Psalms 105

1 Give thanks to the Lord. Worship him. Tell the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him. Sing praise to him. Tell about all of the wonderful things he has done.
3 Praise him, because his name is holy. Let the hearts of those who trust in the LORD be glad.
4 Look to the LORD and to his strength. Always look to him.
5 Remember the wonderful things he has done. Remember his miracles and how he judged our enemies.
6 Remember what he has done, you children of his servant Abraham. Remember it, you people of Jacob, God's chosen ones.
7 He is the LORD our God. He judges the whole earth.
8 He will keep his covenant forever. He will keep his promise for all time to come.
9 He will keep the covenant he made with Abraham. He will keep the oath he took when he made his promise to Isaac.
10 He made it stand as a law for Jacob. He made it stand as a covenant for Israel. It will last forever.
11 He said, "I will give you the land of Canaan. It will belong to you."
12 At first there weren't very many of God's people. There were only a few. And they were strangers in the land.
13 They wandered from nation to nation. They wandered from one kingdom to another.
14 But God didn't allow anyone to beat them down. To keep them safe, he gave a command to kings.
15 He said to them, "Do not touch my anointed ones. Do not harm my prophets."
16 He made the people in the land go hungry. He destroyed all their food supplies.
17 He sent a man ahead of them into Egypt. That man was Joseph. He had been sold as a slave.
18 The Egyptians put his feet in chains. They put an iron collar around his neck.
19 He was in prison until what he said would happen came true. The word of the LORD proved that he was right.
20 The king of Egypt sent for Joseph and let him out of prison. The ruler of many nations set him free.
21 He put Joseph in charge of his palace. He made him ruler over everything he owned.
22 Joseph was in charge of teaching the princes. He taught the elders how to think and live wisely.
23 Then the rest of Jacob's family went to Egypt. The people of Israel lived as outsiders in the land of Ham.
24 The LORD gave his people so many children that there were too many of them for their enemies.
25 He made the Egyptians hate his people. The Egyptians made evil plans against them.
26 The LORD sent his servant Moses to the king of Egypt. He sent Aaron, his chosen one, along with him.
27 The LORD gave them the power to do miraculous signs among the Egyptians. They did his wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness over the land. He did it because the Egyptians had refused to obey his words.
29 He turned their rivers and streams into blood. He caused the fish in them to die.
30 Their land was covered with frogs. Frogs even went into the bedrooms of the rulers.
31 The LORD spoke, and large numbers of flies came. Gnats filled the whole country.
32 He turned their rain into hail. Lightning flashed all through their land.
33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees. He broke down the trees in Egypt.
34 He spoke, and the locusts came. There were so many of them they couldn't be counted.
35 They ate up every green thing in the land. They ate up what the land produced.
36 Then he killed the oldest son of every family in Egypt. He struck down the oldest of all of their sons.
37 He brought the people of Israel out of Egypt. The Egyptians loaded them down with silver and gold. From among the tribes of Israel no one got tired or fell down.
38 The Egyptians were glad when the people of Israel left. They were terrified because of Israel.
39 The LORD spread out a cloud to cover his people. He gave them a fire to light up the night.
40 They asked for meat, and he brought them quail. He satisfied them with manna, the bread of heaven.
41 He broke open a rock, and streams of water poured out. They flowed like a river in the desert.
42 He remembered the holy promise he had made to his servant Abraham.
43 His chosen people shouted for joy as he brought them out of Egypt.
44 He gave them the lands of other nations. He let them take over what others had worked for.
45 He did it so they might obey his rules and follow his laws. Praise the Lord.

Images for Psalms 105

Psalms 105 Commentary

Chapter 105

A solemn call to praise and serve the Lord. (1-7) His gracious dealings with Israel. (8-23) Their deliverance from Egypt, and their settlement in Canaan. (24-45)

Verses 1-7 Our devotion is here stirred up, that we may stir up ourselves to praise God. Seek his strength; that is, his grace; the strength of his Spirit to work in us that which is good, which we cannot do but by strength derived from him, for which he will be sought. Seek to have his favour to eternity, therefore continue seeking it while living in this world; for he will not only be found, but he will reward those that diligently seek him.

Verses 8-23 Let us remember the Redeemer's marvellous works, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth. Though true Christians are few number, strangers and pilgrims upon earth, yet a far better inheritance than Canaan is made sure to them by the covenant of God; and if we have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, none can do us any harm. Afflictions are among our mercies. They prove our faith and love, they humble our pride, they wean us from the world, and quicken our prayers. Bread is the staff which supports life; when that staff is broken, the body fails and sinks to the earth. The word of God is the staff of spiritual life, the food and support of the soul: the sorest judgment is a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. Such a famine was sore in all lands when Christ appeared in the flesh; whose coming, and the blessed effect of it, are shadowed forth in the history of Joseph. At the appointed time Christ was exalted as Mediator; all the treasures of grace and salvation are at his disposal, perishing sinners come to him, and are relieved by him.

Verses 24-45 As the believer commonly thrives best in his soul when under the cross; so the church also flourishes most in true holiness, and increases in number, while under persecution. Yet instruments shall be raised up for their deliverance, and plagues may be expected by persecutors. And see the special care God took of his people in the wilderness. All the benefits bestowed on Israel as a nation, were shadows of spiritual blessings with which we are blessed in Christ Jesus. Having redeemed us with his blood, restored our souls to holiness, and set us at liberty from Satan's bondage, he guides and guards us all the way. He satisfies our souls with the bread of heaven, and the water of life from the Rock of salvation, and will bring us safely to heaven. He redeems his servants from all iniquity, and purifies them unto himself, to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Chapter Summary

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.

Psalms 105 Commentaries

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