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Psalm 105

Psalm 105 is a hymn of praise that recounts God’s covenant faithfulness to Israel. It begins by calling the people to give thanks and declare God's wondrous works, then highlights key events from Israel's history, including the patriarchal promises, Joseph's rise in Egypt, the Exodus, and the entry into the Promised Land. The psalm emphasizes God's power, providence, and faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, encouraging His people to remember His deeds and trust in Him.

Psalm 105:1-10 (NKJV)
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.

The psalm opens with a call to thank God, proclaiming His deeds to all people. It invites believers to rejoice in the Lord and constantly seek His presence. The focus shifts to the covenant God made with Abraham and His faithfulness in passing it down through Isaac and Jacob, affirming His enduring promise to the people of Israel. God’s covenant is eternal and dependable, stretching across generations, a testament to His faithfulness.

Psalm 105:11-22 (NKJV)
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.

God's promise to give Israel the land of Canaan is emphasized despite their small numbers and status as wanderers. The psalm recounts how God protected His people, even rebuking kings on their behalf. It recalls the story of Joseph, sold into slavery but eventually elevated to a position of authority in Egypt. Joseph’s rise to power, despite trials, is shown as part of God’s plan to preserve Israel and bless them with wisdom through adversity.

Psalm 105:23-38 (NKJV)
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.

The psalm continues by recounting Israel's stay in Egypt and how God increased their numbers despite Egyptian hostility. God's intervention through Moses and Aaron, as well as the plagues He sent, is emphasized. The plagues demonstrate God's power and judgment over Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn. Israel's deliverance from Egypt with wealth and health highlights God's faithfulness and provision, and Egypt's relief at their departure underscores God’s judgment on the oppressors.

Psalm 105:39-45 (NKJV)
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!

The final section highlights God's guidance during the wilderness journey with a cloud by day and fire by night. God’s provision of quail, manna, and water from the rock shows His care for their needs. The psalm concludes by reminding the people of God's faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham. God's purpose in giving them the Promised Land was that they might obey His laws and glorify Him. The chapter ends with a call to praise the Lord for His goodness.

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