 14. And caused Israel to pass through its midst, For to the age [is] His kindness, 15. And shook out Pharaoh and his force in the sea of Suph, For to the age [is] His kindness. 16. To Him leading His people in a wilderness, For to the age [is] His kindness. 17. To Him smiting great kings, For to the age [is] His kindness. 18. Yea, He doth slay honourable kings, For to the age [is] His kindness. 19. Even Sihon king of the Amorite, For to the age [is] His kindness. 20. And Og king of Bashan, For to the age [is] His kindness. 21. And He gave their land for inheritance, For to the age [is] His kindness. 22. An inheritance to Israel His servant, For to the age [is] His kindness. 23. Who in our lowliness hath remembered us, For to the age [is] His kindness. 24. And He delivereth us from our adversaries, For to the age [is] His kindness. 25. Giving food to all flesh, For to the age [is] His kindness. 26. Give ye thanks to the God of the heavens, For to the age [is] His kindness!" (Psalms 136:1-26, 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

Quoted in

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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • 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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.