Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 136:25
Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy [endureth] forever.
25. Cp. Psa 104:27 f.; Psa 145:15; Psa 147:9. All flesh includes all living things. Cp. Gen 6:13. The mention of the universal Providence of God follows somewhat abruptly on the celebration of His care for Israel, and it is possible that there has been some corruption or dislocation of the text.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who giveth food to all flesh – To all living things: all in the air, on the earth, in the waters. See the notes at Psa 104:27-28; compare Psa 115:16.
For his mercy … – All this is a proof of his benignity and kindness. To see this, it would be necessary to have a view of what is done every day in the providence of God to meet the needs of the countless multitudes thus dependent on him. Let it be remembered, also, that the needs of each insect, fowl, animal; fish, is to be provided for as an individual – and who can take in a full view of the care, the wisdom, the benevolence of what is done every day by the Father of all in providing for their needs? Let it be remembered, also, that this has been continned without ceasing from the foundation of the world, and will be demanded until its close, and then let us try to imagine what is necessary to be done to provide for the needs of all the dwellers in distant worlds – and who, in this view, can form any proper estimate of the wisdom and the goodness of God?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 25. Giveth food to all flesh] By whose universal providence every intellectual and animal being is supported and preserved. The appointing every living thing food, and that sort of food which is suited to its nature, (and the nature and habits of animals are endlessly diversified,) is an overwhelming proof of the wondrous providence, wisdom, and goodness of God.
The Vulgate, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon, add a twenty-seventh verse, by repeating here Ps 136:3 very unnecessarily.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIXTH PSALM
This Psalm has the same argument with the preceding. It is divided into three parts: –
I. A general exhortation to praise God for his goodness and majesty, Ps 136:1-3.
II. A declaration of that goodness and majesty in their effects, Ps 136:4-10.
III. A conclusion fit for the exordium, Ps 136:26.
1. Of his creation, Ps 136:4-10.
2. Of his providence in preserving the Church, and punishing her enemies, Ps 136:10-25.
3. That his providence extends to all his creatures, Ps 136:25.
I. In the three first verses the prophet invites us to praise God for his mercy and goodness. And in these three verses expositors find the Trinity: –
1. Jehovah. God the Father, who is the Fountain of being.
2. God the Son. Who is God of gods, and over all.
3. The Holy Ghost. Who is Lord of lords.
The psalmist’s reasons for calling upon us thus to praise him are, “for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The prophet now begins to praise God for his wonderful works, and which he alone was able to do.
1. “Who hath done wonderful things.” Such as the work of creation.
2. “For his mercy endureth for ever.” In sustaining and preserving all things.
“To him give thanks” for the wisdom manifested in the heavens; for, contemplate them as we may, they appear full of beauty, order, and splendour.
Praise him for the formation of the earth, as the mansion of man.
Give thanks “to him that stretched out,” c. Naturally this could not be, because the earth is heavier than water: but God hath made furrows for the waters to flow into, that man and beast might live on the earth.
“For his mercy endureth for ever.” In this there was a threefold mercy: –
1. In reference to the earth. To make it something of nothing.
2. As respects the water. To prepare for it a settled place.
3. In regard to man. To whom he gave the earth uncovered from water, and yet plentifully supplied with rivers and fruits.
The third instance is the two great luminaries and the stars, in the three following verses. These do astonishingly adorn the heaven, and profit the earth. The sun and moon illuminate the earth, and comfort us. Perhaps the prophet instances these because they are alike blessings bestowed upon and shared by all the world.
II. From the wonderful works of the creation the prophet descends to those of his providence, in the preservation of the Church and instances it in the redemption of his people Israel from the land of Egypt, c., dwelling at large upon it, Ps 136:10-22.
In these verses the prophet records how God performed to Israel all the offices of a good Captain, Guide, Leader, and even Father for he fed them with bread from heaven, gave them water out of the rock, caused that their clothes wore not out, cured their sick, defended them from their enemies, c.
All this God did for them before they entered Canaan. And then the prophet reminds them how they rebelled against God, and he humbled them by bringing the Philistines and the Babylonian kings against them, who conquered and subjected them: but when they cried to him, he turned their captivity for “he remembered us when we were in our low estate,” c. “and hath redeemed us from our enemies,” c.
Lastly, that his goodness is not only extended over his people, but his creatures to all flesh, which word signifies every thing that hath life.
III. He concludes as he began, “O give thanks unto the God of heaven,” c. The prophet calls him the God of heaven, because he alone made the heavens, and has his throne there, having the whole world under him and by his wisdom and providence he preserves, moderates, and governs all things.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To all flesh; either to all mankind, or to all living creatures. For which God deserves great praises, which the psalmist by his example teacheth us to render to God for them, because those who are most concerned either cannot or do not perform this duty.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. To the special favors to Hispeople is added the record of God’s goodness to all His creatures(compare Mt 6:30).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who giveth food to all flesh,…. To all creatures; the beasts of the field, and fowls of the air, the young ravens that cry,
Ps 145:15. To all men their daily food; to Jews and Gentiles, good men and bad men, Mt 6:11; and spiritual food to all that belong to Christ, who are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone; even himself, the bread of life, the wholesome truths of the Gospel, and its refreshing ordinances;
for his mercy [endureth] for ever; he continues to have compassion on his creatures, and opens his hand of providence, and supplies their wants; he is ever mindful of his covenant of grace and mercy, and therefore gives meat to them that fear him, Ps 111:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(25) All flesh.Here apparently the word mercy takes a wider image and applies to all men. But only apparently so. Israel could think of Jehovah providing for the bodily wants of all as He was the creator of all, but the covenant grace was for them alone.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. Food Naturally this thought comes to them in the pressure and want of their newly restored condition and imperfectly cultivated fields and vineyards.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
Ver. 25. Who giveth food to all flesh ] Food agreeable to their several appetites and temperaments, suitable and seasonable.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
food. Hebrew = bread. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species) for all kinds of food.
flesh. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part) for all living beings. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
who giveth food: Psa 104:27, Psa 145:15, Psa 147:9
Reciprocal: Gen 1:29 – to you Gen 6:21 – General Job 36:31 – he giveth Psa 104:14 – that he Psa 146:7 – which giveth food
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
136:25 Who giveth food to all {h} flesh: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
(h) Seeing that God provides even for the beasts much more has he care over his.