Psalm 136

TUNE: Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery

First Version (8.7.8.7.)

1    Give thanks to God, for good is he:  
        for mercy hath he ever.
2    Thanks to the God of gods give ye:
          for his grace faileth never.

3    Thanks give the Lord of lords unto:
          for mercy hath he ever.
4    Who only wonders great can do:
          for his grace faileth never.

5    Who by his wisdom made heav’ns high:
          for mercy hath he ever.
6    Who stretch’d the earth above the sea:
          for his grace faileth never.

7    To him that made the great lights shine:
          for mercy hath he ever.
8    The sun to rule till day decline:
          for his grace faileth never.

9    The moon and stars to rule by night:
          for mercy hath he ever.
10   Who Egypt’s first-born kill’d outright:
          for his grace faileth never.

11   And Isr’el brought from Egypt land:
          for mercy hath he ever.
12   With stretch’d-out arm, and with strong hand:
          for his grace faileth never.

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13   By whom the Red sea parted was:

          for mercy hath he ever.

14   And through its midst made Isr’el pass:

          for his grace faileth never.

15   But Phar’oh and his host did drown:

          for mercy hath he ever.

16   Who through the desert led his own:

          for his grace faileth never.

17   To him great kings who overthrew:

          for he hath mercy ever.

18   Yea, famous kings in battle slew:

          for his grace faileth never.

19   Ev’n Sihon king of Amorites:

          for he hath mercy ever.

20   And Og the king of Bashanites:

          for his grace faileth never.

21   Their land in heritage to have:

          (for mercy hath he ever.)

22   His servant Isr’el right he gave:

          for his grace faileth never.

23   In our low state who on us thought:

          for he hath mercy ever.

24   And from our foes our freedom wrought:

          for his grace faileth never.

25   Who doth all flesh with food relieve:

          for he hath mercy ever.

26   Thanks to the God of heaven give:

          for his grace faileth never.

Second Version (6.6.6.6.8.8.)

1    Praise God, for he is kind:

     His mercy lasts for aye.

2    Give thanks with heart and mind

     To God of gods alway:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

3    The Lord of lords praise ye,

     Whose mercies still endure.

4    Great wonders only he

     Doth work by his great pow’r

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

5    Which God omnipotent,

     By might and wisdom high,

     The heav’n and firmament

     Did frame, as we may see:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

6    To him who did outstretch

     This earth so great and wide,

     Above the waters’ reach

     Making it to abide:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

7    Great lights he made to be;

     For his grace lasteth aye:

8    Such as the sun we see,

     To rule the lightsome day:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

9    Also the moon so clear,

     Which shineth in our sight;

     The stars that do appear,

     To guide the darksome night:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

10   To him that Egypt smote,

     Who did his message scorn;

     And in his anger hot

     Did kill all their first-born:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

11   Thence Isr’el out he brought;

     For his grace lasteth ever.

12   With a strong hand he wrought,

     And stretch’d-out arm deliver:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

13   The sea he cut in two;

     For his grace lasteth still.

14   And through its midst to go

     Made his own Israel:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

15   But overwhelm’d and lost

     Was proud king Pharaoh,

     With all his mighty host,

     And chariots there also:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

16   To him who pow’rfully

     His chosen people led,

     Ev’n through the desert dry,

     And in that place them fed:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

17   To him great kings who smote;

     For his grace hath no bound.

18   Who slew, and spared not

     Kings famous and renown’d:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

19   Sihon the Am’rites’ king;

For his grace lasteth ever:

20   Og also, who did reign

     The land of Bashan over:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

21   Their land by lot he gave;

     For his grace faileth never,

22   That Isr’el might it have

     In heritage for ever:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

23   Who hath remembered

     Us in our low estate;

24   And us delivered

     From foes which did us hate:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.

25   Who to all flesh gives food;

     For his grace faileth never.

26   Give thanks to God most good,

     The God of heav’n, for ever:

          For certainly

          His mercies dure

          Most firm and sure

          Eternally.