Psalm 136 · a question people ask
"Give thanks to the God of gods" (136:2). Does the psalm mean there are other gods?
The psalm doesn't say more than its words. It gives thanks "to the God of gods" (136:2) and "to the Lord of lords" (136:3), and "to him who alone does great wonders" (136:4). Deuteronomy has both titles: "he is God of gods and Lord of lords" (Deuteronomy 10:17), and in Hebrew God of gods is the same two words there as here, elohei ha'elohim. The night the psalm gives thanks for in 136:10 is the night of which the LORD said, "I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD" (Exodus 12:12). Paul, writing about food sacrificed to idols, says "there is no other God but one" (1 Corinthians 8:4), and "as there are many “gods” and many “lords”" (1 Corinthians 8:5), "yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him" (1 Corinthians 8:6). Paul doesn't name this psalm. Psalm 82's chapter asks who "the gods" of Psalm 82:1 and 82:6 are, and sets out the main readings; these notes don't repeat them or choose.
The verses
“Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving kindness endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving kindness endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his loving kindness endures forever;”
“For the LORD your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes.”
“For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.”
“Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.”