Psalms 136:23
in Psalms 136He remembered us in our low estate His loving devotion endures forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Who remembered us in our low estate; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever;
KJV
Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
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This verse in Psalms 136
Commentary
8 notes on this verseFor in our humility he was mindful of us. He did not say, "in wisdom": he did not say, "in riches": he did not say, "in learning"; but, "in humility he was mindful of us." For although these too are virtues; yet unless someone has humility, he is not received by God. "For God resists the proud, but to the humble he gives grace."
This site's exposition
He remembered us in our low estate
on Psalms 136:23-26
The recital turns to the singers themselves, remembered in their low estate and freed from their enemies. Verse 25 reaches past Israel to every creature, and Spurgeon weighed that feeding beside God's special favour to Israel as equally worth praise. The psalm ends where it began, at give thanks.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Who remembered us in our low estate" [Psalm 136:23], "and redeemed us from our enemies" [Psalm 136:24] by the Blood of His only-begotten Son.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Who remembered us in our low estate,.... The Israelites; either in Egypt, as Jarchi, when in bondage and distress there, and sent them a deliverer; or in the times of the Judges, whom God raised up one after another, to save his people out of the hands of their enemies, by whom they were oppressed; or in the Babylonian captivity, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi: though the latter thinks their present captivity is rather intended; but as yet they are not remembered in a gracious way and manner.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Who remembered us in our low estate. Personal mercies awake the sweetest song—"he remembered us." Our prayer is, "Lord, remember me", and this is our encouragement—he has remembered us. For the Lord even to think of us is a wealth of mercy. Ours was a sorry estate, —an estate of bankruptcy and mendicancy. Israel rested in its heritage, but we were still in bondage, groaning in captivity: the Lord seemed to have forgotten us, and left us in our sorrow; but it was not so for long: he turned again in his compassion, bethinking himself of his afflicted children.
Who remembered us in our low estate. Personal mercies awake the sweetest song—"he remembered us." Our prayer is, "Lord, remember me", and this is our encouragement—he has remembered us. For the Lord even to think of us is a wealth of mercy. Ours was a sorry estate, —an estate of bankruptcy and mendicancy. Israel rested in its heritage, but we were still in bondage, groaning in captivity: the Lord seemed to have forgotten us, and left us in our sorrow; but it was not so for long: he turned again in his compassion, bethinking himself of his afflicted children. Our state was once so low as to be at hell's mouth; since then it has been low in poverty, bereavement, despondency, sickness, and heart sorrow, and we fear, also, sinfully low in faith, and love, and every other grace; and yet the Lord has not forgotten us as a dead thing out of mind; but he has tenderly remembered us still. We thought ourselves too small and too worthless for his memory to burden itself about us, yet he remembered us. For his mercy endureth for ever. Yes, this is one of the best proofs of the immutability of his mercy, for if he could have changed towards any, it would certainly have been towards us who have brought ourselves low, kept ourselves low, and prepared ourselves to sink yet lower. It is memorable mercy to remember us in our low estate: in our highest joys we will exalt Jehovah's name, since of this we are sure, —he will not now desert us—
Who remembered us in our low estate - He has done much for our forefathers; and he has done much for us, in delivering us, when we had no helper, from our long captivity in Babylon.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Who remembered us in our low estate - When we were few in number; when we were a feeble people; when we were a people unable to contend with such mighty foes. For his mercy ... - By all that he did for us when thus feeble; by all his power put forth to defend us from our enemies, he has showed his mercy and kindness to us and to the world.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שֶׁ֭בְּשִׁפְלֵנוּ | shebeshiflenu | who in low condition our | H8216 → | |
| זָ֣כַר | zakhar | he remembered | H2142 → | 230 times |
| לָ֑נוּ | lanu | <to> us | ||
| כִּ֖י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְעוֹלָ֣ם | leolam | [is] for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
שֶׁ֭בְּשִׁפְלֵנוּwho in low condition our
shebeshiflenuH8216 →
זָ֣כַרhe remembered
zakharH2142 →230 times
לָ֑נוּ<to> us
lanu
כִּ֖יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְעוֹלָ֣ם[is] for ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃covenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 63:9In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days…
it leads to
- Exodus 33:14
And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- Exodus 23:20–21
Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
- Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He…
- Acts 12:11
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
- Exodus 33:14
Through
Psalms 113:7He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 2:7–8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Luke 1:52–53
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
- Psalms 107:41
But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks.
- 1 Samuel 2:7–8
Through
Luke 1:48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
it leads to
- Psalms 138:6
Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
- Psalms 138:6
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 136; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 47, on Psalm 135 and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).