It was most likely a responsive exchange in public congregation. The speaker points out an act of God: God does such-and-such. And the people would respond: His steadfast love endures forever.
What's remarkable are the many categories of God's actions the speaker intones -- all to which the response is the same: His steadfast love endures forever.
First there are the acts of creation: He created the heavens with understanding. His steadfast love endures forever. He made the sun to rule the day. His steadfast love endures forever. The moon and stars to rule the night. His steadfast love endures forever.
Then there are political actions: He struck down the firstborn of Egypt. His steadfast love endures forever. He overthrew Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, allowed his people to cross, and so on. His steadfast love endures forever.
There are actions of kindness towards His people: He remembered us in our low estate. His steadfast love endures forever. He rescued us from our foes. His steadfast love endures forever.
Finally there is His care of all people: He gives food to all flesh. His steadfast love endures forever.
To all these categories of divine activity, the response is the same -- because the author is the same: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of the Scriptures.
The result is worship: His steadfast love endures forever.
Fast forward to today.
Nothing created the heavens and the earth; it was a big bang followed by the random activities of atoms.
Political actions? Just be politically correct. Shut up about that overthrowing your enemies stuff. Strive for world peace. (Curious: if everything is random atoms bumping each other, why must we strive for world peace?)
Actions of kindness? Well there is some of that. But we have to have federal funding. It takes a village, you see.
Care of all people? It's a dog-eat-dog world.
It occurs to me that the word "worship" has pretty much been excised from our everyday vocabulary. Can it be because we have categorized God out of every domain of activity?
I am reminded of a remark made by C.S. Lewis in The Discarded Image; something to the effect that when people in medieval times looked up at the stars in the sky, they felt they were in a cathedral.
When we look up, all we see are atoms.
And we don't even see them.
Logos2Go
Psalm 136:
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
17 to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
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