Psalm 136:21 kjv
And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psalm 136:21 nkjv
And gave their land as a heritage, For His mercy endures forever;
Psalm 136:21 niv
and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:21 esv
and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;
Psalm 136:21 nlt
God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance ?
? His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." | Promise of land to Abraham's descendants. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land..." | Formal covenant regarding the promised land. |
| Ex 6:4, 8 | I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan... I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham... | God's oath to provide the land. |
| Deut 2:31 | And the Lord said to me, 'Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you...' | God delivering land of Sihon. |
| Deut 3:3-4 | So the Lord our God gave into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan... We captured all his cities at that time... | God delivering land of Og. |
| Deut 9:5 | Not because of your righteousness...but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out... | God dispossesses nations, not by Israel's merit. |
| Josh 1:6 | Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land... | Joshua to lead Israel to inherit the land. |
| Josh 21:43-45 | Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers... Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed... | Fulfillment of land promise by God. |
| Neh 9:24-25 | And the people of Israel went in and took possession of the land and the fruit of the cities... by your great goodness... | God's goodness in providing the land. |
| Ps 78:55 | He drove out nations before them...and allotted their heritage by measure... | God expelling nations for Israel. |
| Ps 105:11 | saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." | God's declaration of land as inheritance. |
| Ps 135:12 | and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel his people. | Parallel verse confirming the inheritance. |
| Isa 41:8 | But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen... | Israel designated as God's servant. |
| Isa 44:1 | But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! | God addresses Israel as His chosen servant. |
| Jer 31:3 | I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with steadfast love I have drawn you. | God's everlasting and steadfast love. |
| Lam 3:22 | The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end... | The enduring nature of God's steadfast love. |
| Mal 3:6 | For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. | God's unchanging nature ensures His promises. |
| Heb 4:1, 9 | Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands... So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. | Spiritual parallel of God's promised rest. |
| Heb 11:9 | By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, living in tents... | Abraham dwelling in the promised land by faith. |
| Eph 1:11, 14 | In him we have obtained an inheritance... who is the guarantee of our inheritance... | Believers receiving spiritual inheritance in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you... | New Covenant spiritual inheritance. |
| Rom 15:8 | For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs... | Christ affirming God's promises to patriarchs. |
Psalm 136 verses
Psalm 136 21 Meaning
Psalm 136:21 celebrates God's sovereign act of dispossessing the kings and peoples of Canaan and granting their land as an enduring heritage to the nation of Israel. This provision is highlighted not as a reward for Israel's merit, but as a direct manifestation of God's unchanging and loyal love, which is the underlying theme and perpetual reason for all His benevolent actions throughout history. It affirms God's faithfulness to His covenant promises.
Psalm 136 21 Context
Psalm 136 is a hymn of thanksgiving, a litany structured with a repeating refrain, "for his steadfast love endures forever." This structure emphasizes the eternality and constancy of God's hesed (loyal love/covenant faithfulness) as the motivation for all His acts of creation and redemption. The preceding verses (10-20) detail God's mighty acts of deliverance, from smiting the firstborn of Egypt and bringing Israel out, to dividing the Red Sea and leading them through the wilderness, and defeating mighty kings like Sihon and Og. Verse 21, therefore, logically continues this narrative, focusing on the ultimate goal of their liberation: the provision of the promised land as an inheritance. Historically, this refers to the conquest of Canaan, where God literally dispossessed various tribal groups and kings to give their territory to the twelve tribes of Israel as their permanent dwelling place. This act demonstrates God's sovereignty over nations and His unwavering commitment to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Psalm 136 21 Word analysis
and gave: The Hebrew word for "gave" is wa-yiten (וַיִּתֵּן). It's a waw-consecutive imperfect verb, showing sequential action within God's narrative of deeds. This highlights God as the active agent, the one bestowing, signifying a divine, authoritative act of distribution and generosity.
their land: Refers to the land of the specific kings mentioned in previous verses (Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan) but also broadly to the entire Canaanite territory designated for Israel. The term eretz (אֶרֶץ) signifies not just territory, but also often carries theological weight as "the land," specifically "the Promised Land," the arena of God's covenantal faithfulness. This stands in direct opposition (polemic) to any ancient belief that a nation's strength or a human king's prowess secured their territory; rather, it was by God's decree that lands were given and taken.
for a heritage: The Hebrew word nachalah (נַחֲלָה) signifies an inheritance, a possession received by legal or ancestral right. It's often associated with tribal allotments in Israel.
- Significance: This term is crucial because it implies permanency, security, and a divinely ordained right. It was not a temporary occupation but a lasting gift. It underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant promises of land.
for a heritage to Israel his servant: The repetition of "for a heritage" is for emphatic declaration, solidifying the idea of an assured, divinely guaranteed possession.
- Israel his servant: Hebrew Yisrael 'avdo (יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדּוֹ). "Israel" refers to the covenant nation, descendants of Jacob. The appellation "his servant" emphasizes a chosen and intimate relationship, highlighting their role in God's redemptive plan. It signifies a status of divine favor and election, not of subservience in the general sense, but of a consecrated people serving a divine purpose. This relationship underscores that the land was not merely seized by force but graciously bestowed upon a people whom God had uniquely identified and covenanted with.
for his steadfast love endures forever: The ubiquitous refrain of Psalm 136, ki l'olam hasdo (כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ).
- steadfast love: Hesed (חֶסֶד) is a profound theological term. It refers to covenant loyalty, mercy, kindness, faithfulness, and unfailing love. It is not merely emotional affection but active, enduring, committed goodness, especially within a covenant relationship.
- endures forever: L'olam (לְעוֹלָם) denotes perpetuity, eternity, without end. This phrase consistently attributes all of God's mighty acts—from creation to the defeat of enemies and provision for His people—to His unwavering and everlasting hesed. It's the ultimate divine motivation and guarantee. This polemicizes against any notion of capricious deities; the God of Israel is steadfast and reliable.
Psalm 136 21 Bonus section
The act of God giving the land as a "heritage" (נַחֲלָה - nachalah) prefigures the spiritual inheritance promised to believers in the New Covenant. Just as Israel received a physical land by God's sovereign gift, Christians receive an eternal spiritual inheritance in Christ, not by merit but by grace through faith. This parallel demonstrates the consistent pattern of God's gracious provision to His people across testaments. The secure possession of Canaan for ancient Israel was a foretaste of the perfect and eternal rest that God provides for His children in the New Heavens and New Earth, where He Himself is the ultimate heritage.
Psalm 136 21 Commentary
Psalm 136:21 concisely articulates a pivotal moment in Israel's history—the divinely ordained provision of the Promised Land. This verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrated by His power to dispossess nations and redistribute territories. The repetition of "heritage" emphasizes the permanence and security of this divine gift, rooting Israel's right to the land not in their own military prowess or numerical strength, but in God's covenant fidelity. By referring to Israel as "his servant," the verse highlights their special, chosen relationship with the Almighty. The core message, however, rests in the enduring refrain: "for his steadfast love endures forever." This attribute, hesed, is not just a descriptor of God's character but the very spring from which all His mighty acts flow. It signifies His unchanging, loyal, and compassionate commitment to His covenant people. Thus, the provision of the land is presented as an ultimate testament to God's never-failing love, ensuring His promises will always be fulfilled, demonstrating His eternal faithfulness. This act sets a foundational pattern of God's interaction with His people: powerful deliverance motivated by perpetual love, culminating in gracious provision.