Hodu L'Adonai: the refrain of Psalm 136

Hodu L’Adonai by Barry & Batya Segal is the song that plays on this site. The recording is from the album Sh’ma Yisrael and uses the first three verses of Psalm 136.

#The lyrics, verse by verse

The Hebrew lyrics and their English translation appear together, in the order of the recording, including its repetitions. The translation is for reading and has not been adapted to fit the melody. The English passage appears as sung.

#What the song says

הוֹדוּ(hodu) means “give thanks,” addressed to more than one person; לַאֲדֹנָי(la’Adonai) means “to the Lord.” The first stanza adds “for he is good.” The next two address the “God of gods” and the “Lord of lords,” following Psalm 136:1–3.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods; for his mercy endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for his mercy endures forever.

Psalm 136:1–3, Sefaria. English translation prepared for this article.

The response כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ(ki le’olam chasdo), “for his mercy endures forever,” appears in all 26 verses of the psalm. The word translated as “mercy” is חֶסֶד(chesed), which can also mean “steadfast love.”

The psalm recalls Israel leaving Egypt and crossing the sea. Near the end, it gives thanks for the bread given to every living creature (Psalm 136:25). Each event receives the same response heard in the song.

To him who gives bread to every living creature; for his mercy endures forever.

Psalm 136:25, Sefaria. English translation prepared for this article.

#What about the Torah?

The verses sung here come from Psalms, in the Writings section of the Hebrew Bible. The Torah consists of its first five books. In Exodus 34:6, the Torah uses the word חֶסֶד(chesed) to describe God as abundant in “kindness and truth.” This verse helps explain the language of the refrain, though it is not sung in this recording.

And יהוה passed before him and proclaimed: "יהוה, יהוה, a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth."

Exodus 34:6, Sefaria. English rendering of Saymon Pires da Silva's Portuguese translation, published in 5784.

Lyrics and recording: Barry & Batya Segal. English translations of the Hebrew lyrics prepared for this article.