Psalms 136:25 · Bible study
Psalms 136:25 Commentary: Provision and Covenant Love
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore how God’s provision of food for every creature reveals His enduring covenant love (hesed), connecting creation and redemption in this verse from the
Research Summary
- Meaning: God’s provision of food for every living creature demonstrates His enduring covenant love (hesed).
- Key words: Hesed (covenant loyalty, mercy), kol basar (all flesh, all living beings).
- Main debate: Whether the verse is a thematic break or a deliberate climax linking creation to redemption (Cambridge suggests possible textual dislocation; most see it as intentional).
- Theological theme: The universal scope of God’s covenant mercy, His care extends beyond Israel to all creation.
- Best use: As a basis for thanksgiving at meals, a reminder of God’s daily care, and a bridge between creation and redemption in sermons on providence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He gives food to every creature. His loving devotion endures forever.
WEB World English Bible 2000
who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever.
KJV King James Version 1769
Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Who giveth food to all flesh; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Giving food to all flesh, For to the age is His kindness.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Who giveth food to all flesh, for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
El da mantenimiento á toda carne, porque para siempre es su misericordia.
O que dá alimento a todo ser vivo feito de carne; porque sua bondade dura para sempre.
Celui qui donne la nourriture à toute chair,
der allem Fleisch Speise gibt, denn seine Güte währet ewiglich.
Die allen vlees spijs geeft; want Zijn goedertierenheid is in der eeuwigheid.
Colui che dà il cibo ad ogni carne, perché la sua benignità dura in eterno.
Który daje pokarm wszelkiemu ciału; albowiem na wieki miłosierdzie jego.
他賜 糧食 給凡 有血氣的，因 他的慈愛 永遠長存。
Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 136:25
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions see this final stanza before the closing call to praise as extending the psalm’s celebration of God’s covenant love to the whole created order. Adam Clarke notes that here God’s “universal providence” supports “every intellectual and animal being.” Albert Barnes points to the countless multitudes of creatures dependent on God each day, “the needs of each insect, fowl, animal, fish”, and says that providing for them is a “proof of his benignity and kindness.” Matthew Henry calls it “an instance of the mercy of God’s providence that wherever he has given life he gives food.” John Calvin observes that the psalmist’s repeated mention of mercy teaches that everything from God is “bestowed gratuitously.” The consensus is clear: God’s hesed, His faithful, covenant love, is the foundation not only of Israel’s redemption but of every bird’s meal, every wild animal’s survival, every human’s daily bread. The verse pulls the lens back from national history to the Creator who keeps every living thing alive.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God provides food for all living creatures, and this provision is an expression of His enduring covenant love (hesed).
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of God's provision | All traditions agree that 'all flesh' includes both humans and animals, all living creatures. | Some emphasize that this refers primarily to physical food, while others see a spiritual dimension (e.g., Gill applies it to spiritual food for believers). |
| Placement within the psalm | Most agree the verse belongs in the psalm and is not a later addition. | Cambridge Bible raises the possibility of textual dislocation due to the abrupt shift from redemption to universal provision; most commentators accept the received order as intentional. |
| Connection to covenant love (hesed) | All see the refrain as linking each act to God’s faithful covenant love. | The nature of that connection: Calvin sees it as emphasizing grace in all benefits; Matthew Henry applies it to both temporal and spiritual redemption. |
| Relationship to redemption | The verse is part of a psalm celebrating redemption and creation. | Some see it as a natural progression from particular redemption to universal care (Matthew Henry), while others find the shift abrupt (Cambridge). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 136 is a litany of thanksgiving, structured as an antiphonal call-and-response. After each act of God, creation, deliverance from Egypt, wilderness guidance, conquest of Canaan, the congregation chanted the refrain “for his loving kindness endures forever.” Jewish tradition calls it the Great Hallel, sung at Passover and other festivals. The Hebrew word translated “loving kindness” is hesed, the covenant loyalty that binds God to His people.
Verse 25 arrives just after God has “remembered us in our low estate” and “delivered us from our adversaries” (vv. 23, 24). The movement from national redemption to universal provision is striking, but intentional. The same covenant love that rescued Israel from Egypt also feeds every creature. The Hebrew verb noten (“gives”) is a participle, suggesting ongoing, habitual action: “He who gives” as a continuous reality. The objects are “all flesh” (kol basar), a phrase that in the Old Testament refers both to humans and animals (Genesis 6:13; Joel 2:28). The lexical range of basar includes “all living things,” not just people.
The psalm’s placement of this verse may also reflect the ancient liturgical context. After rehearsing God’s mighty acts in history, worshipers were reminded that the same God provides their daily bread. The cross-references to Psalms 104:27, 145:15, and 147:9 show that this theme runs through the Psalter: all creation waits on God for food. In a world where other nations credited local gods with fertility, Israel’s praise declared that Yahweh alone feeds every mouth, not just Israel’s, but every creature’s. This is not an afterthought; it is the climax of the psalm’s argument that God’s mercy extends as far as life itself.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 136:25. The Cambridge Bible suggests the possibility of textual dislocation because the mention of universal providence follows the redemption stanzas somewhat abruptly. However, this is not supported by the manuscript evidence and is not adopted by other commentators. The verse stands in all major Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions as part of the psalm’s original composition.
