Psalms 105 Study Notes: God's Faithfulness from Abraham to Canaan
This psalm calls God's people to thank Him and make His deeds known to the nations. It retells how He kept His covenant with the patriarchs, protected them, sent Joseph ahead into Egypt, and multiplied Israel there, then recalls Moses, the plagues, the exodus, wilderness care, and the gift of the land.
General
In 105:5-6, how does the psalmist describe the people he calls to remember God's wonders?
Answer: As Abraham's descendants, God's chosen ones
The psalmist calls his hearers to remember the wonders, marvels, and judgments of God (105:5), and he addresses them as the descendants of Abraham, God's servant, and the sons of Jacob, whom God has chosen (105:6). Being chosen means God picked them to be His own people. Moses explains that God did not choose Israel because they were large or impressive but because He loved them and kept His oath to their fathers (Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 14:2). Paul says this choice rests on God's call, which He does not take back (Romans 11:28-29). The whole psalm that follows is the story of that choice worked out in history.
- Psalm 105:5-6 (BSB)“Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced, O offspring of His servant Abraham, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.”The call to remember God's works is addressed to Abraham's offspring and Jacob's sons.
- Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (BSB)“The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”Moses says God chose Israel not because they were many but because He loved them and kept His oath.
- Deuteronomy 14:2 (BSB)“for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.”Israel is described as a people the LORD chose for His prized possession.
- Romans 11:28-29 (BSB)“Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.”Paul says Israel's election rests on God's call, which is irrevocable.
Theological
How does 105:6 identify those summoned to remember the LORD's works?
Answer: As Abraham's descendants, God's chosen ones
The summons to remember (105:5) is addressed to the seed of Abraham and the sons of Jacob, designated His chosen ones (105:6). The recital that follows is the history of Israel's national election, grounded not in Israel's merit or size but in God's free love and His oath to the fathers (Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 14:2). Paul affirms that this election rests on God's irrevocable calling (Romans 11:28-29). The same pattern of sovereign, unmerited choosing that shapes Israel's story shapes God's saving purpose throughout Scripture.
- Psalm 105:5-6 (BSB)“Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced, O offspring of His servant Abraham, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.”The call to remember God's works is addressed to Abraham's offspring and Jacob's sons.
- Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (BSB)“The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”Moses says God chose Israel not because they were many but because He loved them and kept His oath.
- Deuteronomy 14:2 (BSB)“for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.”Israel is described as a people the LORD chose for His prized possession.
- Romans 11:28-29 (BSB)“Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.”Paul says Israel's election rests on God's call, which is irrevocable.
General
According to 105:39-40, how did God care for His people after they left Egypt?
Answer: A cloud to cover them, fire by night, quail and heavenly bread
In the wilderness God spread a cloud over His people to cover them and gave fire to light the night (105:39), the pillar of cloud and fire described in Exodus 13:21. When they asked, He sent quail and fully satisfied them with bread from heaven (105:40), the manna and quail of Exodus 16:4 and 16:13. The psalm mentions no grumbling here; it tells only of God's generous care. Later, when a crowd recalled the manna, Jesus said that it is His Father who gives the true heavenly bread (John 6:31-32).
- Psalm 105:39-40 (BSB)“He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night. They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.”God covers, lights, and feeds His people in the wilderness.
- Exodus 13:21 (BSB)“And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.”The LORD led Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
- Exodus 16:13 (BSB)“That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.”Quail came and covered the camp in the evening.
- Exodus 16:4 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.”God promised to rain down bread from heaven for Israel.
- John 6:31-32 (BSB)“Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.”Jesus says His Father gives the true heavenly bread.
Theological
What provisions does 105:39-40 list for Israel in the wilderness?
Answer: A cloud to cover them, fire by night, quail and heavenly bread
The psalmist lists God's wilderness provision without mention of Israel's murmuring: a cloud spread to cover them and fire to illuminate the night (105:39; Exodus 13:21), and, at their request, quail and a full supply of heavenly bread (105:40; Exodus 16:4, 13). In John 6:31-32, when the crowd appeals to the manna, Jesus answers that it is His Father who gives the real bread that comes from heaven.
- Psalm 105:39-40 (BSB)“He spread a cloud as a covering and a fire to light up the night. They asked, and He brought quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.”God covers, lights, and feeds His people in the wilderness.
- Exodus 13:21 (BSB)“And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.”The LORD led Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
- Exodus 16:13 (BSB)“That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.”Quail came and covered the camp in the evening.
- Exodus 16:4 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.”God promised to rain down bread from heaven for Israel.
- John 6:31-32 (BSB)“Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.”Jesus says His Father gives the true heavenly bread.
General
According to 105:8-10, how did the covenant pass through the three patriarchs?
Answer: Made with Abraham, sworn to Isaac, confirmed to Jacob
A covenant is a binding agreement, and here it is God's solemn promise for His people. The psalm says God keeps His covenant in mind forever and calls it a word that stands through a thousand generations (105:8). It was made with Abraham, sworn by oath to Isaac, and confirmed to Jacob, also called Israel, as a lasting covenant (105:9-10). Genesis shows each step: God's covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:18), His promise to Isaac to confirm the oath sworn to Abraham (Genesis 26:3), and His repetition of the promise to Jacob (Genesis 28:13). Hebrews says God added an oath to show that His purpose does not change (Hebrews 6:17).
- Psalm 105:8-10 (BSB)“He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:”The psalmist traces the covenant from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and calls it everlasting.
