Psalms 105

1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done!

2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music!

3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life!

4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence.

5 Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's rendered -

6 O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen.

7 He's God, our God, in charge of the whole earth.

8 And he remembers, remembers his Covenant - for a thousand generations he's been as good as his word.

9 It's the Covenant he made with Abraham, the same oath he swore to Isaac,

10 The very statute he established with Jacob, the eternal Covenant with Israel,

11 Namely, "I give you the land. Canaan is your hill-country inheritance."

12 When they didn't count for much, a mere handful, and strangers at that,

13 Wandering from country to country, drifting from pillar to post,

14 He permitted no one to abuse them. He told kings to keep their hands off:

15 "Don't you dare lay a hand on my anointed, don't hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets."

16 Then he called down a famine on the country, he broke every last blade of wheat.

17 But he sent a man on ahead: Joseph, sold as a slave.

18 They put cruel chains on his ankles, an iron collar around his neck,

19 Until God's word came to the Pharaoh, and God confirmed his promise.

20 God sent the king to release him. The Pharaoh set Joseph free;

21 He appointed him master of his palace, put him in charge of all his business

22 To personally instruct his princes and train his advisors in wisdom.

23 Then Israel entered Egypt, Jacob immigrated to the Land of Ham.

24 God gave his people lots of babies; soon their numbers alarmed their foes.

25 He turned the Egyptians against his people; they abused and cheated God's servants.

26 Then he sent his servant Moses, and Aaron, whom he also chose.

27 They worked marvels in that spiritual wasteland, miracles in the Land of Ham.

28 He spoke, "Darkness!" and it turned dark - they couldn't see what they were doing.

29 He turned all their water to blood so that all their fish died;

30 He made frogs swarm through the land, even into the king's bedroom;

31 He gave the word and flies swarmed, gnats filled the air.

32 He substituted hail for rain, he stabbed their land with lightning;

33 He wasted their vines and fig trees, smashed their groves of trees to splinters;

34 With a word he brought in locusts, millions of locusts, armies of locusts;

35 They consumed every blade of grass in the country and picked the ground clean of produce;

36 He struck down every firstborn in the land, the first fruits of their virile powers.

37 He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot, and not one among his tribes even stumbled.

38 Egypt was glad to have them go - they were scared to death of them.

39 God spread a cloud to keep them cool through the day and a fire to light their way through the night;

40 They prayed and he brought quail, filled them with the bread of heaven;

41 He opened the rock and water poured out; it flowed like a river through that desert -

42 All because he remembered his Covenant, his promise to Abraham, his servant.

43 Remember this! He led his people out singing for joy; his chosen people marched, singing their hearts out!

44 He made them a gift of the country they entered, helped them seize the wealth of the nations

45 So they could do everything he told them - could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah!

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.