Psalms 105

1 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him; speak of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory in his holy name; let the heart of those that seek the LORD rejoice.

4 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his face continually.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he has done, his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O ye seed of Abraham his slave, ye sons of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He has remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded for a thousand generations,

9 which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath unto Isaac

10 and confirmed the same unto Jacob by decree, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:

11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance,

12 when they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from nation to nation from one kingdom to another people,

14 he suffered no man to do them wrong; yea, he chastened kings for their sakes:

15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land; he broke the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a slave,

18 whose feet they hurt with fetters; his soul was laid in iron.

19 Until the time that his word came, the spoken word of the LORD purified him.

20 The king sent and loosed him, the ruler of the people let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure and teach his elders wisdom.

23 Afterwards Israel entered into Egypt, and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly and made them stronger than their enemies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people to think evil against his slaves.

26 He sent Moses his slave and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 He put the words of his signs in them and his wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness and made it dark, and they did not rebel against his word.

29 He turned their waters into blood and slew their fish.

30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance in the chambers of their kings.

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

32 He turned their rain into hail, into flaming fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees and broke the trees within their borders.

34 He spoke, and the locusts came and caterpillars without number,

35 and ate up all the grass in their land and devoured the fruit of their ground.

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

37 And he brought them forth with silver and gold, and there was not one sick person among their tribes.

38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 He spread a cloud for a covering and fire to give light in the night.

40 The people asked, and he brought quails and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places and became a river.

42 For he remembered his holy word with Abraham his slave.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy and his chosen with singing

44 and gave them the lands of the Gentiles, and they inherited the labour of the nations,

45 that they might observe his statutes and keep his laws. Halelu-JAH.

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.