- Genesis 15:18 (BSB)“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—”The LORD made a covenant with Abram promising his descendants the land.
- Genesis 26:3 (BSB)“Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.”God tells Isaac He will confirm the oath He swore to Abraham.
- Genesis 28:13 (BSB)“And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie.”The LORD repeats the land promise to Jacob as the God of Abraham and Isaac.
- Hebrews 6:17 (BSB)“So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.”Hebrews says God guaranteed His unchanging purpose to the heirs of the promise with an oath.
Theological
How does 105:8-10 trace the transmission of the Abrahamic covenant?
Answer: Made with Abraham, sworn to Isaac, confirmed to Jacob
The psalmist stresses the permanence of the covenant: God remembers it forever, as a word appointed to stand through a thousand generations (105:8). It was cut with Abraham, ratified by oath to Isaac, and made a binding decree and an everlasting covenant for Jacob (105:9-10). Genesis records each stage (Genesis 15:18; 26:3; 28:13). The repetition to each generation shows that the promise rests on God's own oath rather than on the faithfulness of the patriarchs, which Hebrews 6:17 draws out: the oath displays the immutability of His purpose to those who inherit the promise.
- Psalm 105:8-10 (BSB)“He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:”The psalmist traces the covenant from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and calls it everlasting.
- Genesis 15:18 (BSB)“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—”The LORD made a covenant with Abram promising his descendants the land.
- Genesis 26:3 (BSB)“Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.”God tells Isaac He will confirm the oath He swore to Abraham.
- Genesis 28:13 (BSB)“And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie.”The LORD repeats the land promise to Jacob as the God of Abraham and Isaac.
- Hebrews 6:17 (BSB)“So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.”Hebrews says God guaranteed His unchanging purpose to the heirs of the promise with an oath.
General
Why, according to 105:38, was Egypt glad when Israel departed?
Answer: Terror of Israel had come upon the Egyptians
God brought Israel out carrying gold and silver, and not one among the tribes faltered (105:37). Egypt was glad to see them go, because the Egyptians had become afraid of Israel (105:38). Exodus shows God's promise that Israel would not leave empty-handed (Exodus 3:21), the Egyptians handing over silver and gold (Exodus 12:35-36), and the Egyptians urging the people to hurry out because they feared they would all die (Exodus 12:33). After the death of the firstborn, the oppressors wanted their former slaves gone.
- Psalm 105:37-38 (BSB)“He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled. Egypt was glad when they departed, for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.”Israel leaves Egypt enriched, and Egypt is glad to see them go.
- Exodus 3:21 (BSB)“And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.”God promised that Israel would not leave Egypt empty-handed.
- Exodus 12:35-36 (BSB)“Furthermore, the Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.”The Egyptians gave Israel articles of silver and gold, and so Israel plundered Egypt.
- Exodus 12:33 (BSB)“And in order to send them out of the land quickly, the Egyptians urged the people on. “For otherwise,” they said, “we are all going to die!””The Egyptians urged Israel to leave quickly, fearing they would all die.
Theological
What reason does 105:38 give for Egypt's gladness at Israel's departure?
Answer: Terror of Israel had come upon the Egyptians
Israel went out laden with gold and silver, with none stumbling among the tribes (105:37), and Egypt rejoiced at their departure because they had come to dread Israel (105:38). Exodus records the promise that Israel would not leave empty (Exodus 3:21), its fulfillment in the plundering of Egypt (Exodus 12:35-36), and the Egyptians' urgent pressure to send Israel away lest they all die (Exodus 12:33). The reversal is complete: the oppressor now fears the oppressed.
- Psalm 105:37-38 (BSB)“He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled. Egypt was glad when they departed, for the dread of Israel had fallen on them.”Israel leaves Egypt enriched, and Egypt is glad to see them go.
- Exodus 3:21 (BSB)“And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.”God promised that Israel would not leave Egypt empty-handed.
- Exodus 12:35-36 (BSB)“Furthermore, the Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.”The Egyptians gave Israel articles of silver and gold, and so Israel plundered Egypt.
- Exodus 12:33 (BSB)“And in order to send them out of the land quickly, the Egyptians urged the people on. “For otherwise,” they said, “we are all going to die!””The Egyptians urged Israel to leave quickly, fearing they would all die.
General
According to 105:18-19, how long did Joseph's suffering in chains last?
Answer: Until what he foretold happened and God vindicated him
The psalm describes Joseph's feet hurt by shackles and his neck held in iron (105:18). He stayed in that condition until what he had predicted came to pass and the LORD's word showed he was right (105:19). In Genesis, Joseph was in prison though he had done nothing wrong (Genesis 40:15). He interpreted dreams, insisting that the meaning comes from God (Genesis 40:8), and later the cupbearer confirmed that everything turned out as Joseph had explained (Genesis 41:13). The psalm presents Joseph's hard wait as lasting only as long as God determined, until God Himself brought it to an end.
- Psalm 105:18-19 (BSB)“They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons, until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right.”Joseph's imprisonment lasts until God's word proves him true.
- Genesis 40:15 (BSB)“For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.””Joseph protests that he was kidnapped and put in the dungeon though innocent.
- Genesis 40:8 (BSB)““We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.””Joseph insists that interpretations belong to God.
- Genesis 41:13 (BSB)“And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.””The cupbearer reports that events happened just as Joseph had interpreted.
Theological
What marks the end point of Joseph's affliction in 105:18-19?
