Psalm 136:14 kjv
And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psalm 136:14 nkjv
And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy endures forever;
Psalm 136:14 niv
and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:14 esv
and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;
Psalm 136:14 nlt
He led Israel safely through,
? His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 12:12 | "On that same night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down... against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD." | God's judgment over Egyptian gods. |
| Exod 13:3 | "Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, from the house of slavery..." | Command to remember the Exodus. |
| Exod 14:13 | "But Moses said to the people, 'Do not fear; stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.'" | God's salvation at the Red Sea. |
| Exod 14:30 | "Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians..." | God's complete deliverance. |
| Num 33:4 | "while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them... against their gods also the LORD had executed judgments." | God's judgment on Egyptian gods and firstborn. |
| Deut 4:37 | "And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, with his great might..." | God's love as the reason for deliverance. |
| Deut 7:8 | "it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand..." | Love and covenant as basis for Exodus. |
| Josh 24:17 | "For it was the LORD our God who brought up us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery..." | Acknowledgment of God as Deliverer. |
| Neh 9:9-11 | "You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea... and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh... you divided the sea before them..." | Recounts specific Exodus actions. |
| Psa 77:15 | "You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph." | God's power in redeeming His people. |
| Psa 78:42-53 | "They did not remember his power... He performed his signs in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan... Then he led out his people like sheep..." | Recalls God's power and leading during Exodus. |
| Psa 105:26-37 | "He sent Moses his servant... They performed his signs among them... he led Israel out with silver and gold..." | Recounts Moses's role and Exodus. |
| Psa 114:1 | "When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language..." | Direct reference to the Exodus. |
| Isa 43:16 | "Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters..." | God's power in dividing the sea. |
| Isa 63:11-13 | "Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses his servant... who led them through the depths?" | Recalling God's leading through Red Sea. |
| Jer 31:3 | "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with steadfast love I have drawn you." | God's enduring love. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." | Nature of God's unchanging steadfast love. |
| Acts 7:36 | "This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years." | Stephen's summary of Moses leading Exodus. |
| Rom 11:28-29 | "As regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." | God's unchanging call and love for Israel. |
| Eph 2:13 | "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." | Spiritual application of being "brought out." |
| Heb 3:16 | "Who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?" | Israelites who exited Egypt. |
| 1 John 4:8 | "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." | God's inherent nature is love. |
Psalm 136 verses
Psalm 136 14 Meaning
Psalm 136:14 affirms God's powerful act of delivering Israel directly from the midst of their Egyptian oppressors. This specific deed of liberation is presented not as a random event, but as a direct manifestation and proof of His covenantal steadfast love, which is declared to endure eternally. It highlights divine initiative and unwavering faithfulness towards His chosen people.
Psalm 136 14 Context
Psalm 136 is a hymn of thanksgiving, structured as a litany where each statement of God's mighty acts is followed by the refrain, "for His steadfast love endures forever." This psalm functions as a historical creed, recounting God's benevolent actions from creation to the giving of the Promised Land, all interpreted through the lens of His covenantal faithfulness. Verse 14 falls within a section (vv. 10-15) detailing the miraculous Exodus from Egypt, following God's defeat of Egypt's firstborn and precedes the account of the parting of the Red Sea. The immediate historical context is the definitive act of deliverance that established Israel as a free nation under God's direct sovereignty, freeing them from the powerful grip of the reigning superpower of the ancient world.
Word Analysis
- And brought out: Hebrew vayyotzei (וַיּוֹצֵא). This verb, in the Hip'il conjugation, signifies that God actively caused Israel to come out. It emphasizes His direct, decisive, and powerful agency in the liberation. It is not merely that Israel departed, but that God orchestrated and compelled their departure. This active role demonstrates His omnipotence and specific intervention on behalf of His people, overcoming all human resistance.
- Israel: Hebrew Yisra'el (יִשְׂרָאֵל). Refers to the collective nation descended from Jacob. At this point, Israel was a vulnerable, enslaved people. Their identity as "Israel"—"contends with God" or "governed by God"—is fully realized through this deliverance, solidifying their status as the chosen people and the recipients of God's covenant promises to their forefathers.
- from among them: Hebrew mittocham (מִתּוֹכָם). Literally "from their midst" or "from their interior." This specific phrasing highlights the profound and total separation from their oppressors, the Egyptians. It emphasizes that Israel was not merely leaving a land, but being plucked out from deep entanglement and absolute dominion, signifying a complete rescue from an inescapable predicament and a visible triumph over Pharaoh and his empire.
- for His steadfast love endures forever: Hebrew ki l'olam chasdo (כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ).
- for (כִּי, ki): This particle here indicates the reason or explanation for God's preceding action. The Exodus was not arbitrary; it flowed directly from God's character.
- His steadfast love (חַסְדּוֹ, chasdo): This is the noun chesed with a pronominal suffix. Chesed is a cornerstone biblical term signifying covenant loyalty, enduring faithfulness, loyal love, kindness, and mercy. It is love that acts on the basis of a solemn promise or relationship. In this context, it speaks of God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It implies God's persistent goodness and benevolent action rooted in His covenant promises.
- endures forever (לְעוֹלָם, l'olam): Emphasizes the eternal, unchanging nature of God's chesed. It assures the audience that just as God acted with loyal love in the past, so He will continue to do so infinitely into the future. It underscores the permanence and reliability of God's character and promises. This eternal nature of God's love serves as a foundational comfort and hope for all generations.
Psalm 136 14 Commentary
Psalm 136:14 provides a concise, yet profound, theological explanation for the central event of the Exodus. It clarifies that the astonishing deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery was neither a historical accident nor solely an exhibition of raw power. Instead, it was an explicit and unassailable demonstration of God’s chesed—His unwavering, loyal, and eternal covenantal love. This verse elevates the Exodus from a mere escape to a redemptive act initiated and sustained by divine faithfulness. God's act of bringing His people "out from among them" underscores His personal involvement and complete separation of His chosen nation from pagan bondage. This served as a precedent, showing that God’s faithful love propels Him to act powerfully on behalf of His people, fulfilling His promises regardless of overwhelming opposition. This divine characteristic ensures hope and security for all who rely on His enduring faithfulness. For example, when faced with overwhelming difficulties, remembering God's chesed in past deliverances offers assurance of His future help. When doubting God's commitment, His l'olam chesed confirms His unwavering promises.
Bonus Section
The repetition of the refrain throughout Psalm 136 ("for His steadfast love endures forever") functions as more than a simple poetic device; it serves as a theological anchor. Each mighty act of God, from creation to redemption, is deliberately tied to this one attribute. This teaches the worshiper that God's power is not arbitrary or capricious but always flows from His covenant love. The public recitation of this psalm was likely a significant part of Israelite worship, solidifying their national identity around God's past actions and reinforcing their trust in His ongoing care. The Exodus event, highlighted in this verse, is the archetype for all future salvation and liberation found in scripture, culminating in the spiritual deliverance from sin and death through Christ's sacrifice, also an act of God's profound love. The polemic against Egyptian deities is strong; while Egypt worshiped various gods and Pharaoh was seen as a god, this verse asserts that the God of Israel is the true and sole power, capable of defying and dismantling the greatest earthly empire and its false gods.