Psalm 136:23
He remembered us in our low estate His loving devotion endures forever.
He remembered us in our low estate
This phrase highlights God's awareness and compassion towards His people during times of distress and humility. Biblically, "low estate" often refers to periods of oppression or hardship, such as Israel's slavery in Egypt or their exile in Babylon. The remembrance of God signifies His covenant faithfulness, as seen in Exodus 2:24, where God remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This remembrance is not merely cognitive but involves action, as God intervenes to deliver His people. Theologically, it reflects God's omniscience and His intimate involvement in human affairs, emphasizing that no situation is too insignificant for His attention. This concept is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus, in His incarnation, identifies with the lowly and oppressed, fulfilling the prophecy of a Messiah who would bring liberation (Luke 4:18-19).

His loving devotion endures forever
This phrase is a recurring refrain throughout Psalm 136, underscoring the eternal and unchanging nature of God's love and mercy. The Hebrew word for "loving devotion" is "hesed," which encompasses steadfast love, mercy, and covenant loyalty. This enduring love is a central theme in the Old Testament, as seen in God's dealings with Israel despite their repeated unfaithfulness. It assures believers of God's unwavering commitment to His promises, as seen in Lamentations 3:22-23, where His mercies are described as new every morning. In the New Testament, this enduring love is fully manifested in Jesus Christ, whose sacrificial death and resurrection provide eternal salvation for humanity (John 3:16). The phrase invites believers to trust in God's perpetual faithfulness and to respond with gratitude and worship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The central figure in this verse, God is portrayed as the one who remembers His people in their low estate, demonstrating His enduring loving devotion.

2. Israel
While not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the context of Psalm 136 is a recounting of God's faithfulness to Israel, His chosen people.

3. Low Estate
This refers to times of distress, humility, or need, where God's people find themselves in a position of vulnerability or weakness.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness in Our Low Estate
God’s remembrance of us in our low estate is a testament to His faithfulness. No matter how dire our circumstances, God is aware and actively involved in our lives.

The Enduring Nature of God's Loving Devotion
The phrase "His loving devotion endures forever" emphasizes the eternal and unchanging nature of God’s love. This assurance can be a source of comfort and strength in times of trouble.

Humility and Dependence on God
Recognizing our low estate should lead us to humility and a deeper dependence on God. It is often in our weakest moments that we experience the fullness of His strength and love.

Gratitude for God's Remembrance
Reflecting on how God has remembered us in our past struggles can cultivate a heart of gratitude and trust in His future provision and care.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God’s remembrance of us in our low estate impact your view of His character?

2. Can you identify a time in your life when you felt in a "low estate" and experienced God's loving devotion? How did that experience shape your faith?

3. How does the concept of God’s enduring loving devotion encourage you in your current circumstances?

4. In what ways can you cultivate a heart of gratitude for God’s faithfulness in your life?

5. How can the themes of Psalm 136:23 be applied to encourage others who may be experiencing a low estate?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 2:24-25
This passage describes God remembering His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, similar to how He remembers His people in their low estate in Psalm 136:23.

Luke 1:48
Mary’s song of praise acknowledges God’s remembrance of her humble state, paralleling the theme of God’s attention to those in lowly positions.

Psalm 113:7
This verse speaks of God raising the poor from the dust, which aligns with the theme of God’s care for those in low estate.
Remembered of GodS. Conway Psalm 136:23
The Divine Dealing with the HumiliatedR. Tuck Psalm 136:23
A Song, a Solace, a Sermon, and a SummonsPsalm 136:1-26
Does His Mercy Endure Forever?S. Conway Psalm 136:1-26
God's Goodness and MercyR. Harris, D. D.Psalm 136:1-26
Repetitions Many, But not VainS. Conway Psalm 136:1-26
The Church's AntiphonS. Conway Psalm 136:1-26
The Duty of Praise and ThanksgivingH. Bonar, D. D.Psalm 136:1-26
The Eternity or God's GoodnessHomilistPsalm 136:1-26
From Egypt to CanaanS. Conway Psalm 136:10-25
Raised from Low EstateIsaac Mann.Psalm 136:23-24
People
Amorites, Egyptians, Og, Pharaoh, Psalmist, Sihon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Age, Endures, Endureth, Estate, Everlasting, Forever, Kept, Kindness, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Loving-kindness, Low, Lowliness, Mercy, Mind, Remembered, Steadfast, Trouble, Unchanging
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 136:23

     5888   inferiority

Psalm 136:1-26

     1085   God, love of
     8352   thankfulness

Library
Pilgrim Song
Gerhard Ter Steegen Ps. cxxxvi. 16 Come, children, on and forward! With us the Father goes; He leads us, and He guards us Through thousands of our foes: The sweetness and the glory, The sunlight of His eyes, Make all the desert places To glow as paradise. Lo! through the pathless midnight The fiery pillar leads, And onward goes the Shepherd Before the flock He feeds; Unquestioning, unfearing, The lambs may follow on, In quietness and confidence, Their eyes on Him alone. Come, children, on and
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

The Last Discourses of Christ - the Prayer of Consecration.
THE new Institution of the Lord's Supper did not finally close what passed at that Paschal Table. According to the Jewish Ritual, the Cup is filled a fourth time, and the remaining part of the Hallel [5717] repeated. Then follow, besides Ps. cxxxvi., a number of prayers and hymns, of which the comparatively late origin is not doubtful. The same remark applies even more strongly to what follows after the fourth Cup. But, so far as we can judge, the Institution of the Holy Supper was followed by the
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Minstrel
ELISHA needed that the Holy Spirit should come upon him to inspire him with prophetic utterances. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." We need that the hand of the Lord should be laid upon us, for we can never open our mouths in wisdom except we are under the divine touch. Now, the Spirit of God works according to his own will. "The wind bloweth where it listeth," and the Spirit of God operates as he chooseth. Elisha could not prophesy just when he liked; he must wait until
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 27: 1881

Gethsemane
We turn once more to follow the steps of Christ, now among the last He trod upon earth. The hymn,' with which the Paschal Supper ended, had been sung. Probably we are to understand this of the second portion of the Hallel, [5818] sung some time after the third Cup, or else of Psalm cxxxvi., which, in the present Ritual, stands near the end of the service. The last Discourses had been spoken, the last Prayer, that of Consecration, had been offered, and Jesus prepared to go forth out of the City, to
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Psalm 136:23 NIV
Psalm 136:23 NLT
Psalm 136:23 ESV
Psalm 136:23 NASB
Psalm 136:23 KJV

Psalm 136:23 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Psalm 136:22
Top of Page
Top of Page