Great Hallel

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Psalm 136 is a special Psalm, with each one of its 26 verses repeated the phrase, His mercy endures forever. Psalm 118repeated that phrase five times, and through the Hebrew Scriptures the phrase has somewhat of a liturgical sense to it, as if the assembled people of Israel said or sung it in response to the direction of the Levites leading singing and worship. Ezra 3:11 indicates that this phrase was part of a responsive singing among God’s people:And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.”

The phrase is used several other times in the Old Testament, each time in the context of some kind of public praise or declaration. The phrase, His mercy endures forever was used:

In David’s psalm of praise recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:7 (16:34).Written into the assignments of the priests in David’s day (1 Chronicles 16:41).As part of Israel’s praise at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3, 7:6).As sung by the Levites in battle-time, as the Lord defeated the Ammonites as they praised (2 Chronicles 20:21).Promised to be part of Israel’s praise once again, after the destruction suffered in the Babylonian conquest (Jeremiah 33:10-11).As part of Israel’s praise at the dedication of Ezra’s temple (Ezra 3:11).

Therefore, with Psalm 136 we picture a great multitude of the people of God gathered in the temple courts. A priest or Levite calls out a reason to give God thanks, and His people respond with, “For His mercy endures forever.”

“In Jewish tradition Psalm 136 has been called the Great Hallel (or Great Psalm of Praise). It does not use the words hallelu jah, but it is called the Great Hallel for the way it rehearses God’s goodness in regard to his people and encourages them to praise him for his merciful and steadfast love.” (James Montgomery Boice)

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