Answer: Until what he foretold happened and God vindicated him
The psalm depicts Joseph's bondage in physical terms, shackled feet and a neck in iron (105:18), and fixes its limit: until his word came to pass and the LORD's word vindicated him (105:19). Genesis records his innocent imprisonment (Genesis 40:15), his confession that interpretation belongs to God (Genesis 40:8), and the cupbearer's testimony that all occurred as Joseph interpreted (Genesis 41:13). The suffering had a divinely set term, and God's word vindicated His servant.
- Psalm 105:18-19 (BSB)“They bruised his feet with shackles and placed his neck in irons, until his prediction came true and the word of the LORD proved him right.”Joseph's imprisonment lasts until God's word proves him true.
- Genesis 40:15 (BSB)“For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing for which they should have put me in this dungeon.””Joseph protests that he was kidnapped and put in the dungeon though innocent.
- Genesis 40:8 (BSB)““We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.””Joseph insists that interpretations belong to God.
- Genesis 41:13 (BSB)“And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.””The cupbearer reports that events happened just as Joseph had interpreted.
General
True or False: Psalm 105:12-13 says the patriarchs were a large and settled people when God made His promise to them.
Answer: False
This is false. The psalm stresses the opposite: the patriarchs were very few and lived as foreigners in the land, moving from one nation and kingdom to another (105:12-13). Jacob himself admitted that his household was small and could easily be destroyed (Genesis 34:30), and Israel's later confession remembered a wandering ancestor who moved to Egypt with few people (Deuteronomy 26:5). Hebrews says the patriarchs openly called themselves strangers and exiles (Hebrews 11:13). Their weakness makes God's protection in the next verses stand out.
- Psalm 105:12-13 (BSB)“When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land, they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.”The psalm describes the patriarchs' condition when they received the promise.
- Genesis 34:30 (BSB)“Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.””Jacob himself says his household is few in number and vulnerable.
- Deuteronomy 26:5 (BSB)“and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.”Israel's confession recalls an ancestor who went down to Egypt few in number.
- Hebrews 11:13 (BSB)“All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”Hebrews says the patriarchs confessed they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
Theological
True or False: In 105:12-13, the patriarchs are portrayed as numerous and firmly settled at the time of the promise.
Answer: False
This is false. The psalmist emphasizes their smallness and rootlessness: few in number, sojourners in Canaan, passing from one people to another (105:12-13). Genesis 34:30 and Deuteronomy 26:5 confirm the picture, and Hebrews 11:13 records their confession that they lived on earth as exiles and outsiders. The point is theological: the promise rested on God's faithfulness, not on the strength of its recipients.
- Psalm 105:12-13 (BSB)“When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land, they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.”The psalm describes the patriarchs' condition when they received the promise.
- Genesis 34:30 (BSB)“Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.””Jacob himself says his household is few in number and vulnerable.
- Deuteronomy 26:5 (BSB)“and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.”Israel's confession recalls an ancestor who went down to Egypt few in number.
- Hebrews 11:13 (BSB)“All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”Hebrews says the patriarchs confessed they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
General
According to 105:44-45, for what purpose did God give Israel the territory of other peoples?
Answer: For them to obey His decrees and laws
The psalm ends with God giving Israel the lands of other nations, so that they took over what others had labored to produce (105:44), just as God later reminded them that they lived in cities they had not built (Joshua 24:13). Then it states the purpose: that they would observe His decrees and follow His instructions (105:45), the life Moses urged on them in the land (Deuteronomy 4:40). The order matters. God rescued and blessed them first, and obedience was to follow as their grateful response, not as the price of His grace. Paul says believers too are saved by grace, not by works, and are created in Christ for good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). The psalm closes with a call to praise the LORD.
- Psalm 105:44-45 (BSB)“He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor, that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!”The psalm ends with the gift of the land and its purpose, then closes with praise.
- Joshua 24:13 (BSB)“So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities that you did not build, and now you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’”God reminds Israel He gave them a land they did not work and cities they did not build.
- Deuteronomy 4:40 (BSB)“Keep His statutes and commandments, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”Moses urges Israel to keep God's statutes and commandments in the land God gives.
- Ephesians 2:8-10 (BSB)“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”Paul says believers are saved by grace, not by works, and are created in Christ Jesus for good works.
Theological
What purpose does 105:45 assign to the gift of the land?
Answer: For them to obey His decrees and laws
The recital ends with the inheritance of the nations' lands and the fruit of their toil (105:44; Joshua 24:13), and it names the goal of the whole redemptive history: that Israel would observe His decrees and follow His laws (105:45; Deuteronomy 4:40). Grace precedes and grounds obedience. The land is given before the law-keeping it is meant to produce, so obedience is the fruit of redemption, not its ground, the same pattern Paul sets out for believers saved by grace apart from works and created in Christ for good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). The psalm then closes with Hallelujah.
- Psalm 105:44-45 (BSB)“He gave them the lands of the nations, that they might inherit the fruit of others’ labor, that they might keep His statutes and obey His laws. Hallelujah!”The psalm ends with the gift of the land and its purpose, then closes with praise.
- Joshua 24:13 (BSB)“So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities that you did not build, and now you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’”God reminds Israel He gave them a land they did not work and cities they did not build.
- Deuteronomy 4:40 (BSB)“Keep His statutes and commandments, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”Moses urges Israel to keep God's statutes and commandments in the land God gives.
