Psalms105

Psalm 105 is a hymn of thanksgiving, recounting God's faithfulness to Israel from the patriarchs to the Exodus and entry into Canaan. It calls for praise, remembrance of His wondrous works, and glory in His holy name. The psalm highlights God's unwavering covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and His miraculous provision and protection for His chosen people. It concludes by stating that God's actions were to enable Israel to observe His statutes.
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Call to Worship and Remembrance

1
Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations. ​
2
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.
3
Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4
Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always. ​
5
Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,
6
O offspring of His servant Abraham, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones. ​

God Remembers His Covenant

7
He is the LORD our God; His judgments carry throughout the earth. ​
8
He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— ​
9
the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.
10
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11
“I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.” ​
12
When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,
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they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
14
He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:
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“Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!” ​

The Lord Prepares the Way through Joseph

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He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food. ​
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He sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave. ​
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They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons,
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until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right. ​
20
The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free.
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He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,
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to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.
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Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
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And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes,
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whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants. ​

Signs and Wonders in Egypt

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He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. ​
27
They performed His miraculous signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28
He sent darkness, and it became dark— yet they defied His words. ​
29
He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.
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Their land teemed with frogs, even in their royal chambers.
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He spoke, and insects swarmed— gnats throughout their country.
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He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land.
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He struck their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country.
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He spoke, and the locusts came— young locusts without number.
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They devoured every plant in their land and consumed the produce of their soil.
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Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor. ​

Provision and Inheritance in the Land

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He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled. ​
38
Egypt was glad when they departed, for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.
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He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night. ​
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They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
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He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.
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For He remembered His holy promise to Abraham His servant.
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He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy.
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He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor, ​
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that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah! ​

Study Notes for Psalms 105

Verse 1

This psalm, likely composed for liturgical use, is a historical hymn calling the community to praise God by recounting His mighty acts on behalf of Israel. It emphasizes proclamation ('make known his deeds').

Verse 4

Seeking God's 'strength' and 'face' is a call to pursue His presence and power continually. This pursuit is rooted in remembering His past faithfulness (v. 5).

Verse 6

The Psalmist addresses the audience directly as the 'seed of Abraham' and 'children of Jacob,' identifying them as the legitimate heirs of the divine covenant promises.

Verse 7

Though Israel is the focus of the covenant, God’s sovereignty is universal; 'his judgments are in all the earth,' meaning His rule applies to all nations.

Verse 8

The covenant is described as eternal ('for ever,' 'a thousand generations'), underscoring God's unwavering commitment despite human failings, a contrast to the focus of the next psalm (Ps 106).

Verse 11

The core of the covenant promise is the land of Canaan, identified as the 'lot of your inheritance,' establishing God's legal and eternal claim over the territory for Israel.

Verse 15

God protected the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) even when they were few. 'Anointed' and 'prophets' describes the unique, holy status of God's chosen representatives who spoke His word.

Verse 16

The famine is presented as a divinely orchestrated event ('he called for a famine') demonstrating that even natural disasters serve God's ultimate redemptive plan.

Verse 17

The sending of Joseph ('He sent a man before them') highlights divine providence. Joseph's suffering was a necessary prelude to his elevation, allowing him to preserve his family.

Verse 19

Joseph remained in prison until the prediction and interpretation of dreams ('his word') were fulfilled, meaning God's promise was testing ('tried') his character and patience.

Verse 25

This verse emphasizes God's sovereignty over the hearts of men. He allowed or caused the Egyptians to hate Israel so that He could demonstrate His power through the subsequent deliverance.

Verse 26

Moses and Aaron are introduced as the chosen agents of God, sent to execute the divine judgments. Moses is titled 'servant' and Aaron 'chosen,' reflecting their specific roles.

Verse 28

The plague of darkness is recounted. The phrase 'they rebelled not against his word' most likely refers to Moses and Aaron, who obediently carried out the difficult command to bring total darkness onto Egypt (Exod 10:20-23).

Verse 36

The death of the firstborn was the climax of the plagues, demonstrating God’s ultimate authority over life and death and compelling Pharaoh to release Israel.

Verse 37

Israel departed enriched with 'silver and gold,' fulfilling the promise made to Abraham (Gen 15:14). The lack of 'feeble person' highlights God’s perfect care and protection during the oppression.

Verse 39

This verse summarizes the miraculous guidance provided by God in the wilderness: the cloud for covering/shade during the day, and the pillar of fire for light and warmth at night (Exod 13:21).

Verse 44

The Psalmist affirms the fulfillment of the land covenant (v. 11), emphasizing that Israel inherited the productive land and infrastructure ('labour of the people') of the previous inhabitants.

Verse 45

This final verse reveals the theological purpose of the entire historical narrative: God rescued and provided for Israel so that they might be a covenant people dedicated to obedience ('observe his statutes').

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