Psalm 136:7 kjv
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Psalm 136:7 nkjv
To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever?
Psalm 136:7 niv
who made the great lights? His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:7 esv
to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;
Psalm 136:7 nlt
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights ?
? His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 1:16 | God made the two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night... | God creates the sun and moon. |
| Jer 31:35 | Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night... | God's established order for celestial bodies. |
| Psa 74:16 | The day is yours, the night also is yours; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. | God as creator of day, night, and all celestial lights. |
| Psa 104:19 | He appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. | God's ordination of celestial bodies for time and seasons. |
| Deut 4:19 | Beware lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars...be drawn away and worship them... | Prohibition against worshipping created lights. |
| Isa 40:26 | Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? | God as the unchallengeable Creator of the stars and heavens. |
| Psa 8:3 | When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place... | God's creative artistry in the cosmos. |
| Psa 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. | Creation testifying to God's glory. |
| Psa 36:5 | Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. | God's boundless steadfast love. |
| Psa 57:10 | For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. | Similar declaration of God's immense steadfast love. |
| Psa 118:1 | Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! | Introductory call to thanks, repeated motif of steadfast love. |
| 1 Chr 16:34 | Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! | Another instance of the foundational expression of thanks. |
| 2 Chr 5:13 | They sang in unison, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." | Worship using the steadfast love refrain. |
| Jam 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights... | God as the source of all good, "Father of lights." |
| John 1:4 | In him was life, and the life was the light of men. | Christ as the source of true light and life. |
| John 8:12 | Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world." | Christ as the ultimate spiritual light. |
| Col 1:16-17 | For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things were created through him and for him. | Christ as the agent of creation. |
| Rev 21:23 | And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. | Ultimate future where created lights are superseded by God's own glory. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end... great is your faithfulness. | God's steadfast love and faithfulness as constant. |
| Num 6:25 | The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you... | God's benevolent light shining on His people. |
| Mal 4:2 | But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. | Prophecy of the Messiah bringing light and healing. |
| Matt 5:45 | For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. | God's universal beneficence through creation. |
| Neh 9:6 | You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. | God as sole Creator and Preserver of all cosmic elements. |
| Isa 45:7 | I form light and create darkness... | God's ultimate sovereignty over light and darkness. |
Psalm 136 verses
Psalm 136 7 Meaning
Psalm 136:7 praises God for His creative act of establishing the sun and moon, designated as the "great lights," to illuminate the earth and regulate its rhythms. This profound act of cosmic ordering and provision is explicitly attributed to God's unwavering and eternal "steadfast love," serving as the foundational reason for worship and gratitude throughout the Psalm. The verse emphasizes God's sovereign power over creation and His faithful character.
Psalm 136 7 Context
Psalm 136 is a hymn of thanksgiving, structured as a responsive litany. Each line proclaiming God's mighty deeds and attributes is immediately followed by the refrain "For His steadfast love endures forever." This specific Psalm guides worshippers to recount the entirety of God's redemptive history—beginning with creation, moving through the Exodus, wilderness journey, and conquest of Canaan, and culminating in His ongoing provision for Israel. Verse 7, nestled within the opening section focusing on God as the Creator, highlights a pivotal act of His power and goodness. In the ancient Near Eastern context, where many cultures worshipped celestial bodies as deities, this verse functions as a powerful theological statement. It serves as a direct polemic against such idolatry by unequivocally declaring that the sun and moon are not gods, but merely "lights" (luminaries) created by the one true God, YHWH. Their "greatness" is due to His design, and their function points directly to His enduring, faithful love.
Psalm 136 7 Word analysis
- To Him: This emphatic phrase points exclusively to the singular God, YHWH, as the ultimate and sole source of all power and creation. It directly contrasts with polytheistic beliefs by asserting His unique sovereignty.
- who made: The Hebrew verb is 'asah (עָשָׂה), meaning "to make," "to do," "to form," or "to appoint." This implies an intentional, deliberate act of creation and organization. It signifies not merely a passive occurrence, but an active design and execution of will. This highlights God's purposeful and intelligent design in the cosmos.
- the great lights: The Hebrew term for "lights" is m'orim (מְאוֹרִים), which refers specifically to luminaries or light-givers, rather than abstract light itself ('or). In Gen 1:16, these are explicitly identified as the sun and the moon. The adjective "great" (gadol - גָּדוֹל) emphasizes their vastness, prominence, and the crucial role they play in governing day and night and providing illumination for the earth. This acknowledgement of their significance is immediately subsumed under God's creative power. This directly challenges any form of astral worship prevalent in surrounding cultures by stating that these prominent heavenly bodies are created objects, not deities.
- For His steadfast love: This is the iconic and central refrain of the entire Psalm. The Hebrew word is ḥesed (חֶסֶד), a rich theological term meaning "loyal love," "unfailing love," "mercy," "lovingkindness," or "covenantal faithfulness." It speaks of God's active, benevolent commitment to His covenant and to His creation. Here, God's act of creating the stable, life-giving lights is presented not merely as an exercise of power, but as an outpouring of His inherent and faithful goodness.
- endures forever: The Hebrew phrase l'olam (לְעוֹלָם) denotes perpetuity, eternity, and unchanging duration. This signifies that God's faithful love is not fleeting or conditional, but constant, everlasting, and eternally reliable. It provides a timeless foundation for trust and praise. The regularity of the celestial bodies themselves serves as a visible testimony to the unchanging nature of God's ḥesed.
Psalm 136 7 Bonus section
The act of God making "the great lights" in Psalm 136:7 points back to Genesis 1:14-18, where these luminaries are described as being created for specific purposes: "to separate the day from the night," "for signs and for seasons, and for days and years," and "to give light on the earth." This demonstrates God's perfect order and intention in His creation, establishing the very framework of time and environment for life to thrive. The reliable cycle of day and night, powered by the sun and moon, serves as a constant, tangible reminder of God's steadfast care and unchanging nature. This cosmological order serves as a foundation for understanding God's faithfulness in human history and to His covenant.
Psalm 136 7 Commentary
Psalm 136:7 offers profound insight into the character and acts of God. It presents God not only as the ultimate Cosmic Architect but also as the source of unchanging love and faithfulness. The creation of "the great lights"—the sun and moon—was a pivotal act of divine ordering, providing essential light, warmth, and the basis for regulating time (day, night, seasons). This verse serves as a declaration of God's complete sovereignty over all creation, effectively countering any notion that these powerful celestial bodies are gods themselves, a common belief in the ancient world. Instead, they are direct testimonies to His power and meticulous design. The constant repetition of "For His steadfast love endures forever" following this mighty act (and all subsequent acts in the Psalm) underscores that God's power is always inextricably linked with His covenantal ḥesed. Thus, the stability and enduring provision observed in the cosmos are a visible guarantee of God's unwavering faithfulness to His people, inviting them to perpetual thanksgiving.