- Ephesians 2:8-10 (BSB)“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”Paul says believers are saved by grace, not by works, and are created in Christ Jesus for good works.
General
According to 105:16, where did the famine that drove Jacob's family toward Egypt come from?
Answer: God summoned it upon the land
The psalm says God summoned a famine over the land and broke off its food supply (105:16). The famine was not an accident outside God's control. Joseph told Pharaoh that God had decreed it and would soon bring it about (Genesis 41:32), and it came exactly as he said (Genesis 41:54), spreading over every country (Genesis 41:57). In the psalm, even hard times are part of God's plan to move His people where He wanted them.
- Psalm 105:16 (BSB)“He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.”The psalm attributes the famine directly to God's command.
- Genesis 41:32 (BSB)“Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.”Joseph tells Pharaoh the coming famine has been decreed by God.
- Genesis 41:54 (BSB)“the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.”The years of famine came just as Joseph had said.
- Genesis 41:57 (BSB)“And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.”The famine was severe over all the earth, and nations came to Joseph for grain.
Theological
To what cause does 105:16 attribute the famine of Joseph's day?
Answer: God summoned it upon the land
The psalmist ascribes the famine directly to the LORD: He summoned it and left the land with no food (105:16). This matches Joseph's own reading, that the famine was decreed by God, who would bring it swiftly (Genesis 41:32), and the narrative's confirmation that it came as foretold and covered all the earth (Genesis 41:54, 57). God's providence governs calamity as well as blessing, and here it serves His covenant purpose of bringing Jacob's family to Egypt.
- Psalm 105:16 (BSB)“He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.”The psalm attributes the famine directly to God's command.
- Genesis 41:32 (BSB)“Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.”Joseph tells Pharaoh the coming famine has been decreed by God.
- Genesis 41:54 (BSB)“the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.”The years of famine came just as Joseph had said.
- Genesis 41:57 (BSB)“And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.”The famine was severe over all the earth, and nations came to Joseph for grain.
General
According to 105:25, who turned the Egyptians' hearts to hate Israel?
Answer: The LORD
The psalm says it was the LORD who turned the Egyptians' hearts to hate God's people and to plot against His servants (105:25). Exodus tells how the Egyptians schemed to deal shrewdly with the growing Israelites and then oppressed them with forced labor (Exodus 1:10). A related but later event shows the same truth: when Moses went to Pharaoh, God said beforehand that He would harden Pharaoh's heart (Exodus 4:21), and then He did (Exodus 9:12). Paul says God raised up Pharaoh to show His power and make His name known everywhere (Romans 9:17). The Egyptians were still responsible for their cruelty, yet God ruled over their hostility and used it to bring about the rescue He had planned. God directs all things without ever being the author of evil.
- Psalm 105:25 (BSB)“whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.”God turns the Egyptians' hearts to hate His people.
- Exodus 1:10 (BSB)“Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.””The Egyptians plot against the growing Israelite people, which led to their oppression.
- Exodus 4:21 (BSB)“The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.”Later, God tells Moses beforehand that He will harden Pharaoh's heart.
- Exodus 9:12 (BSB)“But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses.”The LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, just as He had said.
- Romans 9:17 (BSB)“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.””Paul says God raised up Pharaoh to display His power and make His name known.
Theological
To whom does 105:25 attribute the Egyptians' hostility toward Israel?
Answer: The LORD
The psalmist attributes the turning of the Egyptians' hearts to hatred and conspiracy directly to the LORD (105:25), the scheming and oppression Exodus records at the start of the bondage (Exodus 1:10). Exodus later speaks the same way about a related but distinct event, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart during the plagues (Exodus 4:21; 9:12), and Paul cites God's purpose in raising up Pharaoh to display His power and publish His name (Romans 9:17). The Egyptians' malice was genuinely their own and culpable, yet it was ordained and governed by God toward the redemption of His people, without God being the author of sin.
- Psalm 105:25 (BSB)“whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.”God turns the Egyptians' hearts to hate His people.
- Exodus 1:10 (BSB)“Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.””The Egyptians plot against the growing Israelite people, which led to their oppression.
- Exodus 4:21 (BSB)“The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.”God tells Moses beforehand that He will harden Pharaoh's heart.
- Exodus 9:12 (BSB)“But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said to Moses.”The LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, just as He had said.
- Romans 9:17 (BSB)“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.””Paul says God raised up Pharaoh to display His power and make His name known.
General
According to 105:23-24, what did the LORD do for His people once Jacob settled in Egypt?
Answer: Made them fruitful until they outnumbered their foes
Israel, meaning Jacob and his family, went down into Egypt, which the psalm names as Ham's land (105:23). There the LORD caused His people to multiply greatly, until they outnumbered their enemies (105:24). Genesis records Jacob with all his descendants going to Egypt (Genesis 46:6), and Exodus describes how they multiplied until they filled the land (Exodus 1:7), so that Pharaoh complained they had become too many and too strong (Exodus 1:9). God was keeping His promise to make Abraham's family great.
- Psalm 105:23-24 (BSB)“Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes,”Jacob's family settles in Egypt, and God makes them very fruitful.
- Genesis 46:6 (BSB)“They also took the livestock and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.”Jacob and all his offspring went down to Egypt.
- Exodus 1:7 (BSB)“but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.”The Israelites multiplied and became exceedingly numerous in Egypt.
- Exodus 1:9 (BSB)““Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.”Pharaoh complains that the Israelites have become too numerous and powerful.
