“To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
God's solitary performance of great wonders emphasizes that miracles and extraordinary acts belong uniquely to God; no human or false god can perform them. The term wonders (נפלאות) suggests actions that inspire awe and admiration, which characterize God's interventions in history. The attribution of all wonders to God alone makes clear that Israel's deliverance and protection flow from divine initiative, not human strategy or strength. This verse positions the subsequent historical rehearsal as illustration of these wonders.
Church Fathers on Psalms 136:4
1. “Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures for ever” Psalm 135:1. This Psalm contains the praise of God, and all its verses finish in the same way. Wherefore although many things are related here in praise of God, yet His mercy is most commended; for without this plain commendation, he, whom the Holy Spirit used to utter this Psalm, would have no verse be ended. Although after the judgment, by which at the end of the world the quick and the dead must…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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