Psalms105
New King James Version
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
4 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
6 O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac,
10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,”
12 When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it.
13 When they went from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people,
14 He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
15 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”
16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him.
20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.
23 Israel also came into Egypt, And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
24 He increased His people greatly, And made them stronger than their enemies.
25 He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal craftily with His servants.
26 He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen.
27 They performed His signs among them, And 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 killed their fish.
30 Their land abounded with frogs, Even in the chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, And lice in all their territory.
32 He gave them hail for rain, And flaming fire in their land.
33 He struck their vines also, and their fig trees, And splintered the trees of their territory.
34 He spoke, and locusts came, Young locusts without number,
35 And ate up all the vegetation in their land, And devoured the fruit of their ground.
36 He also destroyed all the firstborn in their land, The first of all their strength.
37 He also brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the fear of them had fallen 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 quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; It ran in the dry places like a river.
42 For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham His servant.
43 He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness.
44 He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations,
45 That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws. Praise the Lord!
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Psalms 105Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 105. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: 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).
vv1-7
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.
vv8-23
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.
vv24-45
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.
Key Words
יָדָה: physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands)
קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
שֵׁם: an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
יָדַע: to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
עֲלִילָה: an exploit (of God), or a performance (of man, often in a bad sense); by implication, an opportunity
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
שִׁיר: to sing
זָמַר: play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music
שִׂיחַ: to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse (with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
Cross References
Psalms 105Verbatim parallel; this entire opening section of the psalm matches David's thanksgiving song in 1 Chronicles.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbatim echo of Jacob's own words describing his household as being 'few in number'.
Supported by JFB
Direct verbal link where Abimelech uses the specific phrase 'toucheth' regarding God's chosen patriarch.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The explicit legal and prophetic metaphor of breaking the 'staff of bread' to signify severe famine.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Historical account of the plague of thick darkness sent upon Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Equates God's 'strength' in the sanctuary with the Ark of the Covenant, as referenced here.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Zechariah celebrates God remembering His holy covenant and oath to Abraham in Christ's coming.
Supported by John Calvin
The renewal and confirmation of the land-grant covenant to Jacob at Bethel.
Supported by JFB
Historical event where God plagued Pharaoh's house to reprove him for Abraham's wife.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Historical account of God warning and reproving King Abimelech in a dream for Sarah's sake.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfillment of Joseph's elevation from prison to become ruler of Pharaoh's house and substance.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of God bringing Israel out of Egypt loaded with jewels of silver and gold.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The actual historical provision of the pillar of cloud and fire to guide Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The historical event of God standing on the rock at Horeb and bringing water out.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The prophetic warning to Abraham that his offspring would be few and strangers in a foreign land.
Supported by John Calvin