Psalms 105

1 Give thanks to ADONAI! Call on his name! Make his deeds known among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, talk about all his wonders.

3 Glory in his holy name; let those seeking ADONAI have joyful hearts.

4 Seek ADONAI and his strength; always seek his presence.

5 Remember the wonders he has done, his signs and his spoken rulings.

6 You descendants of Avraham his servant, you offspring of Ya'akov, his chosen ones,

7 he is ADONAI our God! His rulings are everywhere on earth.

8 He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded to a thousand generations,

9 the covenant he made with Avraham, the oath he swore to Yitz'chak,

10 and established as a law for Ya'akov, for Isra'el as an everlasting covenant:

11 "To you I will give the land of Kena'an as your allotted heritage."

12 When they were but few in number, and not only few, but aliens there too,

13 wandering from nation to nation, from this kingdom to that people,

14 he allowed no one to oppress them. Yes, for their sakes he rebuked even kings:

15 "Don't touch my anointed ones or do my prophets harm!"

16 He called down famine on the land, broke off all their food supply,

17 but sent a man ahead of them -Yosef, who was sold as a slave.

18 They shackled his feet with chains, and they bound him in irons;

19 until the time when his word proved true, God's utterance kept testing him.

20 The king sent and had him released, the ruler of peoples set him free;

21 he made him lord of his household, in charge of all he owned,

22 correcting his officers as he saw fit and teaching his counselors wisdom.

23 Then Isra'el too came into Egypt, Ya'akov lived as an alien in the land of Ham.

24 There God made his people very fruitful, made them too numerous for their foes,

25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people, and treat his servants unfairly.

26 He sent his servant Moshe and Aharon, whom he had chosen.

27 They worked his signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and the land grew dark; they did not defy his word.

29 He turned their water into blood and caused their fish to die.

30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the royal chambers.

31 He spoke, and there came swarms of insects and lice throughout their land.

32 He gave them hail instead of rain, with fiery [lightning] throughout their land.

33 He struck their vines and fig trees, shattering trees all over their country.

34 He spoke, and locusts came, also grasshoppers without number;

35 they ate up everything green in their land, devoured the fruit of their ground. 896

36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength.

37 Then he led his people out, laden with silver and gold; among his tribes not one stumbled.

38 Egypt was happy to have them leave, because fear of [Isra'el] had seized them.

39 He spread out a cloud to screen them off and fire to give them light at night.

40 When they asked, he brought them quails and satisfied them with food from heaven.

41 He split a rock, and water gushed out, flowing as a river over the dry ground,

42 for he remembered his holy promise to his servant Avraham.

43 He led out his people with joy, his chosen ones with singing.

44 Then he gave them the lands of the nations, and they possessed what peoples had toiled to produce,

45 in order to obey his laws and follow his teachings. Halleluyah!

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.