The Bible — World English Bible

Psalm 105

In brief

Psalm 105 is a long psalm of praise that tells the story of God's people in order to call us to remember his wonders. It begins by calling us to give thanks, to seek the face of the Lord continually and to make known his deeds. It then follows the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the story of Joseph sold as a slave, Moses, the plagues of Egypt, the people's departure, the cloud, the quail and the water from the rock. The psalm ends by saying why God acted this way: so that his people would keep his laws.

The chapter in 5 parts

  1. v. 1-6Give thanks to the Lord and seek his face continually
  2. v. 7-15The covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: God keeps his word
  3. v. 16-22Joseph, sold as a slave, then raised up
  4. v. 23-38Moses, the plagues of Egypt and the people's departure
  5. v. 39-45The cloud, the quail, the opened rock: God remembers his promise

1Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Make his doings known among the peoples.

2Sing to him, sing praises to him! Tell of all his marvelous works.

3Glory in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

4Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

5Remember his marvelous works that he has done: his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

6you offspring of Abraham, his servant, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

7He is Yahweh, our God. His judgments are in all the earth.

8He has remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

9the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac,

10and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute; to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

11saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance,”

12when they were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners in it.

13They went about from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.

14He allowed no one to do them wrong. Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

15“Don’t touch my anointed ones! Do my prophets no harm!”

16He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies.

17He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave.

18They bruised his feet with shackles. His neck was locked in irons,

19until the time that his word happened, and Yahweh’s word proved him true.

20The king sent and freed him, even the ruler of peoples, and let him go free.

21He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions,

22to discipline his princes at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.

23Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of Ham.

24He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries.

25He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.

26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

27They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28He sent darkness, and made it dark. They didn’t rebel against his words.

29He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish.

30Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the rooms of their kings.

31He spoke, and swarms of flies came, and lice in all their borders.

32He gave them hail for rain, with lightning in their land.

33He struck their vines and also their fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.

34He spoke, and the locusts came with the grasshoppers, without number,

35ate up every plant in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground.

36He struck also all the firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their manhood.

37He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes.

38Egypt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen on them.

39He spread a cloud for a covering, fire to give light in the night.

40They asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of the sky.

41He opened the rock, and waters gushed out. They ran as a river in the dry places.

42For he remembered his holy word, and Abraham, his servant.

43He brought his people out with joy, his chosen with singing.

44He gave them the lands of the nations. They took the labor of the peoples in possession,

45that they might keep his statutes, and observe his laws. Praise Yah!

Key verses

Verse 4
Seek Yahweh and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

Seek God's face continually: faith is not only an occasional visit. The verse invites a search for his presence that lasts, not a one-time request.

Verse 8
He has remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

God always remembers his covenant. The psalm rests on this faithfulness: if God keeps his word for a thousand generations, you can count on him.

Verse 17-19
He sent a man before them. Joseph was sold for a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles. His neck was locked in irons, until the time that his word happened, and Yahweh’s word proved him true.

God sends Joseph ahead of his people, and he begins by being sold and put in chains. The text says that the word of the Lord tested him before his promise came true: a long wait can be part of God's plan.

Verse 37
He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes.

God brings his people out and none among their tribes stumbles. The deliverance from Egypt is presented as an act of God, not as a victory of the people.

Verse 45
that they might keep his statutes, and observe his laws. Praise Yah!

The psalm gives the purpose of all these wonders: that the people keep God's statutes. Remembering God's deeds leads to a life that obeys him.

What the sermons say

Frequently asked questions about Psalm 105

What does Psalm 105 mean?

It is a psalm that tells the history of Israel to call us to praise God. It stresses the Lord's faithfulness to his covenant with Abraham, and also Joseph, Moses, the exodus from Egypt and the walk through the desert. It concludes that God acted so that his people would keep his statutes.

What does seeking his face continually in verse 4 mean?

Seeking God's face means seeking his presence and relationship, not only his gifts. The word continually shows that this search is not occasional. The verse invites a life habitually turned toward God, who prays, listens and remembers what he has done.

How can I pray with Psalm 105?

Read verses 1 to 5 thanking God for specific acts in your life. Remember times when he kept his word, as in verses 8 to 11. Then read Joseph's story in verses 16 to 22 if you are waiting for a promise, and finish with verse 4 by asking to seek his face every day.

Articles quoting Psalm 105

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World English Bible translation — public domain.