Psalms 105
Psalms 105 is part of “Book IV: The Numbers Book” (90–106) in the outline of Psalms.
Psalms 105 summary
Some of the psalms of praise are very short, others very long, to teach us that, in our devotions, we should be more observant how our hearts work than how the time passes and neither overstretch ourselves by coveting to be long nor over-stint ourselves by coveting to be short, but either the one or the other as we find in our hearts to pray. This is a long psalm; the general scope is the same with most of the psalms, to set forth the glory of God, but the subject-matter is particular. Every time we come to the throne of grace we may, if we please, furnish ourselves out of the word of God (out of the history of the New Testament, as this out…
Read the full introduction
Some of the psalms of praise are very short, others very long, to teach us that, in our devotions, we should be more observant how our hearts work than how the time passes and neither overstretch ourselves by coveting to be long nor over-stint ourselves by coveting to be short, but either the one or the other as we find in our hearts to pray. This is a long psalm; the general scope is the same with most of the psalms, to set forth the glory of God, but the subject-matter is particular. Every time we come to the throne of grace we may, if we please, furnish ourselves out of the word of God (out of the history of the New Testament, as this out of the history of the Old) with new songs, with fresh thoughts - so copious, so various, so inexhaustible is the subject. In the foregoing psalm we are taught to praise God for his wondrous works of common providence with reference to the world in general. In this we are directed to praise him for his special favours to his church. We find the first eleven verses of this psalm in the beginning of that psalm which David delivered to Asaph to be used (as it should seem) in the daily service of the sanctuary when the ark was fixed in the place he had prepared for it, by which it appears both who penned it and when and upon what occasion it was penned, Ch1 16:7, etc. David by it designed to instruct his people in the obligations they lay under to adhere faithfully to their holy religion. Here is the preface (Psa 105:1-7) and the history itself in several articles. I. God's covenant with the patriarchs (Psa 105:8-11). II. His care of them while they were strangers (Psa 105:12-15). III. His raising up Joseph to be the shepherd and stone of Israel (Psa 105:16-22). IV. The increase of Israel in Egypt and their deliverance out of Egypt (v. 23-38). V. The care he took of them in the wilderness and their settlement in Canaan (Psa 105:39-45). In singing this we must give to God the glory of his wisdom and power, his goodness and faithfulness, must look upon ourselves as concerned in the affairs of the Old Testament church, both because to it were committed the oracles of God, which are our treasure, and because out of it Christ arose, and these things happened to it for ensamples.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Psalms 105 (ASV)
American Standard Version (public domain)
Give Thanks to the Lord
1Oh give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name; Make known among the peoples his doings. 2Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; Talk ye of all his marvellous works. 3Glory ye in his holy name: Let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah. 4Seek ye Jehovah and his strength; Seek his face evermore. 5Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, 6O ye seed of Abraham his servant, Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 7He is Jehovah our God: His judgments are in all the earth. 8He hath remembered his covenant for ever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations, 9[The covenant] which he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac, 10And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, 11Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance; 12When they were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it. 13And they went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. 14He suffered no man to do them wrong; Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 15[Saying], Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm. 16And he called for a famine upon the land; He brake the whole staff of bread. 17He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant: 18His feet they hurt with fetters: He was laid in [chains of] iron, 19Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of Jehovah tried him. 20The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free. 21He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance; 22To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom. 23Israel also came into Egypt; And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24And he increased his people greatly, And made them stronger than their adversaries. 25He turned their heart to hate his people, To deal subtly with his servants. 26He sent Moses his servant, [And] Aaron whom he had chosen. 27They set among them his signs, And wonders in the land of Ham. 28He sent darkness, and made it dark; And they rebelled not against his words. 29He turned their waters into blood, And slew their fish. 30Their land swarmed with frogs In the chambers of their kings. 31He spake, and there came swarms of flies, And lice in all their borders. 32He gave them hail for rain, [And] flaming fire in their land. 33He smote their vines also and their fig-trees, And brake the trees of their borders. 34He spake, and the locust came, And the grasshopper, and that without number, 35And did eat up every herb in their land, And did eat up the fruit of their ground. 36He smote also all the first-born in their land, The chief of all their strength. 37And he brought them forth with silver and gold; And there was not one feeble person among his tribes. 38Egypt was glad when they departed; For the fear of them had fallen upon them. 39He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night. 40They asked, and he brought quails, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; They ran in the dry places [like] a river. 42For he remembered his holy word, [And] Abraham his servant. 43And he brought forth his people with joy, [And] his chosen with singing. 44And he gave them the lands of the nations; And they took the labor of the peoples in possession: 45That they might keep his statutes, And observe his laws. Praise ye Jehovah.