He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever.
Parallel translations
- WEB To him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn; for his loving kindness endures forever;
- KJV To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
- NKJV To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures forever;
- NASB ¶To Him who struck the Egyptians, that is, their firstborn, For His faithfulness is everlasting,
- NLT Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God struck down Egypt's firstborn, and His love endures forever.
Overview
The psalm shifts from creation to redemption, recalling the decisive plague that freed Israel from Egypt. This act of judgment was also an act of covenant love toward God's people. The Passover deliverance foreshadows the redemption Christ accomplishes, sparing all who shelter under His blood.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 78:51He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
- Exod 12:29Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.
- Ps 135:8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.
- Ps 105:36Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.
- Exod 12:12On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
- Heb 11:28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.
- Exod 11:5–6and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 136:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.