Psalms 136:1-26 (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: 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. 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.

Can anyone tell me the name of this sermon? That’s right. His mercy endureth forever. Note the text does not say His LOVE endureth forever. There is absolutely no place in the Bible that says His LOVE endureth forever. The Bible does tell us that:

1 John 4:7-10 (KJV) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 God’s MERCY Endures Forever. This particular phrase is found 43 times in the Scripture. God is love, that is, that is a main part of His character. But the Bible doesn’t say His LOVE endures forever. God does not love SIN. God does not love DISOBEDIENCE. God does not love those who do WICKEDLY. God does not love those who are PRIDEFUL, who DO INIQUITY. Write these verses down:

Psalms 5:4-5 (KJV)4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

Psalms 11:5-7 (KJV) The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV) These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Hosea 9:15 (KJV) All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.

God’s LOVE does not endure wickedness, and no true love can endure wickedness. Wickedness and evil bring sinful activity and sickness. The wages of sin is death, and God Who is life does not love death. God never will love sin, nor will He endorse the sinner who rejects Him.

But His mercy endures forever.

This phrase is found in this Psalm more than anywhere else in Scripture, but this is not the only place it is found.

King David did a foolish thing.

The enemy had captured the Ark of God, but King David and his men recovered it. David wanted to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem, back to the Tabernacle where it belonged. We are told in

1 Chronicles 13:5 (KJV) “So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim.”

Now God had decreed that when the Ark was to be carried. The Ark was to be carried by Levites of the family of Kohath (Exodus 25:12-14; Numbers 7:9). There were loops on the sides of the Ark, and specific poles were to be used to carry the Ark. Why did God decree a certain way to carry the Ark? We can dissect His commands and come up with some pretty good points.

• If God assigns you a job to do, you need to do your job, not somebody else’s. Mind your own business. Do your job to the glory of God. The King should be the King, the Levites the Levites, the Committee the Committee, the Teacher to teach, the Preacher to preach. When you live your life fulfilling God’s purpose in God’s way you’ll be happy and safe!

• If God tells you to do something a certain way, you are to do it the way God tells you. Jesus said

  John 14:15 (ESV) If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

  John 14:23 (ESV) …. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Obedience is the doorway to God’s love. His mercy endures forever – but His love if you obey. The Bible is clear:

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

God is God, and tells us what to do. He expects our obedience! But David has a better way. Put the Ark on a NEW cart. Let’s dance and sing in front of it, and sacrifice animals, and have a party. Let’s glorify our God so that everyone hears!

If you don’t obey God in the small things you’re not glorifying Him.
If you’re not doing what God said you are not satisfying the LORD.

As they are going along with the Ark on the cart have a PENTECOSTAL good time the cart hits a bump in the road.

1 Chronicles 13:9-11 (KJV) And when they came unto the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God. 11 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza (where Uzza was broken) to this day.

God’s mercy endureth forever.

You might say along with King David “Well how is this merciful? Uzza was killed for a breach, for touching the Ark with his hands”. God’s mercy endures forever. God could have killed every one of them, including the King who foolishly decided to put the Ark on a new cart. You might say “well what’s wrong with that?” I’ll tell you what’s wrong.

God has a standard. God is very clear. God expects obedience.

Suddenly everything gets quiet. The party’s over. They carry the Ark to the home of Obededom for three months. And the whole time the ark was at OB’s house “the LORD blessed the house of Obededom and ALL that he had”. God’s mercy endures forever.

After a few months King David decides to bring the Ark into Jerusalem the RIGHT way, with the RIGHT people carrying God’s RIGHTeous Ark with the RIGHT equipment. No more carts! King David sang a song that day praising our God. A portion of this song was:

1 Chronicles 16:25-36 (KJV) 25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

It is the mercy of God that overlooks our little foolishnesses. If God were to give us what we deserve this planet would be gone. But His mercy endureth forever. God is so good!

2 It Is God’s Enduring Mercy That Created And Sustains The Universe. We read:

Psalms 136:1-9 (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: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

In the first four verses of our text we are reminded that our thanks should go to the LORD יְהֹוָה. He is YAHWEH, the Eternal I AM. Our LORD is good, and His mercy is the outpouring of His goodness. He is God of gods, and Lord of lords. The world follows after little g gods. Too many people worship false gods and idols. But our God is merciful. He created our world, and sustains it.

Can you imagine how many offenses are committed against God every single second of every single day? We get our noses out of joint over just the silliest things – but His mercy endureth forever. People dabble in sexual sin. If we don’t commit it, we watch it on television. We commit adultery with our eyes. When people say “well, I was born that way” what we are implying is that God is psychotic or schizophrenic. God is neither of those. What God says, He means. God alone is Creator. God the Father designed creation. God the Son is the Word Who spoke it into existence. God the Holy Spirit moved upon the face of the waters.

