Psalms 105:16-26

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

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

18 They afflicted his feet with fetters; his soul came into irons;

19 Until the time when what he said came about: the word of Jehovah tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him -- the ruler of peoples -- and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler over all his possessions:

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

23 And Israel came into Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he made his people exceeding fruitful, and made them mightier than their oppressors.

25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant, [and] Aaron whom he had chosen:

Psalms 105:16-26 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]. 'Said' dabar; 'word' imrah: see Note, Ps. 119.11.