Psalm 136 (135):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Their blessedness—granted by His kindness—transforming their former misery into joy has no conclusion; hence, His mercy is eternal. Our transformation from unjust to just, from sick to whole, from dead to alive, from mortal to immortal, and from miserable to joyous, is all due to His grace. What we are destined to become will endure eternally, affirming that His mercy is everlasting. Therefore, give thanks to the Lord; and from this confession shall come enduring good, for His mercy lasts forever; this means the gifts He graciously grants you are everlasting.

Next, we read: Give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy endures forever (Psalm 135:2). Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 134:3). We may ponder who these 'gods' and 'lords' are, beneath the true authority of the one God? Another psalm reveals that even men are designated as gods. The Lord acknowledges this in the Gospel, stating, "Is it not written in your law, you are gods?" (John 10:34). This does not imply all are righteous but signifies the divine proclamation. If they were all righteous, no distinction would be necessary. He asserts: He judges among the gods and further questions, "How long will you judge unjustly?"—addressing some, not all, as He draws this distinction.

One might ask: if those to whom God’s word was delivered are called gods, can angels also be designated as such, particularly since the highest reward for the just is to be compared to angels? While it may be difficult to find in Scripture that angels are explicitly called gods, the statement regarding the Lord—"He is more awesome than all gods"—clarifies that the idols of gentiles are mere vanities. This understanding, given in the context of Jewish interpretation, shows us the pagan gods are fundamentally devoid of essence, represented by physical idols that possess no sight or understanding. As a result, they cannot be fearful, as fear is alien to the senseless. Therefore, when stating, "He is more fearsome than all gods, for the gods of the nations are idols," it suggests that these representations overshadow the real demonic influences lying behind them. Consequently, the Apostle confirms: "We know that an idol is nothing" (1 Corinthians 8:4), indicating that what idols are made from is devoid of life. In addressing any misconception that might imply there is no active and sensitive being behind pagan sacrifices, he adds: "What the Gentiles sacrifice, they offer to demons, not to God; and I do not want you to partake with demons" (1 Corinthians 10:20).

Thus, it stands that the sacred angels are never referred to as gods in Scripture because it is incomprehensible for men to render the same worship due solely to the one true God to His messengers, who, in effect, are distinct from their Creator. They are better identified as Angels, which translates in Latin to Nuntii, symbolizing their function and ensuring that our worship directed at God, whom they herald, is not misplaced. The Apostle sums it up beautifully: "Though there be those called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there are many gods and many lords; yet we have one God, the Father from whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we by Him" (1 Corinthians 8:5-6).

Let us then offer gratitude to the God of gods and Lord of lords for His mercy. Who alone performs wonders (Psalm 134:4). Each verse concludes with the reminder, "For His mercy endures forever," which implies that even at the beginning of each line, an invitation to give thanks is understood. In Greek, this meaning is clear. Likewise, in Latin, if our translators had chosen to render it accordingly, they might have said, "To Him who performs miracles." Where the text indicates τῷ ποιήσαντι, giving thanks should be understood. I wish the pronoun had been included, saying “to the One who made” or “to the One who acts,” which would have clarified that we ought to offer thanks.

The text as it stands might lead one unfamiliar with the Greek to misconstrue the concept that the One who created the heavens and established the earth and provided for the luminaries did so merely because His mercy continues; that those He freed from despair are solely by His mercy, when in fact, it is His goodness that crafted all things rightly (Genesis 1:31) for their existence (Wisdom 1:14). It is through His mercy that we are cleansed from sin and liberated from eternal suffering. Thus, the Psalm calls us: Give thanks to the God of gods; give thanks to the Lord of lords; give thanks to the One who alone performs great wonders; give thanks to Him who, through His wisdom, created the heavens; give thanks to Him who spread the earth over the waters; give thanks to Him who alone made the great lights. The reason we should offer praise is placed at the conclusion of every verse: for His mercy endures forever.

Yet, what does it signify when we state, "who alone performs great wonders"? Is this not a testament to the many marvelous acts He has accomplished through angels and men? There are distinct wonders that God alone executes, which He details: Who, by His wisdom, formed the heavens (Psalm 135:5), and Who established the earth upon the waters (Psalm 135:6), and Who alone created the great lights (Psalm 135:7). The Psalm emphasizes this in singular terms, noting that the other miracles He will cite are performed through human vessels. He begins with "He who alone created the great luminaries," followed by a description of those luminaries: the sun to govern the day (Psalm 134:8), the moon and stars to govern the night (Psalm 135:9), at which point He recounts the miraculous acts carried out via angels and humans: He smote Egypt with their firstborn (Psalm 135:10), and so on.

