Psalms 136:17 Commentary: Mercy in the Smiting of Kings

Psalm 136 is a liturgical song, often called the 'Great Hallel' or 'Great Thanksgiving' by Jewish tradition (Calvin notes this title). It was likely sung antiphonally in temple worship, with a leader reciting each line and the congregation responding with the refrain.

The 'great kings' in verse 17 refer specifically to Sihon of the Amorites and Og of Bashan, named in verses 19, 20. Their defeat is recorded in Numbers 21:21, 35 and Deuteronomy 2:26, 3:11. These Amorite kings controlled the Transjordan highlands, and their conquest gave Israel a foothold east of the Jordan before crossing into Canaan. The land became the inheritance of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh.

The psalm recites salvation history in sequence: creation (vv4, 9), exodus (vv10, 15), wilderness and conquest (vv16, 22), and ongoing provision (vv23, 25). Verse 17 falls in the conquest section, showing that God's guidance through the wilderness led directly to the defeat of enemies and the gift of land. Every step is framed by the refrain that God's chesed, His covenant loyalty and steadfast love, endures forever. This constant echo taught generations of worshipers that even the judgment of hostile kings was an expression of God's faithfulness to His promises.

The consulted sources (Barnes, Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry, Cambridge, Geneva, Lange) note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across the manuscript traditions.

Psalm 136, known in Jewish tradition as the 'Great Hallel' or 'Great Thanksgiving' (Calvin and Lange note this title), was used in Passover liturgy. The recitation of God's acts from creation through conquest to ongoing provision, with the constant refrain, shaped the worship of Israel for centuries. In Christian history, the psalm has been used as a model of thanksgiving, often sung responsively. Some interpreters have read the defeat of kings as a foreshadowing of Christ's victory over the powers of evil, echoing Matthew Henry's connection of the Exodus and conquest to Christ's eternal redemption.

Three-point outline

1. God’s mercy operates through judgment. The striking of kings removes obstacles to the people’s inheritance. Barnes notes that removing the wicked is itself an act of mercy toward the world and the church.
2. God’s mercy secures provision. The land of defeated kings becomes an inheritance for God’s people (Psalms 135:12). Mercy is not only rescue from trouble but the gift of a place to flourish.
3. God’s mercy is enduring. The refrain anchors every act of judgment and deliverance in God’s eternal covenant love. Nothing separates His people from that love, not even the most powerful human opposition.

Five-point outline

1. The identity of the kings. The verse names no names, but context points to Sihon and Og, historical rulers who opposed God’s purposes and oppressed His people.
2. The action of God. He struck them. The Hebrew verb nakhah can mean to smite, kill, or conquer, emphasizing God’s sovereignty over all human power.
3. The reason behind the action. It was mercy, chesed. Not vengeance, but covenant loyalty that moves God to protect and deliver His own.
4. The result of the action. Their land became a heritage for Israel (vv21, 22). Mercy does not stop at destruction; it builds, gives, and restores.
5. The response. Each line calls for praise. The refrain trains the community to see every event, even judgment, as a reason to thank God for His faithful love.

Illustration hooks

• A firefighter breaks down a door to rescue a child. The force is real, but the purpose is rescue. Sometimes God's hardest actions are the most loving.
• A parent removes a dangerous object or person from a child’s life. The child may not understand at first, but the parent’s love is behind the removal.
• A farmer clears large stones from a field before planting. The removal makes room for growth. The land of the Amorites became the land of promise.

Questions your congregation is asking

• How can the defeat of people be an expression of love? It seems contradictory to how we usually talk about God's mercy.
• Does God still defeat 'great kings' today? How do we see His mercy at work in world events that involve judgment?
• If God's mercy includes judgment, how does that affect how I pray for my enemies or for justice in the world?

Psalm 136:17 challenges us to see God’s judgment as an expression of His covenant mercy. In a world that often separates love from power, this verse shows them united.

Discussion questions

1. What does this verse say about God’s character? What kind of actions does it attribute to Him?
2. Look at the surrounding verses (136:10, 22). What story is being told? How does the verse fit into that larger account?
3. The commentators suggest that defeating kings is mercy toward Israel. Why would removing enemies be considered an act of love? (Think about what the enemies might have done or what they prevented.)
4. The refrain ‘for his loving kindness endures forever’ repeats 26 times in this psalm. How does that repetition shape the meaning of each line? What does it tell us about God’s motives?
5. Is there a difference between God’s mercy in the Old Testament and in the New? How might this verse connect to Jesus’ victory over sin and death?
6. Can you think of a time when something difficult or painful turned out to be an expression of God’s care for you? How does that experience help you understand this verse?
7. How might this verse shape the way we pray for leaders, nations, or justice in our own time?