Psalm 136 · a question people ask
"who remembered us in our low estate" (136:23). Who are us, and what low estate?
The psalm doesn't say. Until 136:22 it names Israel (136:11, 136:14, 136:22) and "his people" (136:16); in 136:23-24 it says us and our. It names no time, no adversaries and no rescue, so these notes don't tie the lines to any one event. What the psalm does say is the verb: the LORD "remembered us" (136:23) (tap remembered), the verb of "The LORD remembers us. He will bless us" (Psalm 115:12), and Psalm 115's notes point here. The word for low estate, shefel, comes only here and in Ecclesiastes 10:6 in the Hebrew Bible (tap low estate). And the next line reaches past us: "who gives food to every creature" (136:25).
The verses
“and brought out Israel from among them, for his loving kindness endures forever;”
“and made Israel to pass through the middle of it, for his loving kindness endures forever;”
“to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness endures forever;”
“even a heritage to Israel his servant, for his loving kindness endures forever; who remembered us in our low estate, for his loving kindness endures forever; and has delivered us from our adversaries, for his loving kindness endures forever; who gives food to every creature, for his loving kindness endures forever.”