“The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
The sun's rule over the day establishes created order and temporal structure; the sun's governance of daylight makes life and work possible. This verse emphasizes that natural phenomena people take for granted (day and night cycles) are expressions of divine intention and care. The assignment of function to created beings (sun ruling the day) demonstrates that God's covenant faithfulness extends to the maintenance of natural order. Stability and regularity in creation reflect God's constancy.
Church Fathers on Psalms 136:8
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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