Sometimes when repetition occurs in every sentence, it indicates a lack of thought or preparation about what should be said. However, that is not the case in this psalm. Repetition is used for emphasis and to convey earnestness. Repetitive phrases can be very impactful on readers and listeners when delivered with the right tone of voice or, in writing, when connecting the previous and following thoughts. The refrain in each verse gives it a unique character and highlights the message of God’s enduring mercy in every situation.
The psalm begins and ends with a call to thanksgiving. That is truly a good way to start and finish the prayers we offer to the Lord. How great are His mercies to us! We are grateful for all the mercy shown to us in the past, and as we look ahead, we can see a plan and purpose for our lives that gives living meaning. We anticipate each day how He will use us in His service as we reflect on His loving kindness to us in many ways. Our response to these daily blessings should be obedience to His will without hesitation.
The use of three names for God in the first three verses draws our attention to the fact that the Trinity of divine Persons is the object of our thanksgiving. The Triune Godhead, consisting of three equal and divine Persons, is involved in the affairs of God’s people. The Father directs us, the Son motivates us, and the Holy Spirit guides us. He is the God of gods, and He is the Lord of lords. Looking over our lives up to this point, we can certainly respond to the call to give thanks “for His mercy (covenant loyalty) endureth forever.” He is the God of mercy, and He is the Sovereign God.
The call to worship the Creator is easy to understand when we consider the marvels of creation. There was a purpose behind all those marvels. God has revealed Himself through creation in many ways and has also used it to show His love for mankind. “The heavens are the Lord’s: but the earth hath He given to the children of men.” Everything we see and know is real but often too big or too small to see clearly, and it testifies to the wonders of creation. This should lead us to thank the Lord for His lovingkindness that lasts forever.
In this psalm, the wonder of redemption, along with all that it signifies and all it brings to us, should inspire us to thank the Lord. The examples of Israel's redemption remind us that our God is both the Creator and the Redeemer— the God of victory. He “smote Egypt,” He “brought out Israel,” He “divided the Red Sea,” He “made Israel pass through on dry land,” and “overthrew Pharaoh and his host.” Only divine power could accomplish such feats. The same redemptive power has “delivered us from the hand of the enemy…, from so great a death…, from the power of darkness…, from the wrath to come.”
There is the wonder of divine guidance that has brought us out of darkness into light, leading us into a more abundant life, and guiding us through all the pitfalls and snares set by the devil. Israel was redeemed, guided through the wilderness, and also delivered from the power of the kings of the nations that opposed them, claiming the promises of God. That deliverance is ongoing as we travel through life, often unaware of the enemies surrounding us, but protected because of our Lord’s divine guidance, divine deliverance, and divine provision. May we never become accustomed to or take these blessings for granted. It is by “the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”
Like the psalmist, we respond to the call to worship and “give thanks unto the Lord” at the beginning of this psalm, and to Him who is “the God of heaven” at the end. He is the Creator, the Redeemer, the Guide, the Champion, the Savior, and He should never be taken for granted because “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”