Psalms 105

1 Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Make his doings known among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him! Tell of all his marvelous works.

3 Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice who seek Yahweh.

4 Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

5 Remember his marvelous works that he has done; His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

6 You seed of Abraham, his servant, You children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

7 He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth.

8 He has remembered his covenant forever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

9 The covenant which he made with Abraham, His oath to Isaac,

10 And confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute; To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

11 Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance;"

12 When they were but a few men in number, Yes, very few, and sojourners in it.

13 They went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people.

14 He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

15 "Don't touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm."

16 He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies.

17 He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave.

18 They bruised his feet with shackles. His neck was locked in irons,

19 Until the time that his word happened, And Yahweh's word proved him true.

20 The king sent and freed him; Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all of his possessions;

22 To discipline his princes at his pleasure, And to teach his elders wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 He increased his people greatly, And made them stronger than their adversaries.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, To conspire against his servants.

26 He sent Moses, his servant, And Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27 They performed miracles among them, And wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and made it dark. They didn't rebel against his words.

29 He turned their waters into blood, And killed their fish.

30 Their land swarmed with frogs, Even in the chambers of their kings.

31 He spoke, and swarms of flies came, And lice in all their borders.

32 He gave them hail for rain, With lightning in their land.

33 He struck their vines and also their fig trees, And shattered the trees of their country.

34 He spoke, and the locusts came, And the grasshoppers, without number,

35 Ate up every plant in their land; Ate up the fruit of their ground.

36 He struck also all the firstborn in their land, The chief of all their strength.

37 He brought them forth with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the fear of them had fallen on them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering, Fire to give light in the night.

40 They asked, and he brought quails, And satisfied them with the bread of the sky.

41 He opened the rock, and waters gushed out. They ran as a river in the dry places.

42 For he remembered his holy word, And Abraham, his servant.

43 He brought forth his people with joy, His chosen with singing.

44 He gave them the lands of the nations. They took the labor of the peoples in possession,

45 That they might keep his statutes, And observe his laws. Praise Yah!

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.