He alone does great wonders. For His mercy endureth forever.

God established the earth, and all that is in it. He stretched out the earth above the waters. At one time man’s wickedness grew until the Lord flooded the earth – but His mercy endureth forever. He had Noah make an Ark, and through that Ark God saved the world. Those He saved were sinners. Noah got off the Ark and got drunk and naked. But God’s mercy endureth forever. God promised never to flood the earth again, and gave us a rainbow to symbolize His mercy.

The rainbow is not a symbol of sexual perversion.
This is a TRADEMARK violation, a COPYRIGHT theft.
The rainbow is a symbol of God’s mercy.
His mercy endureth forever.

God established the earth, setting the sun, the moon, and the stars to give us light. His mercy endureth forever. The Bible tells us that

1 John 1:5 (ESV) This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

God has been accused and misused by His creation. He has been mocked. He has been parodied. People have told lies about God, and rejected His Word. They have slandered His Son and His Son’s Church, and in many places the Church has been hijacked by those who have no love for Him. But His mercy endures forever. And God waits. He waits because

2 Peter 3:8-10 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed

There will come a day when God will destroy and remake all He has made. But today – this day – He waits. He waits as His Church, His Covenant people, share the Gospel of salvation. The Gospel is that His mercy endureth forever. God waits for the sinner. But judgment day will one day come. Are you resting in His mercy?

3 It Is God’s Mercy That Established A Covenant With His People. God keeps His promises. We read:

Psalms 136:10-15 (KJV) 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.

It is God’s mercy that caused Him to approach an ancient Chaldean named Abram. Nothing that Abram did drove God to reach out to him. But His mercy endureth forever. It is His mercy that caused God to promise Abram that he would become Abraham, that the great father would become the father of many nations. God’s mercy endures forever.

Time passes, but God never forgets His promise. You can rest in the promise of God because His mercy endureth forever. When the time was right Isaac was born, then Jacob, then his children. And God allowed Joseph to be imprisoned in Egypt, betrayed by his brothers. Someone once asked me “Is God like a great Experimenter, moving people around to see what they will do?” I told him absolutely not. Everything God does has a purpose. His mercy endureth forever.

When the firstborn baby of every unbeliever in Egypt died, this was God’s mercy. God could have destroyed Egypt like He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. He could have in a blink turned all to ash, and the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx and all that Egypt is today could have been totally eradicated. But no, God took the firstborn with the Death Angel. He broke Pharaoh’s will, and Israel was released from Egypt. God brought Israel through the Red Sea, and Israel that He knew would be hard headed.

It was easy for God to get Israel physically out of Egypt, but it would take 40 years of wandering and dying before God could get Israel spiritually out of Egypt. But his mercy endureth forever.

Psalms 136:16 (KJV) To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Israel tried God. They wanted bread, God gave them MANNA, a perfect food. But the people complained:

Numbers 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

God sent serpents among the people to bite them, for whatever you sow, you shall reap. He is Lord, and He will be glorified in the congregation of His people. But His mercy endureth forever. He did not wipe out Israel, though the first generation died in the wilderness. And God does not wipe US out, we who are His Children by faith in Christ. His mercy endureth forever. But there are times I wonder why He doesn’t destroy me.

Our God is a covenant keeping God. God protects His Children by faith.

Psalms 136:17-22 (KJV) 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.

Kings rose up to overthrow Israel, and some were allowed to do so. But God cherished His Israel. His Israel at times had extremely wicked Kings on David’s Throne. But His mercy endureth forever. God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. God made a promise to David. God made a promise that came out of His mercy.

God promised that Christ would come through Israel. The Bible says:

Galatians 4:4-7 (KJV) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

God keeps His promises. His mercy endureth forever. The Lord

Psalms 136:23 (KJV)Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

knows that we are dust. He knows that we are weak. He knows that we fail. But He has promised in Christ to never leave nor forsake us. We can leave Him. We can be faithless. But His mercy endureth forever.

Psalms 136:24 (KJV) And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

God is our Protector. He will see us through whatever may come tomorrow, for His mercy endureth forever. God gave Himself for us on the Cross. Will He not now take care of us? Yes, He will. God will feed us. God will care for us.

Psalm 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

No Child of His will be abandoned. So let us close our service by praising Him. Let us sing praises to His Name!

Psalm 136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Praise Him in your trials. Praise Him in your pain. Praise Him no matter what you are going through. God is merciful. He is faithful. His mercy endureth forever.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.