Psalms 105:8-23

8 He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”
12 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it,
13 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
14 He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings:
15 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
16 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free.
21 He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed,
22 to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.
23 Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham.

Psalms 105:8-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 105

This psalm was penned by David, and sung at the time when the ark was brought from the house of Obededom to the place which David had prepared for it; at least the first fifteen verses of it, the other part being probably added afterwards by the same inspired penman, as appears from 1Ch 16:1-7. The subject matter of the psalm is the special and distinguishing goodness of God to the children of Israel, and to his church and people, of which they were typical: the history of God's regard to and care of their principal ancestors, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and of the whole body of the people, in bringing them out of Egypt, leading them through the wilderness, and settling them in the land of Canaan, is here recited, as an argument for praise and thankfulness.

Cross References 24

  • 1. S Genesis 9:15; Psalms 106:45; Psalms 111:5; Ezekiel 16:60; S Luke 1:72
  • 2. Genesis 12:7; Genesis 17:2; S Genesis 15:18; S Genesis 22:16-18; Luke 1:73; Galatians 3:15-18
  • 3. Genesis 28:13-15
  • 4. Isaiah 55:3
  • 5. S Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 15:18
  • 6. S Numbers 34:2
  • 7. Genesis 34:30; Deuteronomy 7:7
  • 8. Genesis 23:4; Hebrews 11:9
  • 9. Genesis 15:13-16; Numbers 32:13; Numbers 33:3-49
  • 10. Genesis 35:5
  • 11. Genesis 12:17-20; S Genesis 20:3; S Psalms 9:5
  • 12. S Genesis 26:11; S 1 Samuel 12:3
  • 13. S Genesis 20:7
  • 14. S Genesis 12:10; Genesis 41:54; S Leviticus 26:26; Isaiah 3:1; Ezekiel 4:16
  • 15. S Genesis 37:28; Genesis 45:5; Acts 7:9
  • 16. S Genesis 40:15
  • 17. S Genesis 12:10; Genesis 40:20-22
  • 18. Genesis 41:40
  • 19. Genesis 41:14
  • 20. Genesis 41:43-44
  • 21. S Genesis 41:40
  • 22. Genesis 46:6; Acts 7:15; Acts 13:17
  • 23. Genesis 47:28
  • 24. S Psalms 78:51
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