Thus, it is evident that God fashioned all creation through His singular authority, as he mentions significant elements of that creation to invoke contemplation of the totality; we grasp the heavens and perceive the earth. The presence of visible skies leads us to reflect on the entire celestial realm as a work of His hand. However, when he speaks of the creation of the heavens in wisdom, or understanding—be it as others render it unevenly—whether it pertains to those heavens we can grasp, or that God, in His wisdom, construed the heavens (echoed in Scripture, "By wisdom You have made them all"), raises an inquiry. If God's wisdom governs all creation, why mention it solely in reference to the heavens when all things were made by that same wisdom? It appears thus that the significance of this phrase is emphasized in a unique context, possibly implying that the intellect or logic stemming from His wisdom—the only-begotten Word—was integral to the making of all things.

Who, then, positioned the earth over the waters? The inquiry is challenging, as the earth appears heavier, leading to the conjecture that it is upheld not merely by the waters but rather is supported by them. To reconcile possible objections against our Scriptures, it may be deduced alternatively that the earth, which accommodates humanity and its living beings, sits upon the waters, as it exists above the surrounding fluid. When we talk of a city on the sea built over the waters, we mean that the city is situated above them—not in a sense that equates the water as fundamentally beneath them, like in the caverns or ships—yet we would describe it as elevated over the underlying sea.

However, these phrases may convey additional meanings more pertinent to us: God, through His wisdom, creates the heavens—representing His faithful and spiritual people—providing them faith as well as understanding concerning divine matters. Conversely, those who maintain unstable faith are likened to earth, as they remain steadfast in their baptismal commitment, symbolizing the earth exalted above the waters. Furthermore, since Scripture notes that in Christ are concealed all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), the distinction between wisdom and knowledge—as illustrated elsewhere, notably in Job—reinforces that true wisdom encompasses the knowledge and love of the eternal God. The sacred piety referred to as wisdom in Greek (θεοσ-βεια) translates into Latin as a worshipful reverence for God. The departure from evil, which Job names as knowledge, entails avoiding the path of the wicked in this corrupt generation (Philippians 2:15), as if navigating through the night's darkness, that all men might maintain their integrity against transgression and remain illuminated by the divine truth.

"Who brought Israel out of their bondage" (Psalm 134:11). In a similar way, He delivers His holy and faithful ones from amongst the wicked, with His mighty hand and outstretched arm (Psalm 135:12). What might be more powerful or more extended than that, of which it is written, "To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1)? He parted the Red Sea (Psalm 134:13). Similarly, the symbolic baptism yields life to some and death to others. He brought His people through (Psalm 134:14), guiding His renewed community through the washing of regeneration, overthrowing Pharaoh and his army in the sea (Psalm 135:15). Through baptism, He swiftly abolishes both the sin of His people and its condemnation. He led His people through the wilderness (Psalm 134:16); He guides us through the trials of this world so that we do not perish in it. He smote great kings (Psalm 135:17) and destroyed renowned monarchs (Psalm 135:18); He vanquishes within us the lethal powers of darkness. Sihon, king of the Amorites (Psalm 134:19), signifies types of trials that cause grief, whereas Og, king of Bashan (Psalm 135:20), denotes chaos, for the meaning of Og implies a gathering together, and Bashan alludes to confusion. Authority from the devil is synonymous with disorder. He gave their land as a heritage (Psalm 135:21) to Israel, His servant (Psalm 135:22). He grants His chosen people the inheritance that the enemy once held as a legacy for the offspring of Abraham—namely, Christ. He remembers us in our lowly state (Psalm 134:23) and redeems us from our adversaries (Psalm 135:24) through the blood of His only begotten Son. He provides sustenance to all creation (Psalm 135:25), signifying that His care extends not just to Israel but to all humanity; of this sustenance, He reveals, "My flesh is indeed true food." Give thanks to the God of heaven (Psalm 134:26). Give thanks to the Lord of lords (Psalm 135:27). I believe here that "God of heaven" reiterates the earlier phrase “God of gods”. Therefore, whatever is stated subsequently echoes that. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. Yet to us, there is only one God, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist, and through whom we exist; (1 Corinthians 8:5-6), with whom we profess that His mercy endures forever.

Basil asserts that these luminaries are significant, not because they surpass smaller stars, but due to their capacity to project light into the sky and over the expanse of earth and sea. Their beneficence lies in the light itself, while the nature of the body that carries this light is distinct. The sun, representing the solar sphere, and this light, though inherently different, are united through the might of their Creator. Day serves as a measure of time when the sun remains suspended in the sky; what manifests as shadow during the day transforms into the essence of darkness by night. Chrysostom highlights the peculiar nature of the sun. Fire, by its very essence, inclines upwards, constantly propelled towards the heights; despite numerous attempts to constrain or redirect it, fire persists in its upward struggle. Even when one takes a lit flame and attempts to force it downward, it cannot redirect its fervor, but instead continues to rise, gaining strength in its ascent. However, God did the contrary with the sun: He directed its rays towards the earth, commanding the light to descend, as if saying, "Look down and shine upon mankind."

Although only the sun and moon are highlighted as great lights for their superior luminosity compared to all the stars combined, the Prophet extends this designation to include all the stars. According to their nature, they indeed qualify as great lights, and beliefs from those who study the stars suggest that each one is far larger than the moon.