Theological
What does 105:24 credit to the LORD during Israel's stay in Egypt?
Answer: Made them fruitful until they outnumbered their foes
After Jacob's descent into Egypt, poetically named for Ham (105:23; Genesis 46:6), the psalmist credits the LORD with Israel's extraordinary growth: He made them very fruitful until they outnumbered their adversaries (105:24). Exodus 1:7 and 1:9 describe the same multiplication and Pharaoh's alarm at it. The increase is covenant fulfillment, the promise of numerous descendants coming true in a foreign land.
- Psalm 105:23-24 (BSB)“Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. And the LORD made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes,”Jacob's family settles in Egypt, and God makes them very fruitful.
- Genesis 46:6 (BSB)“They also took the livestock and possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.”Jacob and all his offspring went down to Egypt.
- Exodus 1:7 (BSB)“but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.”The Israelites multiplied and became exceedingly numerous in Egypt.
- Exodus 1:9 (BSB)““Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.”Pharaoh complains that the Israelites have become too numerous and powerful.
General
After releasing Joseph, what authority did the king give him according to 105:20-22?
Answer: Charge of his house and power to train his officials
The king, Pharaoh, sent and set Joseph free (105:20). He then made him lord over his household and ruler of all he owned, with authority to direct Pharaoh's princes as he wished and to make his elders wise (105:21-22). Genesis tells how Pharaoh had Joseph brought quickly from the prison (Genesis 41:14) and put him over his house and people because God had revealed these things to him and no one was as wise (Genesis 41:39-40). Stephen summarizes it the same way: God rescued Joseph and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh (Acts 7:9-10).
- Psalm 105:20-22 (BSB)“The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.”The king frees Joseph and gives him authority over his household and officials.
- Genesis 41:14 (BSB)“So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.”Pharaoh sent for Joseph and had him brought quickly from the prison.
- Genesis 41:39-40 (BSB)“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.””Pharaoh puts the wise and discerning Joseph in charge of his house and people.
- Acts 7:9-10 (BSB)“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.”Stephen says God rescued Joseph and gave him wisdom and favor before Pharaoh.
Theological
What position does 105:21-22 say Pharaoh granted Joseph?
Answer: Charge of his house and power to train his officials
Pharaoh released Joseph (105:20) and installed him as lord of his house and ruler over his possessions, empowered to direct his princes at will and to instruct his elders in wisdom (105:21-22). Genesis 41:14 and 41:39-40 record the release and appointment, grounding Joseph's wisdom in God's revelation, and Stephen attributes the whole reversal to God's rescue and gift of favor and wisdom (Acts 7:9-10).
- Psalm 105:20-22 (BSB)“The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.”The king frees Joseph and gives him authority over his household and officials.
- Genesis 41:14 (BSB)“So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.”Pharaoh sent for Joseph and had him brought quickly from the prison.
- Genesis 41:39-40 (BSB)“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.””Pharaoh puts the wise and discerning Joseph in charge of his house and people.
- Acts 7:9-10 (BSB)“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.”Stephen says God rescued Joseph and gave him wisdom and favor before Pharaoh.
General
How does 105:17 describe Joseph's journey to Egypt?
Answer: God sent him ahead, though he went as a slave
The psalm says God sent a man ahead of His people, Joseph, who was sold into slavery (105:17). Genesis records that his jealous brothers sold him to traders bound for Egypt (Genesis 37:28). Both things are true at once. The brothers truly did wrong, yet God was working through their sin to save lives. Joseph later told them that God had sent him ahead to preserve them (Genesis 45:5), and that what they meant for evil God meant for good (Genesis 50:20). God rules over all events without Himself doing evil, and people remain responsible for their choices.
- Psalm 105:17 (BSB)“He sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave.”God sends Joseph ahead of his family, though he went as a slave.
- Genesis 37:28 (BSB)“So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.”Joseph's brothers sold him for silver to traders who took him to Egypt.
- Genesis 45:5 (BSB)“And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.”Joseph tells his brothers that God sent him ahead to save lives.
- Genesis 50:20 (BSB)“As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.”Joseph says his brothers meant evil, but God meant it for good.
Theological
What does 105:17 say about the agency behind Joseph's arrival in Egypt?
Answer: God sent him ahead, though he went as a slave
The psalmist attributes Joseph's going to God: God sent a man ahead of them, even though Joseph went as a slave sold by others (105:17; Genesis 37:28). This is compatibilist providence in narrative form. The brothers acted freely and sinfully, yet God sent Joseph ahead to preserve life (Genesis 45:5), intending for good what they intended for evil (Genesis 50:20). God ordains the outcome without being the author of sin, and the human agents remain fully culpable.
- Psalm 105:17 (BSB)“He sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave.”God sends Joseph ahead of his family, though he went as a slave.
- Genesis 37:28 (BSB)“So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.”Joseph's brothers sold him for silver to traders who took him to Egypt.
- Genesis 45:5 (BSB)“And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.”Joseph tells his brothers that God sent him ahead to save lives.
- Genesis 50:20 (BSB)“As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.”Joseph says his brothers meant evil, but God meant it for good.
General
In Psalm 105's list of the signs in Egypt (105:28-36), which plague is named first?
