Psalm 105:21-31

21 The king made Joseph master of his house and ruler over everything he owned,

22 to make sure his princes acted according to his will, and to teach wisdom to his advisors.

23 That's how Israel came to Egypt, how Jacob became an immigrant in the land of Ham.

24 God made his people very fruitful, more powerful than their enemies,

25 whose hearts God changed so they hated his people and dealt shrewdly with his servants.

26 God sent Moses his servant and the one he chose, Aaron.

27 They put God's signs on Egypt, his marvelous works on the land of Ham.

28 God sent darkness, and it became dark, but the Egyptians rejected his word.

29 God turned their waters into blood and killed their fish.

30 God made their land swarm with frogs— even in the bedrooms of their king!

31 God spoke, and the insects came— gnats throughout their whole country!

Psalm 105:21-31 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Correction; MT they put on them the words of God’s signs
• [b] Correction; DSS (11QPs a) their land swarmed with frogs