Psalm 105
1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, 6 O descendants of Abraham his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones. 7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers his covenant for ever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations, 9 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.” 12 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, 13 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
14 He allowed no-one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: 15 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” 16 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; 17 and he sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave. 18 They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, 19 till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true. 20 The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. 21 He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, 22 to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom. 23 Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. 24 The LORD made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes. 25 whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. 26 He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They performed his miraculous signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness and made the land dark—for had they not rebelled against his words? 29 He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die. 30 Their land teemed with frogs, which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. 32 He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land; 33 he struck down their vines and fig-trees and shattered the trees of their country. 34 He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number; 35 they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil. 36 Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their manhood.
37 He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, and from among their tribes no-one faltered. 38 Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them.
39 He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. 40 They asked, and he brought them quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; like a river it flowed in the desert. 42 For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. 43 He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; 44 he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for— 45 that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD.
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Psalm 105 – The sweep of history (Part 1)
Psalms 105 and 106 are Parts 1 and 2 of the sweep of Israel’s history. Neither of these long psalms (45 and 48 verses respectively) are covered in detail in these ‘Thoughts for the Day’ on psalms. Please read the modified summary from ‘The Bible Panorama’ and A more detailed look at verses 16-24 (below). Please read all of the two psalms
Summary from ‘The Bible Panorama’
(Verses 1–3) Salute Him: God is to be saluted in thanksgiving, calling on Him, proclaiming His deeds, singing to Him, and talking of His works. His holy name is to be gloried in. This will enable the hearts of those who seek Him to rejoice.
(Verse 4) Seek Him: His people must always seek the LORD, His strength and His face.
(Verses 5–45) See Him: His works throughout history for His people are to be remembered. It is here that we see God in His faithfulness, power and grace; these characteristics have been manifested abundantly in the past. The sweep of Israel’s history, including the exodus from Egypt and entering the promised land, is rehearsed in the rest of this psalm. What God promised to Abraham, He confirmed to Isaac and Jacob, made possible through Joseph, and progressed towards through Moses and Aaron.
(Psalm 106 will resume this sweep of history and then take us further.) God is faithful and sovereign.
A more detailed look at verses 16-24 on ‘Joseph’
Do you ever wonder why God allows some distressing and troubling experiences in your life, as though God owes you an easy life? We accept others’ hardships, far more easily! Some say that, if God is first in your life, nothing can go wrong. But the Bible does not teach that. Look at Jesus: He lived a perfect life, free from sin. Yet He was rejected, nailed to a cross, and punished there in our place by God the Father for our sins. The Bible says, ‘everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted’ (2 Timothy 2:12). Why not take time to read Joseph’s true story in Genesis: chapters 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, then treated well and did well, then was wrongly imprisoned, then rose to become Egypt’s powerful Prime Minister, then saved his family and various nations from starving. He said his brothers meant to harm him, but God meant it for his good and to bless others. More important is Jesus, who was also rejected by His own people, suffered for us when He died on the cross to be judged for our sins, rose again to a new life, and is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He saves too – not from famine but from being judged for our sins, if we turn from sin and trust Him.