Answer: Darkness
God sent His servant Moses along with Aaron, His chosen one, to perform His signs in Egypt (105:26-27; Exodus 3:10). The psalm then lists a selection of the plagues in its own order: darkness first (105:28), then the water turned to blood and the fish killed (105:29), frogs even in the royal rooms (105:30), insects swarming as gnats across the country (105:31), hail and lightning, with vines, fig trees, and other trees struck down (105:32-33), locusts that stripped the land (105:34-35), and last the death of the firstborn (105:36). The psalm does not follow the sequence in Exodus, where darkness comes just before the death of the firstborn (Exodus 10:22; 12:29), and it leaves some plagues out. It recounts these signs to praise God's power rather than to give a complete list.
- Psalm 105:26-36 (BSB)“He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. They performed His miraculous signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and it became dark—yet they defied His words. He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die. Their land teemed with frogs, even in their royal chambers. He spoke, and insects swarmed—gnats throughout their country. He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land. He struck their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country. He spoke, and the locusts came—young locusts without number. They devoured every plant in their land and consumed the produce of their soil. Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.”God sends Moses and Aaron, and the psalm lists a selection of the signs against Egypt.
- Exodus 3:10 (BSB)“Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.””God sends Moses to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Exodus 10:22 (BSB)“So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.”Exodus records the darkness that covered Egypt for three days.
- Exodus 12:29 (BSB)“Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.”Exodus records the LORD striking down every firstborn in Egypt.
Theological
Which sign heads the psalmist's selection of the Egyptian plagues in 105:28-36?
Answer: Darkness
After the commissioning of Moses and Aaron (105:26-27; Exodus 3:10), the psalmist recites a selection of the plagues in his own arrangement: darkness (105:28), blood and dead fish (105:29), frogs in the royal chambers (105:30), swarming insects, gnats throughout the land (105:31), hail and lightning, with vines, fig trees, and trees struck down (105:32-33), locusts (105:34-35), and finally the firstborn (105:36). The order is the psalm's own rather than the narrative sequence of Exodus, where darkness is the last plague before the firstborn (Exodus 10:22; 12:29), and some plagues are omitted. The recital is meant for praise rather than completeness.
- Psalm 105:26-36 (BSB)“He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. They performed His miraculous signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and it became dark—yet they defied His words. He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die. Their land teemed with frogs, even in their royal chambers. He spoke, and insects swarmed—gnats throughout their country. He gave them hail for rain, with lightning throughout their land. He struck their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country. He spoke, and the locusts came—young locusts without number. They devoured every plant in their land and consumed the produce of their soil. Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.”God sends Moses and Aaron, and the psalm lists a selection of the signs against Egypt.
- Exodus 3:10 (BSB)“Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.””God sends Moses to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Exodus 10:22 (BSB)“So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and total darkness covered all the land of Egypt for three days.”Exodus records the darkness that covered Egypt for three days.
- Exodus 12:29 (BSB)“Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.”Exodus records the LORD striking down every firstborn in Egypt.
General
What specific promise does God speak in 105:11 as the content of the covenant?
Answer: The gift of Canaan as their inherited share
In 105:11 the psalm puts God's promise in His own voice: He would give Canaan to His people as their inheritance, the share passed down to them as heirs. This is the promise God made to Abraham (Genesis 17:8) and repeated to Jacob (Genesis 35:12). The patriarchs themselves lived in that land only as foreigners in tents, but they held on to the promise by faith (Hebrews 11:9). The rest of the psalm shows God keeping this word, ending with Israel receiving the territory of other nations (105:44).
- Psalm 105:11 (BSB)““I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.””The psalm quotes the content of God's covenant promise to the patriarchs.
- Genesis 17:8 (BSB)“And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.””God promised Abraham and his descendants all the land of Canaan as an eternal possession.
- Genesis 35:12 (BSB)“The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.””God passed the same land promise on to Jacob and his descendants.
- Hebrews 11:9 (BSB)“By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”Hebrews says Abraham lived in the promised land as a stranger, with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise.
Theological
What is the stated content of the covenant promise in 105:11?
Answer: The gift of Canaan as their inherited share
The covenant is summarized in a direct divine speech (105:11): Canaan is given as the allotted portion of Israel's inheritance. This is the land grant of Genesis 17:8, renewed to Jacob in Genesis 35:12. Hebrews 11:9 notes that the three patriarchs dwelt in that land as sojourners, heirs of a promise they did not yet possess. The psalm's closing verses (105:44) record the fulfillment, framing the whole recital between promise and possession.
- Psalm 105:11 (BSB)““I will give you the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.””The psalm quotes the content of God's covenant promise to the patriarchs.
- Genesis 17:8 (BSB)“And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.””God promised Abraham and his descendants all the land of Canaan as an eternal possession.
- Genesis 35:12 (BSB)“The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.””God passed the same land promise on to Jacob and his descendants.
- Hebrews 11:9 (BSB)“By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”Hebrews says Abraham lived in the promised land as a stranger, with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise.
General
What reason does 105:42 give for all that God did in bringing Israel out?
Answer: He kept in mind His sacred word to Abraham
The psalm gives the reason for the whole rescue: God remembered the holy promise He had made to His servant Abraham (105:42). So He brought out His people, His chosen ones, with joy and glad shouts (105:43). Exodus says the same: God heard Israel's groaning and called to mind His covenant with the three patriarchs (Exodus 2:24), as Joseph had foretold (Genesis 50:24). The rescue rested on God's faithfulness, not on Israel's goodness. Zechariah praises God for remembering that same oath to Abraham when He sent the Savior (Luke 1:72-73).
