Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI
Psalm CXXXVI (136)
Cantillated — Refrain Litany
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 136 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever.
ה֭וֹדוּ לֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever;
ה֭וֹדוּ לַאֲדֹנֵ֣י הָאֲדֹנִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְעֹ֘שֵׂ֤ה נִפְלָא֣וֹת גְּדֹל֣וֹת לְבַדּ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְעֹשֵׂ֣ה הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְרֹקַ֣ע הָ֭אָרֶץ עַל־הַמָּ֑יִם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who made the great lights, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְ֭עֹשֵׂה אוֹרִ֣ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
the sun to rule by day, for his loving kindness endures forever;
אֶת־הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת בַּיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
the moon and stars to rule by night, for his loving kindness endures forever;
אֶת־הַיָּרֵ֣חַ וְ֭כוֹכָבִים לְמֶמְשְׁל֣וֹת בַּלָּ֑יְלָה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְמַכֵּ֣ה מִ֭צְרַיִם בִּבְכוֹרֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וַיּוֹצֵ֣א יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל מִתּוֹכָ֑ם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for his loving kindness endures forever;
בְּיָ֣ד חֲ֭זָקָה וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who divided the Red Sea apart, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְגֹזֵ֣ר יַם־ס֭וּף לִגְזָרִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וְהֶעֱבִ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל בְּתוֹכ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וְנִ֘עֵ֤ר פַּרְעֹ֣ה וְחֵיל֣וֹ בְיַם־ס֑וּף כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְמוֹלִ֣יךְ עַ֭מּוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
to him who struck great kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְ֭מַכֵּה מְלָכִ֣ים גְּדֹלִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
and killed mighty kings, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג מְלָכִ֣ים אַדִּירִ֑ים כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Sihon king of the Amorites, for his loving kindness endures forever;
לְ֭סִיחוֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֑י כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Og king of Bashan, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וּ֭לְעוֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
and gave their land as an inheritance, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וְנָתַ֣ן אַרְצָ֣ם לְנַחֲלָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever;
נַ֭חֲלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדּ֑וֹ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever;
שֶׁ֭בְּשִׁפְלֵנוּ זָ֣כַר לָ֑נוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever;
וַיִּפְרְקֵ֥נוּ מִצָּרֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever.
נֹתֵ֣ן לֶ֭חֶם לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving kindness endures forever.
ה֭וֹדוּ לְאֵ֣ל הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
Thank the LORD
He is good
His kindness never ends
Thank the God
above every god
His kindness never ends
Thank the Lord
over every lord
His kindness never ends
He alone
does the great wonders
His kindness never ends
He made the skies
with skill
His kindness never ends
He spread the land
out on the waters
His kindness never ends
He made the great lights
His kindness never ends
the sun
to rule the day
His kindness never ends
the moon and the stars
to rule the night
His kindness never ends
He struck Egypt
in their firstborn
His kindness never ends
and brought Israel
out from among them
His kindness never ends
with a strong hand
and an arm stretched out
His kindness never ends
He cut the Sea of Reeds
in two
His kindness never ends
and walked Israel
right through the middle
His kindness never ends
and shook Pharaoh and his army
into the sea
His kindness never ends
He led His people
through the wilderness
His kindness never ends
He struck down
great kings
His kindness never ends
and killed
powerful kings
His kindness never ends
Sihon
king of the Amorites
His kindness never ends
and Og
king of Bashan
His kindness never ends
and gave their land away
to keep
His kindness never ends
a gift to keep
for Israel His servant
His kindness never ends
When we were low
He remembered us
His kindness never ends
and tore us loose
from our enemies
His kindness never ends
He gives bread
to every living thing
His kindness never ends
Thank the God
of heaven
His kindness never ends
His kindness never ends
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.