Psalms 136

The Story of my Life

Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever; And rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever; ~ Psalms 136:23-24

Psalm 136 is pretty much the story of my life. It goes something like this:

Lynette was born into this world as a sinner, but because His mercy endures forever, He saved her. Lynette made many mistakes early on, but His mercy endures forever. When she got older, she really messed things up, but His mercy still endures forever. Finally, one day, she made Him her Lord, because His mercy endures forever.

Or, you could just say, His mercy endures no matter what!

No matter where I fell or how bad my decisions were, His mercy and grace were always there to pick me up when I cried out to Him. No matter what trouble came my way, even the times I got myself into trouble, He always rescued me. He even protected me from myself and the bad situations I put myself in.

Psalm 136 starts by declaring that God’s mercy endures forever because of Who He is. He is good. He does great wonders. He created all things. He delivered Israel from Egypt. He preserved their promised land. Then, in verse 23, the message makes a shift to show us that not only does His mercy endure forever because of who He is, but also because of who we are. In our lowly state, He rescued us. He meets our needs. He protects us. Why?

Because His mercy endures forever.

When I read this Psalm, I like to replace the word mercy with love, because God didn’t rescue me all my life because He felt sorry for me and pitied me, (although I’m sure He did). He did it because He loves me. He actively loves me every single day. The good news is He actively loves you too.

Take a moment right now to think about the following points in your life and acknowledge the many ways that His mercy endures personally for you each day.

• Recognize His Mercy in Your Life – Take a moment to reflect on the times God has rescued you, provided for you, or simply been present in your life. Write them down as a reminder of His faithfulness.
• Replace Fear with Praise – When you face difficulties, remind yourself: His mercy endures forever. Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on God’s unfailing love.
• Make Gratitude a Habit – Thank God daily for His mercy and love. It changes your perspective and builds your faith.

Now consider some steps you can take to incorporate these habits into your everyday life:

1. Read Psalm 136 aloud – Let the truth of His enduring mercy and love sink in.
2. Personalize it – Insert your own name and life situations into the verses. See how God has been faithful to you.
3. Speak it over your life – The next time you feel discouraged or unworthy, declare: His mercy endures forever in my life!
4. Share it with someone – Encourage a friend by reminding them of God’s unchanging love and mercy.

Today I want to encourage you to consider how God’s mercy never runs out. There’s no expiration date, no limit, and no mistake too big. He has rescued you before, and He will do it over and over again. His mercy is not just for yesterday, but it is also for today, tomorrow, and every day after that.

So, no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, take heart because His mercy endures forever. His love endures forever. And that means He will never stop loving you no matter what!

Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 136

1Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

2Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.

3Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:

4To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever;

5To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever;

6To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever;

7To Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever—

8The sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever;

9The moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever.

10To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy endures forever;

11And brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever;

12With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever;

13To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His mercy endures forever;

14And made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever;

15But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever;

16To Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever;

17To Him who struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever;

18And slew famous kings, for His mercy endures forever—

19Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever;

20And Og king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever—

21And gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever;

22A heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever.

23Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever;

24And rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever;

25Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever.

26Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.