- Psalm 105:42-43 (BSB)“For He remembered His holy promise to Abraham His servant. He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy.”The psalm gives the reason behind the exodus: God remembered His promise to Abraham.
- Exodus 2:24 (BSB)“So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”God heard Israel's groaning and called to mind His covenant with the three patriarchs.
- Genesis 50:24 (BSB)“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.””Joseph foretold that God would bring Israel to the land promised on oath to the patriarchs.
- Luke 1:72-73 (BSB)“to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us”Zechariah praises God for remembering His holy covenant and oath to Abraham in sending the Savior.
Theological
What ground does 105:42 give for the exodus?
Answer: He kept in mind His sacred word to Abraham
The psalm returns to its opening theme (105:8): the exodus happened because God remembered His holy word to His servant Abraham (105:42), and so He led out His chosen people with rejoicing (105:43). Exodus 2:24 grounds the deliverance in the same covenant memory, fulfilling Joseph's dying word (Genesis 50:24). Redemption rests on God's sworn promise rather than on the merit of its recipients, and Zechariah sees that same Abrahamic oath coming to its fulfillment in Christ (Luke 1:72-73).
- Psalm 105:42-43 (BSB)“For He remembered His holy promise to Abraham His servant. He brought forth His people with rejoicing, His chosen with shouts of joy.”The psalm gives the reason behind the exodus: God remembered His promise to Abraham.
- Exodus 2:24 (BSB)“So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”God heard Israel's groaning and called to mind His covenant with the three patriarchs.
- Genesis 50:24 (BSB)“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.””Joseph foretold that God would bring Israel to the land promised on oath to the patriarchs.
- Luke 1:72-73 (BSB)“to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us”Zechariah praises God for remembering His holy covenant and oath to Abraham in sending the Savior.
General
True or False: Psalm 105:3-4 tells God's people to seek His face only in times of trouble.
Answer: False
This is false. The psalm tells people who look for the LORD to be glad, and it calls them to seek Him, His strength, and His face at all times (105:3-4). Seeking God's face means looking for His presence and favor. The call is not limited to emergencies; it is a lasting way of life. David voices the same response in another psalm (Psalm 27:8), Isaiah urges the people to look for the LORD and pray to Him in time (Isaiah 55:6), and Hebrews says God rewards all who sincerely look for Him (Hebrews 11:6).
- Psalm 105:3-4 (BSB)“Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.”The worshipers are called to glory in God's name, rejoice, and keep seeking Him.
- Psalm 27:8 (BSB)“My heart said, “Seek His face.” Your face, O LORD, I will seek.”David answers the call to seek God's face with a personal resolve to do so.
- Isaiah 55:6 (BSB)“Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”Isaiah likewise urges the people to seek the LORD and call on Him.
- Hebrews 11:6 (BSB)“And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”Hebrews says God rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Theological
True or False: According to 105:3-4, seeking the LORD's face is presented as a measure reserved for crises.
Answer: False
This is false. The psalmist links seeking the LORD with rejoicing and commands that His strength and His face be sought continually (105:3-4). To seek God's face is to pursue His presence and favor as the constant habit of the covenant people, not an emergency measure. The same pursuit appears in Psalm 27:8 and Isaiah 55:6, and Hebrews 11:6 grounds it in faith that God rewards those who seek Him.
- Psalm 105:3-4 (BSB)“Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.”The worshipers are called to glory in God's name, rejoice, and keep seeking Him.
- Psalm 27:8 (BSB)“My heart said, “Seek His face.” Your face, O LORD, I will seek.”David answers the call to seek God's face with a personal resolve to do so.
- Isaiah 55:6 (BSB)“Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”Isaiah likewise urges the people to seek the LORD and call on Him.
- Hebrews 11:6 (BSB)“And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”Hebrews says God rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
General
In the opening lines of Psalm 105 (105:1-2), where are God's people told to make His deeds known?
Answer: Among the nations of the world
Psalm 105 has no heading naming its author, and it opens with a burst of commands: thank the LORD, pray to Him by name, sing to Him, and recount His wonders (105:1-2). The audience for this telling is wide. God's deeds are to be made known among the nations, not kept as a private family memory. The first fifteen verses of the psalm also appear, almost word for word, in the song of thanksgiving David committed to Asaph when the ark was brought to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:7, followed by 16:8-22). Isaiah and another psalm sound the same note (Isaiah 12:4; Psalm 96:3), and Peter says the chosen people of God exist to proclaim His virtues (1 Peter 2:9).
- Psalm 105:1-2 (BSB)“Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.”The psalm opens with a string of calls to thank, pray, sing, and tell what the LORD has done.
- 1 Chronicles 16:7 (BSB)“On that day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this song of thanksgiving to the LORD:”Chronicles introduces the song of thanksgiving David committed to Asaph, which opens with the same lines as Psalm 105:1-15.
- Isaiah 12:4 (BSB)“and on that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD; proclaim His name! Make His works known among the peoples; declare that His name is exalted.”Isaiah also calls God's people to make His works known among the peoples.
- Psalm 96:3 (BSB)“Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.”Another psalm likewise sends God's wonders out to all peoples, not only to Israel.
- 1 Peter 2:9 (BSB)“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”Peter says God's chosen people exist to proclaim the virtues of the One who called them.
Theological
What scope does 105:1 give to Israel's proclamation of the LORD's deeds?