Reception History
This verse has been received across traditions as a confession of God’s universal care. In Jewish liturgy, Psalm 136 (the Great Hallel) is recited during Passover and other festivals, and this verse concludes the recitation of God’s mighty acts with a reminder of daily provision. Early Christian writers saw in it a pattern for thanksgiving before meals, the practice of blessing God for food echoes this perspective. Matthew Henry’s commentary spiritualizes the verse, applying it to Christ as the bread of life. In the Reformed tradition, Calvin used the verse to teach that all of God’s gifts are gratuitous, flowing from mercy. The verse continues to be used in prayers of gratitude and as a model for connecting redemption to everyday sustenance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God provides for every living thing. The verse names no exceptions: “all flesh” includes humans, animals, birds, fish, every creature that breathes. (Barnes, Clarke)
- This provision flows from His covenant love. The refrain anchors each act of generosity in God’s hesed. Daily bread is not a transaction but a gift from a faithful God. (Calvin, Gill)
- Provision and redemption belong together. The verse sits between deliverance from enemies and the final call to praise. God’s mercy saves and sustains. (Matthew Henry)
Five-point outline
- Creation’s Dependence: “All flesh” waits on God (Ps. 104:27; 145:15).
- Universal Scope: Not just Israel, every creature receives food.
- Covenant Foundation: The refrain hesed ties provision to promise.
- Daily Demonstration: God’s mercy is not abstract; it shows up at every meal.
- Call to Thanksgiving: The verse moves from God’s giving to our gratitude (v. 26).
Illustration hooks
- A farmer planting seeds each spring, trusting rain and sun, a picture of God’s quiet, faithful provision.
- A parent packing lunch for a child, day after day, year after year, mundane work that mirrors God’s care.
- A bird feeder filled in winter: small, repeated acts of kindness that keep creatures alive.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God provides for all creatures, why do some people go hungry? (The verse describes God’s design and faithfulness, not that every individual always gets enough; sin and brokenness disrupt provision.)
- How does God’s daily provision connect to the big story of salvation? (The verse ties creation care to redemption.)
- What does it mean that God’s mercy is “forever” when my circumstances change? (The refrain answers: His faithful love outlasts any hardship.)
Leading a Discussion
This verse expands the psalm’s horizon from Israel’s history to the whole world’s table. After recounting mighty acts of redemption, the psalmist points to the moment-by-moment provision of food for every creature. It asks us: do we see God’s covenant love in our daily bread as much as in our salvation?
Discussion questions
- What does “all flesh” include? (Read Genesis 6:13; Joel 2:28.)
- Why do you think this verse is placed after verses about redemption from enemies?
- The Hebrew word hesed means covenant loyalty. How does feeding creatures show loyalty?
- How do Psalms 104:27, 145:15, and 147:9 echo this verse?
- What does it mean that God “gives” food, present tense, ongoing action?
- How have you seen God’s provision in small ways this week?
- How does this verse shape the way you pray before meals?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 104:27 | These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season. |
| Psalms 145:15 | The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season. |
| Psalms 147:9 | He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasizes that God's universal providence gives every living thing food perfectly suited to its nature, from humans to animals with endlessly varied habits. This careful provision, he argues, offers overwhelming proof of God's wisdom and goodness. He also notes that some ancient versions add an unnecessary extra verse at this point.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to the staggering scale of God’s daily provision: every single living creature, from insect to fish, is fed as an individual. He invites readers to consider that this care has continued without pause since creation, revealing a wisdom and goodness beyond human comprehension.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that failing to praise God for each specific benefit is essentially robbing Him of what is owed. He notes the repeated mention of mercy is meant to teach that everything we receive from God is a free and unearned gift.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary points out an abrupt shift from celebrating God's care for Israel to describing His universal providence over all living things. This sudden change suggests to the commentator that the text may have suffered corruption or dislocation at this point. "All flesh" means all living creatures, not just humans.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note draws attention to God's constant provision of food for every living creature. This daily care is presented not as a matter of natural order but as an ongoing act of mercy: His kindness never runs out.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill broadens the phrase "food to all flesh" to include both the physical provision God gives every creature and the spiritual food he gives believers—Christ himself, gospel truth, and the church's ordinances. His point is that God's mercy, constant toward all, is most fully seen in sustaining both creation and the covenant.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
To the special favors to His people is added the record of God's goodness to all His creatures (compare Mt 6:30 ).
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry tracks three ways the psalm celebrates God's enduring mercy: remembering Israel in their low estate and redeeming them from enemies, feeding every living creature, and revealing Himself as the God of heaven. He sees the Old Testament deliverances as types pointing to Christ's redemption of the universal church from sin and death.