Answer: Among the nations of the world
The unnamed psalmist opens with imperatives of thanksgiving, invocation, song, and testimony (105:1-2), and the testimony has an outward reach: the LORD's deeds are to be declared among the nations. Israel's history is not merely a national memory but a witness to the peoples. The first fifteen verses appear almost verbatim in the thanksgiving song David committed to Asaph at the ark's arrival in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:7, followed by 16:8-22). The same missionary horizon appears in Isaiah 12:4 and Psalm 96:3, and Peter describes the church in similar terms, as a chosen people set apart to proclaim God's virtues (1 Peter 2:9).
- Psalm 105:1-2 (BSB)“Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.”The psalm opens with a string of calls to thank, pray, sing, and tell what the LORD has done.
- 1 Chronicles 16:7 (BSB)“On that day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this song of thanksgiving to the LORD:”Chronicles introduces the song of thanksgiving David committed to Asaph, which opens with the same lines as Psalm 105:1-15.
- Isaiah 12:4 (BSB)“and on that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD; proclaim His name! Make His works known among the peoples; declare that His name is exalted.”Isaiah also calls God's people to make His works known among the peoples.
- Psalm 96:3 (BSB)“Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.”Another psalm likewise sends God's wonders out to all peoples, not only to Israel.
- 1 Peter 2:9 (BSB)“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”Peter says God's chosen people exist to proclaim the virtues of the One who called them.
General
In the context of 105:12-15, who are the LORD's “anointed ones” whom kings are warned not to touch?
Answer: The patriarchs wandering among the nations
To be anointed means to be set apart by God for Himself. In this psalm the anointed ones are the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then wandering among the nations (105:12-13). God allowed no one to oppress them and rebuked kings for their sake, warning them not to harm His anointed ones and prophets (105:14-15). Genesis gives examples: God struck Pharaoh's household with plagues over Abram's wife (Genesis 12:17), warned King Abimelech through a dream and called Abraham a prophet (Genesis 20:3, 7), and later Abimelech forbade anyone to harm Isaac (Genesis 26:11). The verse is about God guarding the family that carried His promise.
- Psalm 105:14-15 (BSB)“He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf: “Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!””God protects the wandering patriarchs by rebuking kings on their behalf.
- Genesis 12:17 (BSB)“The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.”The LORD struck Pharaoh's household with plagues because of Abram's wife.
- Genesis 20:3 (BSB)“One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.””God warned Abimelech in a dream over the woman he had taken.
- Genesis 20:7 (BSB)“Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.””God calls Abraham a prophet in His warning to Abimelech.
- Genesis 26:11 (BSB)“So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.””Abimelech ordered that no one harm Isaac or his wife.
Theological
In the flow of 105:12-15, to whom does the phrase “My anointed ones” refer?
Answer: The patriarchs wandering among the nations
The referents are the patriarchs, whose wanderings are described in 105:12-13. The LORD permitted no one to oppress them and reproved kings for their sake, designating them His anointed ones and prophets (105:14-15), that is, persons set apart for Himself and bearers of His word. Genesis supplies the episodes: plagues on Pharaoh's house (Genesis 12:17), the dream warning to Abimelech in which Abraham is called a prophet (Genesis 20:3, 7), and Abimelech's edict protecting Isaac (Genesis 26:11). The verse celebrates God's providential preservation of the covenant line.
- Psalm 105:14-15 (BSB)“He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf: “Do not touch My anointed ones! Do no harm to My prophets!””God protects the wandering patriarchs by rebuking kings on their behalf.
- Genesis 12:17 (BSB)“The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.”The LORD struck Pharaoh's household with plagues because of Abram's wife.
- Genesis 20:3 (BSB)“One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.””God warned Abimelech in a dream over the woman he had taken.
- Genesis 20:7 (BSB)“Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.””God calls Abraham a prophet in His warning to Abimelech.
- Genesis 26:11 (BSB)“So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.””Abimelech ordered that no one harm Isaac or his wife.
General
True or False: Psalm 105:41 says God split a rock so that water gushed and ran like a river through dry land.
Answer: True
This is true. The psalm says God broke a rock open, and water poured out and ran like a river through the dry land (105:41). Exodus tells of God instructing Moses to strike a rock at Horeb so the people could drink (Exodus 17:6), and Isaiah recalls the same wonder (Isaiah 48:21). Paul says Israel drank from a spiritual rock that went with them and that this rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4), meaning the water from the rock pointed to Christ as the source of life for God's people.
- Psalm 105:41 (BSB)“He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.”God opens a rock and water flows like a river in the desert.
- Exodus 17:6 (BSB)“Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.”God tells Moses to strike a rock at Horeb so water will come out.
- Isaiah 48:21 (BSB)“They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out.”Isaiah recalls God splitting the rock so water gushed out for His people.
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 (BSB)“and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”Paul says Israel drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
Theological
True or False: According to 105:41, the LORD broke a rock open so that water streamed like a river through the wilderness.
Answer: True
This is true. The psalmist recalls the rock opened by God and the water streaming like a river across the dry land (105:41), the event of Exodus 17:6, which Isaiah 48:21 also celebrates. Paul reads this provision christologically: Israel drank from a spiritual rock accompanying them, and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).
- Psalm 105:41 (BSB)“He opened a rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.”God opens a rock and water flows like a river in the desert.
- Exodus 17:6 (BSB)“Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.”God tells Moses to strike a rock at Horeb so water will come out.
- Isaiah 48:21 (BSB)“They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out.”Isaiah recalls God splitting the rock so water gushed out for His people.
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 (BSB)“and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”Paul says Israel drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.